Weekend Sport – Sat 21st July 2018. Cricket – 1st XI v Aberdeenshire

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Aberdeenshire  189 all out  (49 overs)      Stewart’s Melville CC    174 all out (49.3 overs)

Captain Greg Ruthven won the toss for the umpteenth time this season but in a change of tactics elected to bowl first on a green wicket, a rarity this summer.     The tactic seemed to work in so far as the visitor’s batsmen  struggled against opening bowlers Shaylen Pillay and Tom Hilton with the exception of Chris Venske batting at 2  in an innings of 3 hours and 10 minutes struck 113.    Shire’s final score of 189 was not considered beyond our capabilities but required more than achieved in any other league match this season.   In reply openers Kyle McCallum and Greg Bissett were dismissed with 20 on the board leaving our hopes of challenging the target mostly in the hands of Shaylen Pillay, Mikey Miller and Hayden Sweet.   On this occasion Shaylen and Mikey set about the task with purpose and put 101 for their partnership taking the score to 121 for 3 in the 35th over.   Fifteen overs to score 69 to win was certainly achievable but with no one showing much confidence in supporting Shaylen we both lost wickets and drifted behind the required run rate forcing Shaylen to go for a big hit in the 48th over and being caught on the long on boundary with the score on 157.  Nine out, prospects of the win gone  and still 14 runs required to collect bonus points Chris Miller and Tom Hilton did well to defy pavilion expectations and take the score up to 174 in the final over before Chris was caught behind.   The two bonus points gained were welcome but the feeling was that this was an opportunity for 10 win points lost.

Scorecard:    http://www.totalcricketscorer.com/TCSLive/TCSScorecard.aspx?id=69287

Weekend Sport – Sat 14th July. Cricket 1st XI at Forfarshire

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Stewart’s Melville CC     90 all out (34.3 overs);    Forfarshire    91 for 2  (13.3 overs)

At hot and sunny Broughty Ferry, Captain Greg Ruthven won the toss and chose to bat first but thereafter things did not go quite as planned.   Openers Hayden Sweet and Greg Bissett batted with care and attention putting on 28 runs in 40 minutes when Hayden fell lbw to a ball which flicked off the back of his leg.   Misfortune enough but Mike Miller followed next ball, also lbw to opening bowler Scott Cameron who bowled aggressively throughout his 10 over spell taking 3 wickets and conceding only 10 runs.  The wickets of Greg and Shaylen Pillay, both caught,  followed quickly reducing  us to 32 for four.   The rest of the innings was the inevitable struggle and the total of 90 was far from a score that would stretch the home side’s powerful batting line up.   Shaylen Pillay and Tom Hilton opened our bowling and were successful in removing both Forfarshire openers for 6 runs.   This brought together two of Scotland’s World Cup batsmen Craig Wallace and Michael Leask who went along untroubled at a run a ball securing the win in only the 14th over.   In summary this was a disappointing performance although expectations for a win had not been high against one of the leagues best sides.     The twitter followers among the team and supporters then suffered further as the league’s bottom side Glenrothes seemed to be heading for an unlikely win against Arbroath before capitulating to a six run defeat losing their last five wickets for 13 runs.

Saturday sees the 1st XI back at home for a 12 noon start against Aberdeenshire who we defeated in the corresponding match last season.   Let’s hope for a repeat.

 

Weekend Sport – Sat 7th July. Cricket

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Heriot’s CC    346 for 2 (50 overs);    Stewart’s Melville CC    48 all out  (20.2 overs)

On the hottest day for playing cricket likely ever experienced by the sixteen non South Africans in this match a make shift Stew Mel bowling attack were put to the sword by the four South Africans in the Heriot’s side after the home side won the toss and elected to bat.   After Johannes Potgieter left the field first wicket down at 41 his compatriot’s Elnathan Meiri (139 no) and Hayes Van Der Berg (149) took their toll on all we put up against them in a second wicket stand of 305.   Greg Ruthven suffered least with 56 runs being taken off his 10 overs while the others will mostly hope for better days in the matches to come.

If the tea interval spared our bowlers from further distress it soon extended to our batters with only opener (South African) Hayden Sweet (17) making double figures.    Looking for positives among the mayhem we would pick out the appearance of our not out batsman Jack Pennell, an early “graduate” from the revitalised junior section operated in the club by Pete Wilkinson and now David Gibson playing a first match since returning from University in Newcastle.

Although of little consolation – for the stato’s amongst us this was neither the most runs conceded in a match by the 1st XI nor the lowest score made.

Next up is a visit to Forfarshire, now in third place, who on Saturday became the first side this season to inflict a league defeat on Grange.   Life does not get any easier at the moment !

 

Sunny Saturday

Weekend Sport – Sat 30th June. 1st XI Cricket

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Stewart’s Melville CC     180 all out   (47.5 overs);    Arbroath    183 for 6  (45.3 overs).

