Artisans - 9th June 2007 - Alex Keith outscores the opposition

Stonehaven Thistle 157 all out   Artisans 69 all out.

Last Saturday Stonehaven Thistle Cricket Club hosted Artisans for only their second home match of the season. Thistle hoping to put last weeks defeats behind them. Skipper Clive Hinchcliffe lost the toss and were asked to bat on a drying wicket.
 Thistles usual openers Alex Keith & Ali Milroy only managed 10 runs before Milroy was out playing an untypical expansive shot so early in his innings and was bowled by Sarna. Denis Garden came to the crease and whilst struggling to score freely, managed to support Alex who was as usual punishing any wayward bowling. The score had moved on to 49 before Thistles highest partnership of the day came to an end as Denis was bowled by Bhat for 1 run ( I did mention he was finding it hard). Drew Hinchcliffe strode to crease only to return to his team-mates without troubling the scorers as Bhat picked up his second wicket. Jonathan Van Der Ruit joined Alex and the 2 scored quickly pushing the score to 83 before Johno was bowled, again by Bhat. Alex picked up his 50 and was wondering who had the ability to stay with him, especially when Mat Jenkins (4) Barry Milne (2) Dave Long (2) all returned to the pavilion. Andy Wilson showed his experience and his finely crafted 16 not out even included a hook shot. Alex finally bowled by Bhat for a formidable 74 which alone gave thistle enough runs to bowl at.Chris Van Der Ruit played well for his 10 runs before Sarna picked up his second wicket of the day, just hitting the top of the stumps. This left Clive Hinchcliffe as the last man, playing despite breaking a finger in last weeks match. When Clive departed Thistle had struggled to 157 all out (only 3 batsman making double figures). Bhat finished with 5 wickets for 53 runs.

Stonehaven pride themselves on the hospitality they provide the opposition and this weeks spread was no exception as the players relaxed as they waited for the 2nd half of the game.  During the tea interval Thistle players knew with the quality and depth in their bowling attack 157 should be defendable.
 Opening pair Clive and Chris bowled well form the start and the opposition soon found themselves on the back foot. Artisans batsman P Joyce tried to come down the pitch to Clive, who dropped the ball short and waited for his brother Drew to take an easy catch at square leg. Clive collected the next 2 wickets as the other opener Dickie was clean bowled to a inswinging delivery and M Munro was caught by Ali Milroy without troubling the scores. Artisans reeling on 22 for 3.

A double bowling change brought Drew and Alex together and the pair were trying to get the defensive batsman Chisholm out since he was intent on not playing any shots and appeared to be going for the draw in what was only the 12th over of the game. It was Alex however who made the breakthrough as R Munro was the man out, Alex had positioned Chris to mid-on about 2/3s of the way to the boundary, the batsman took a heave at the ball and it looked to be safe. The batsman however had not expected Chris to run 15 yards and take a one handed catch at full stretch as he plucked the ball from the air 6 inches above the ground it what can only be descried as the best catch so far this year.
Drew was replaced by Andy Wilson as a change of pace was called for as Thistle were still trying to get Chisholm to come out of his shell. Keith picked up the wicket of Sarna when he clean bowled him and the score on 43 for 5. Chisholm decided to try a shot only to hit the in-close fielder Barry Milne straight on the arm, unfortunately the ball going straight to ground. Andy was getting more and more frustrated with umpiring decisions going against him but was glad to see the sporting Chisholm walk as the spinning delivery hit both pads and the bat before keeper Milroy took the catch.

Thomson started to score a few runs as Artisans tried a late rally but once skipper Clive brought himself back on & bowled another unexpected short delivery he too joined his team-mates as all he could manage was to offer a simple catch back to the bowler. Robertson clean bowled next ball left Clive on a hat-trick opportunity. The fielders closed round the bat, only for Clive to bowl down the leg side and save himself buying a round of drinks.... tight Yorkshireman.
It was Andy who picked up the last wicket as Bhat was stumped by Milroy.
Thistle bowled well with Clive returning figures of 8 over's 16 runs 5 wickets, Drew 4 over's for 2 runs, Alex 6 over's 3 runs 2 wickets and Andy 7.2 over's 12 runs 2 wickets.
Another good contribution from different players this week but Man of the Match has to go to Alex Keith who scored more runs than the entire opposition team and took 2 wickets.
Match sponsored by Ross Deeptech. Club sponsor Station Hotel.

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