Stonehaven 1st XI back to winning ways in emphatic style.

Stonehaven Thistle 1st XI 223 for 6 (43 overs)
Inverurie 95 all out

Stonehaven welcomed an Inverurie team struggling for numbers to Mineralwell park on Saturday in the penultimate game of the 2008 season.  A soggy wicket and long outfield welcomed the teams due to several weeks of bad weather and ground machinery problems.  Stonehaven lost the toss and were put into bat and sportingly donated their 12th man to the Inverurie team in the form of Alasdair Gardner to even out the sides.

A strong start by Thistle opener Alex Keith saw a perfect straight six from the 4th ball of the afternoon and that set the tone for the Thistle innings with the score racing to 48 from 9 overs before A. Milroy was bowled by Hadden.  A. Hinchcliffe joined the accelerating Keith and the score was pushed to 95 before the number 3 edged onto his pads, then boot, then stumps for an unlucky walk back to the dressing room for 19.  Contributions from the Thistle middle order (Van Der Ruit, Kemp and Jenkins) allowed A. Keith to express his hard hitting and ability to lift the ball over the long outfield and the score ticked nicely towards the 200 mark with some fine sixes and occasionally risky singles.  A. Keith’s reward came from another single and Stonehavens first centurion of the season received the applause.  With the ability to declare and buy some extra time to bowl out the opposition, the Thistle skipper, C. Hinchcliffe, decided to declare after 43 overs but unfortunately for Keith, he was bowled by the 2nd ball of the 43rd with a fantastic 130.

After tea was taken, Stonehavens bowlers set about the task of getting to the Station Hotel as quickly as possible and their first prize was opener Norval who edged behind from C. Van Der Ruit.  Opener, Hadden was defiant but never looked comfortable and was well taken by A Wilson, caught and bowled for 10.  Number 3, N. Martin then provided a useful 19 with D. Johnstone before departing to the centurion, Keith.  With the score barely ticking along, Johnstone pushed the ball around the park and hit some fine sixes of his own whilst wickets fell cheaply at the other end courtesy of C. Van der Ruit.  When Ex-Scotland batsman, Johnstone, finally succumbed for a good 48, Van Der Ruit again doing the damage, Inverurie’s resistance was over and the young South African Bowler mopped up the tail ending on figures of 5 for 21 from 8 overs.

Thistle 1st XI are still fixed in 4th position in grade 1 with the usual battle of Cults, Bon Accord and Kintore above them.  Victory against Ellon next weekend will cement their highest ever finish in the top flight and in a year when the 2nd XI have won everything, the future looks very bright for the Grades most southerly club.

The match was sponsored by The Station Hotel.