Author: Shep

Lost by One Wicket

Sundays’ game against Skye and Loch Alsh provided a worthy exciting end to the 2022 season. Skye survived a trouncing only because two retired batsmen were able to return to the middle.

Under cloudy skies, Fort Augustus lost two early wickets, but man of the match Dave, with assistance from Jim (and Mayank (15)), took the score beyond 50 before Os (10) helped Dave continue on his way until having to retire. In the middle of the innings, Nilesh strode out to the wicket to join Osh (11) and they pushed the score along before Nilesh (29) fell in typical attacking fashion. A flurry of late wickets brought Dave back to the wicket and he continued his impressive late season form by reaching his 50 as the innings closed on 167.

In response, the dangerous Angus Robbins (9) fell early, but that brought the impressive ex Freuchie player Duncan to the middle, and then together with Bloomfield, they hurried the score on to 80 before Duncan retired unbeaten on 35. After Bloomfield also retired for 35, only Curtis (19) troubled the scorers as the bowling highlight of the day unfolded. A hat trick for Dave as Mayank stumped Bold first, Os caught McLean close in, and young Robbins fell lbw to complete the three in three. Ashan took two late wickets, including another stumping for Mayank, and left Skye on 120, but with the two retirees to come back in. They battered Skye back into a winning position before Duncan fell for 54. As FA had fielded an extra player, Skye were able to bring Robbins senior back in, and he helped Bloomfield reach the winning target with just two balls to spare. The two retirees were the big difference.

Fort Augustus highlights:-

Batting
Dave 50 not out
Nilesh 29
Jim 17
Mayank 15

Bowling
Dave 3-17
Ewan 2-11
Abbas 2-15
Mayank 2 stumpings

It’s a struggle to find a man of the match, I suppose Dave will have to do!

So, our first senior league season is over. Early season promise gave way to a late run of defeats, and I can think of at least a couple of losses that should have been victories. NC at the Abbey immediately springs to mind. But, by and large we have been competitive, and everyone has contributed. A bit more patience and consistency, combined with cutting down on the extras, could lead to a greater measure of success in future. We are certainly capable of it.

Finally, once again, we thank Mark and his boys who have presented the pitch in immaculate condition for every game. We couldn’t do it without them, and we as a club are continually grateful for all the work they put in each and every week.

Lost by five wickets

Here we go again, more Saturday disappointment at the Abbey. Lingering hopes of closing the gap on Ross County were dashed as our visitors stuttered their way to victory in a low scoring affair. I look forward to the day when our team, full of good attacking batsmen, fires again on all cylinders.

The early loss of Nilesh brought debutant Abbas to the crease, and in a brief cameo proved he will be a great addition before holing out under the trees. Mayank followed before the ever-steady Ross was run out with the score on 46. One run later, Anjum was on his way back, but it did bring the one real batting performance of the innings to the wicket. Dave battled superbly for 39, including six boundaries, and was instrumental in getting the score into three figures, before the innings closed on 109.

In reply. Ross County tootled away at four an over until the first breakthrough, Carney, superbly caught by Dave off Anjum with the score on 20. All the time though, the extras were piling up, and were the main reason the score got to 39 before Hardwick was castled by Nilesh. Meanwhile, Blake was plodding away, and was joined by Sugden who really took the game away from Fort Augustus. Blake was finally out, LBW to Abbas for 12, with the score on 84, and Sugden followed 6 runs later for 30, but by then the damage had been done. Embleton fell to Abbas, but that was the last wicket to fall as RC hit the winning runs in the 23rd over. 36 extras were conceded in their total, we only got 12 off them. That imbalance certainly didn’t help the cause.

Lost by seventy-three runs

Well, the Northern Counties game on Saturday was a really frustrating affair, defeat snatched from the jaws of victory seems quite an apt statement.

We had very welcome visitors, Davy Duncan and his partner Helen watching from the boundary. Davy has been an integral part of both Fort William and Fort Augustus over the past seventeen years, and I’m sure team mates of old will have been delighted to see that beaming smile of his again. Hopefully we’ll see them again soon.

