AAM Mannofield – 168 all out, 46 overs

Stonehaven Thistle 1st XI – 165 for 7, 44 overs

Stonehaven Thistle 1st XI were at home on Saturday for the second game of the season against Mannofield Hoping for another league win.
Thistle started the proceedings after they won the toss and decided to field.
Thistle opened the bowling with Andrew Long and Andrew Hinchcliffe looking to get early wickets but with wet and windy conditions, the game started slowly with 29 runs coming from 10 overs.

Hinchcliffe got the breakthrough Thistle needed with 2 wicket in his 8th over putting the score on 80 for 2 off 19 but then the heavens opened and the covers were hastily brought on. Luckily this was a short shower and the only rain break of the day so with the game resuming Barry Milne bowled superbly, giving away only 40 runs for 3 wickets off his 12 overs.

With the Mannofield middle order in Thistle had chance after chance but struggled to finish them off. A gutsy performance from both teams the innings went down to the wire with the last wicket coming in the last over leaving the Mannofield 168 all out off 46 overs. B.Milne and A.Hinchcliffe were the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 40 and 3 for 23 respectively off 12 overs, David Crozier also getting 2 for 48.

After tea Thistle were next to bat but with improving conditions the track was coming to the bowling team. Denis Garden and Ali Milroy opened but with Garden out in the 5th over with the score only on 11, it was going to be an uphill struggle.
However Milroy and Baz Milne didn’t share that view and took the attack to the bowlers boosting the score up to 90 before both were out in quick succession.
A.Hinchcliffe and D.Crozier were the fresh batsmen in and further increased Thistle’s chances of victory before Crozier was bowled for 18 with the score on 136 for 4 off 36.

The game was now getting really tight, with both teams feeling the pressure and with the score on 151 off 40 the home side needed only 18 runs to ensure victory but with overs running out A.Hinchcliffe was caught on the boundary trying to finish the game off. When David Garden was out, James Crozier only had 2 balls to score 9 runs with Andrew “The Finisher” Kemp stranded at the non-strikers end. James creamed his first ball for 4 but only managed a single off the last ball ; the game ending in a 90 over draw; Thistle finishing just short of the total on 165 for 7 off 44 overs.
Top batsmen were B.Milne who got 46 and A. Hinchcliffe 44 with A.Milroy scoring 37.

So Thistle snatched a frustrating draw from the jaws of victory and must now play Cults 2nd XI next week; a must win game to have any chance of staying in the top 5. The match ball was sponsored by the Station Hotel.