On a strangely sunny and warm Saturday at the Duthie Park, Portcullis were out for the last league game of the season. Getting the eleven for this game wasn't much different to the previous ones, but Coxie kept his good work to manage it.

Kannan won the toss and elected to bat against the Gordonians. M.Farooq and Ranjan begun the innings slowly, Ranjan was first to be out, giving a return catch to the bowler. D.Mitchell went at No.3, scored some quick runs with Farooq. Both had a good partnership with several boundaries to their credit. D.Mitchell was out in a similar fashion of Ranjan's, caught and bowled by A.Ayral. Soon Ayral claimed M.Farooq's wicket as well. This brought Nitin and Kannan to the middle, Kannan started with a boundary and a six in one over, both batsmen keep the scoreboard alive. At drinks we were 92/3 in 22 overs. With runs not coming off easily, they ran for quick singles, converting ones into twos. Nitin was bowled soon after the drinks, bowling change from Gordos trapped Kannan in front of the wicket. Scores dried up then, and in the 33nd over alone we lost 3 wickets. Although Noman survived the hat-trick delivery, he was out in the last ball. Some quick running by Howard and young Ruari took us to 111. This pair made 11 runs for the last wicket, Howard who has scored 5 runs was run out in the end.

With 112 as the target, Portcullis opened their bowling with D.Mitchell and Jay. In that quick spell as we all wanted D.Mitchell got the first Gordonian wicket and almost got the difficult return catch from V.Pillai in the same over. He would remain not out till the end at 42. V.Pillai was aggressive in Jay's bowling, he increased the score to 46/1 in 12 overs. Nitin, playing his last league game for the club replaced D.Mitchell while Noman attacking from the other end. Nitin gave us the break, Jay who didn't get any wicket took a sharp catch at square-leg (a replay of what he did against Kintore last week off Ronnie's bowling) to send the other opener A.Ayral to the pavilion. Ruari took a fine catch off Noman's which was the 3nd wicket. Then it was between Nitin and Jay at square-leg, he took 2 more catches to add wickets to Nitin's account. Our bowlers skillfully kept V.Pillai at the non-striker's end. Noman and Nitin taken the balance wickets. Noman claiming a lbw, and Nitin bowled their No.7 batsman as his 4th wicket. He took the last wicket as lbw to finish his last league game in style with his figures as 5-15.

Fourth win in a row, well done to all! Hope we all continue this form to next season.

Monday, 22 August, 2011