On Monday the 23rd Stonehaven Thistle travelled to duthie park for the annual seven a side competition. Having come 2nd in their group round, Thistle were taking part in the runners up cup (Duncan cup) and the semi final was played against Aberdeen Grammar. Grammar won the toss and elected to field first. Skipper Clive Hinchcliffe who stuck with the winning side from the previous week opened up the batting with Alex Keith and Andrew Hinchcliffe, 2 of the hardest hitting batsmen in the grades, knowing if the pair could stay together for a while Thistle would post a decent total.
On a wet pitch due to heavy downpours of rain it was a steady start form the first 4 balls, each batsmen taking a single. From this point on it was carnage as both batsman played shots all round the ground, 16 runs coming from the first 8 ball over and the platform was laid. 19 runs from the 2nd over as Hinchcliffe hit successive 4's and Keith hit his first 6 of the game. The 3rd over however was even better as 32 runs were plundered from the bowling of J Morrison, Grammar deciding to leave there best bowler until last. Hinchcliffe and Keith went on scoring runs from almost every ball and the total went past 100 before the former was caught for 49 off the best bowler for Grammar G Moir. Keith completed his half century with 2 balls to spare and thistle ended up with 113 from the 6 over's for the loss of just 1 wicket.
Ex Scotland player G Moir opened the batting and the skipper knew they would either have to get him out or try to keep him off the strike to win the game. The first 3 bowlers A Kemp, C van der Ruit and A long all failed to make the breakthrough and the score at the halfway mark was 59, Grammar were on track to win. Clive Hinchcliffe opener Budd after he had made 49 runs including a six from Hinchcliffe 2 balls before. This proved to be the breakthrough Thistle needed as brother Andrew had Williams stumped also just after hitting a six. Grammar were not behind the run rate but Moir was still batting and the short leg side boundary was very appealing to him. A Keith however held his nerve and the final over although going for 19 was not enough as Grammar finished on 106, 8 runs short of victory.
Thistle proceeded to the final to play Cults A. After a discussion about the pitch and the unsporting cults players refusing to lend the keeper gloves to the Thistle keeper the game started with Cults winning the toss and electing to bat. This time the skipper reversed the bowling order from the previous game and it paid dividends as Keith picked up the wicket of Amal with the score on 12. A Hinchcliffe bowled well on the now drying pitch and C Van der Ruit took a great catch as the ball was hit high to deep mid wicket. Hinchcliffe then bowled Steve and the score now 18 for 3 cults never looked in control. A long was next to take a wicket as C Hinchcliffe took a boundary catch way above his head having run 15 yards first. The last 2 wickets were taken by A Kemp as C Van der Ruit took another good catch on the boundary and keeper Garden stumped the last man. Cults finished 60 all out.
As Keith and A Hinchcliffe strode out to bat Thistle again felt confident, Alex this time caught on the boundary for 8 meant Garden came to the crease, the new pair picking up singles before Hinchcliffe opened his shoulders and the win never looked in doubt. Especially when Garden started stoking the ball to the boundary as well. Hinchcliffe finishing 38 not out and Garden 17 not out. Man of the match AHinchcliffe for a great spell of bowling and scoring more than half the required runs, Thistle not giving their number 4 a chance to face a ball in either game.
Thistle retired to the Station hotel who are the main club sponsors for light refreshments.