The second half of this year’s league programme opened with a visit from Arbroath who have a strong all round side and have been among the honours in recent seasons.   Arbroath won the toss and chose to field meaning we batted first for the third consecutive league match.   Kyle McCallum got the innings going with 27 runs (5 fours) from 29 balls and when he was out Shaylen Pillay came to the crease and was the mainstay of the innings with 76 in 89 balls, his best league score of the season.   Kris Steel (18), Steven Parker (13) and Greg Ruthven (16) all gave support without staying long enough for a big score.    In the end we reached a fairly competitive score for the pitch of 180 although it could have been more had we batted out our 50 overs.     In reply Arbroath reached 49 before losing their first wicket and with opening bat Ross McLean staying at the wicket for a patient innings of 76 in just over two and a half hours Arbroath were within sight of victory by the time he became the fifth wicket down well caught by Sam Tait off the bowling of Kris Steel.    School 1st XI player Sam Tait had a good all round day bowling ten overs for 33 runs, taking two catches (the opposition’s professional and their top scorer) and scoring 9 runs at the tail end of our innings.    Our efforts were rewarded with two bonus points on the  net run rate calculation which is of assistance in staying ahead of league rivals Glenrothes and still in sight of Watsonians above us.

Congratulations to the 2nd XI who had a rare victory against Heriots in East Division One.    Next Saturday it is the turn of the 1sts to visit Goldenacre on league business (12 noon start).

 

Weekend Sport Sat 23 June – Cricket

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Not a great day in terms of results for the Cricket Club – all four teams lost.   The 1st XI hosted unbeaten Grange who had five current or recent internationalists in their side in the East Premier League and without four regulars we chose to bat when the toss was won.    After reaching 39 for 1 with runs from Kris Steel (19) and Hayden Sweet (16) only Toby Hughes with 20 reached double figures and a final total of 86 in 37 overs was never enough to stretch our visitors who won for the loss of only one wicket.   The halfway point in the league has been reached with two wins achieved against Carlton and bottom placed team Glenrothes.    Saturday sees a visit from Arbroath who remain a strong team.

Weekend Sport Sat/Sun 16th/17th June – Cricket, Golf & Rugby.

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Cricket:   The heavy showers which affected the East of Scotland on Saturday resulted in a complete washout of East Premier League fixtures.    Our 1st XIs match with Watsonians at Myreside was one of the last to be called off by the officiating umpires in mid afternoon after much hanging about and World Cup football watching.   The monotony was relieved by the splendid Myreside tea supplied by the catering division of Heart of Midlothian FC – even our teams Hibs supporters were seen going back for seconds.   The cancellation leaves the 1st XI in 8th place with two wins above Watsonians (one win) and Glenrothes (no wins).

Golf:  While the Word’s attention was focused on the US Open in New York our own Grant Forrest had another successful week on the European Challenge tour in France tieing for the lead after the regulation 72 holes of strokeplay.  Unfortunately he lost out in the play-off for the winners cheque at the third extra hole but the ranking points gained elevated him to 7th place where the top fifteen at the end of the season obtain playing privileges on the full European Tour.

Rugby: Scotland suffered a surprise defeat by USA in the second Test match of their Americas tour by the narrowest of margins 30-29.    The Stew Mel interest was provided by George Turner winning his 5th cap who started for the first time and added a further try to the three he scored v Canada last week.

 

Weekend Sport – Sat 9th June. Cricket – second league win for 1st XI

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Cricket:    Glenrothes      163 all out;  Stewart’s Melville CC   164 for 5.

On what became a historic weekend for Scottish Cricket (Scotland defeated England at the Grange on Sunday) our 1st XI secured what for them was a significant second successive league win against Glenrothes on Saturday.

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Weekend Sport – Cricket. League win for 1st XI v Carlton

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Stewart’s Melville CC    138 all out (S Pillay 42, K McCallum 38, H Sweet 22);   Carlton   127 all out

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Weekend Sport – Cricket / Golf

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Hammad Azam (RHC)

Cricket:   RH Corstorphine   289 f0r 6;    Stew Mel   86 all out

Altogether a comprehensive loss for the 1sts on Saturday when on a hard pitch and fast outfield RHC responded to captain Greg Ruthven’s invitation to bat by putting on a huge score at almost a run a ball.  Pakistani professional Hammad Azam at no 4 top scored with 83 from only 62 balls but was well supported by Aussie Sam Flett (no 3) 77 from 93 balls and Elliot Foster (no 2) 68 from 83 balls.  Altogether RHC hit 28 fours and 2 sixes.   Stew Mel were never near the required rate and after reaching 49 for 1 in 11 overs only managed  86 all out in the 36th over.    Next up in the league is Carlton on Saturday.   Last Tuesday’s Masterton Trophy T20 match with Edinburgh CC at Campbell Park ended in an unlikely tie.

Golf:  Grant Forrest had another good finish on the PGA’s Challenge Tour tieing for 7th place in the Czech Republic with rounds of 68,68,71,68 (13 under par) and finishing with six birdies in his last 10 holes.

Cricket Club – 1st XI at Aberdeenshire Sat 19th May

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Stew Mel  103 all out;   Aberdeenshire  104-2.

Following a good performance at Ferguslie last Sunday and a T20 win over Edinburgh Accies on Thursday evening the 1st XI travelled to Aberdeen hopeful of a strong performance.   Theses hopes were rather undone when Hayden Sweet was caught behind first ball of the match and another three wickets fell quickly.  Michael Miller batting no 5 again did his best to rescue the situation with an innings of 38 lasting nearly two hours with four fours and a six but with Greg Ruthven the only other batsman to get into double figures a final total of 103 was not enough to trouble our hosts despite Shaylen Pillay also removing the opening bat first ball of the innings.   The end came in the 22nd over with Aberdeen two wickets down.

This week’s games are v Edinburgh CC at Campbell Park, Colinton on Tuesday evening in the T20 and against Corstorphine on Saturday at Inverleith (1pm).