Dumfries under 16s had their second match with St Michael’s last week but this time it wasn’t so close. Captain Malik won the toss and chose to bat as it was another beautiful day at Nunholm, he opened as usual and got off to a good start with Luke.
Ross Dalling struggled to find the line and length which was so devastating in the last match and was punished with successive fours in his second over, the support of Levi White was badly missing as Malik, who scored a duck in the previous match went on to retire at 30, laying a good platform for the rest of his team but not before Luke was run out for just easing off at the end of his sprint for 4. Max made a quick 10, including a lovely boundary and looked to be hitting the ball well before perishing to Fergus Bainbridge with a sharp catch by Dalling at cover.
Sean Thornely played steadily for several overs but saw batsmen come and go, James Little scoring well off Mikey Turner and then very well caught by Finlay Jack behind the stumps off Geddes for 8; Sam Taylor who, lacking game time, popped up his first ball to Bainbridge for a caught and bowled; Callum Reynolds-Lewis who made a quick-fire 15 with three boundaries also hit one back to the bowler Jack, Sean then followed them after chasing a lifter from Dalling and dabbing it to Geddes at gully for 1.
His brother, Rory, arrived at the crease but only lasted two balls before being caught by Jack for 0 and the score on 79. James Hobman added 2 before being bowled by Turner and then Mathew McBurnie caught Bainbridge bowled Rory McLeod for 3. Wides at 2 runs each meant that the final Dumfries total was 117.
St Michael’s reply began well with McNay scoring fast but not so well in getting through the batting partners. Katy Anderson opened and struck in her first over when Wilson drove her third ball to mid-off where Sean took a hard catch.
Dalling was unlucky to fall the next over by standing on his wicket to Rory’s bowling for 0 and McLeod also went for a duck in his next over by getting caught by Sean running in from mid-off. Finlay also went for 0 being caught behind off Rory whose figures were now 6 for 3 off his first three overs. McNay snicked James Hobman to Callum R-L who took a good catch at slip and suddenly St Michael’s were 22 for 5. Geddes and Bainbridge got a partnership going but once again the catches stuck, Geddes to Max C-B off Mathew McBurnie for 9 and Bainbridge to Rory Thornely off Hobman for 9.
At this point it looked like game over but there was one twist in the tale from Damian Robson who played very nicely at number 9 and became only the second batsmen of the day to retire for 30. Katy Anderson mopped up the tale by taking the wickets of Muir caught Malik for 0 and Dan Turner bowled for 2.
If the St Michaels’ batsmen had been more cautious at the start of their innings they certainly showed they had the ability to hit the ball well, however they hit it in the air too often and Dumfries only dropped one of their chances. As the saying goes, ‘catches win matches’.
Dumfries 117
Malik 30, Reynolds-Lewis 15
Bainbridge 2-7; Jack 2-13; Dalling 2-16
St Michael’s 98
Robson 31; McNay 14
R Thornely 3-13; Anderson 3-15, Hobman 2-15, M McBurnie 2-7
One partner. No competitors. Visible across local sport.