Title favourites Counties got off to a steady enough start, putting on 29 before danger man Alex Green was caught by Anjum off Ronan’s bowling. Ominously the extras total began creeping up though, helping the score along to 56 before Thomas’ dismissal triggered an amazing collapse to 62/6 with superb bowling from Ross (3/20) and Anjum (2/18), before a drinks break broke the momentum. After that, Ford, with stubborn support from Pacey, ground out an unbeaten revival that saw their innings close on 195/6, a total probably 70 more than would have been expected before those drinks.

Fort Augustus’ innings started off in similar fashion, steady going until Nilesh (18) holed out at deep mid off with the score on 32. Then, possibly the decisive moment. Ross and Anjum comfortably moved the total on to 61 before Anjum flicked one to backward square leg. It went like a rocket, but straight into the waiting hands of Impey, catching the ball about an inch above the turf. A yard either side and it would have been a 4. In that instant the game was probably decided. Ross and Charlie staged a mini revival, taking the score to 107 before the latter edged behind and was dismissed for 14 and the score on 107. When Ross (42) was out the innings succumbed quickly to 122 all out.

A tale of ifs, buts and maybes, and a victory margin that certainly flattered the visitors. FA gave them a mighty scare.

Lost by four wickets

Well, what an amazing game of Cricket that was. How on earth did we lose it? There were so many twists and turns to the plot, one could point to several different reasons, but losing on the very last ball was a real killer.

Jim won the toss and elected to bat. Despite losing Ross (3) with the score on 31, the top order fired spectacularly. Anjum (42), Nilesh (31), Os (51) and debutant Ruhul (36), rushed the score along to 180/4 after 19 overs. Graeme Carney then made crucial bowling changes, taking pace off the ball by introducing Renato Belli and Chris Blake to the attack. The runs dried up dramatically as wickets fell in another quick procession, and the score slumped to 188/9 before Ronan and Brandon closed out the innings at 197/9. The last 11 overs yielded just 17 runs. Belli finished with 3/11 off 6, and Blake 2/5 off 5.

By contrast, Ross County struggled early in their reply. Scott (8) was soon a victim, caught Anjum bowled Ronan, but Carney and Hardwick took the score to 72 before Os took a smart catch to dismiss Carney off Anjums’ bowling. Embleton and Morgan fell quicky to Ross as they slumped to 73/4 after 17 overs.. From then on though, Hardwick and Sugden turned the game on its head, putting on 57 in 6 overs before Hardwick was caught behind by Jim off Os for 45. The breakthrough only brought Chris Blake to the crease however, and he and Sugden got Ross C to within 4 runs of the target with 3 balls left. Blake (31) holed out to Ross off Ruhuls bowling, but hopes were dashed as Sugden (41 n.o.) hit the winning runs off the last ball.

Frustratingly, extras, particularly wides, made a crucial difference. In total Ross County bowled only 15, while FA contributed 39 to the Ross County total.

On a positive note, the top order was once again in spectacular form, and the contribution by our young lads in the field was brilliant. Overall though, that was a game that should have been won. How frustrating.

Won two – Progress to the final

Sunday at the Abbey, and the day was cool, breezy and overcast. As the day went on, the sun came out and so did the midges. Against Ross County (again), a new opening partnership of Os and Mayank pushed the score along to seventy-eight before Os was caught two short of a fifty.

A flurry of wickets was halted as Mayank and Harshal put on a useful sixteen run stand to steady things. Then Ross joined Mayank, and rushed the score to one hundred and fifty-four before Mayank was out for a superb fifty-five, caught and bowled by that old fox Renato Belli. So close to carrying his bat. Innings closed on 163/7

In reply, Ross C never really kept up with the run rate, and tight bowling by everyone restricted the visitors to 125/6, thirty-nine runs short. Two wickets apiece for Os and Ronan, one each for Kevin and Ross, but all the bowling was economical. A very good win.

Our second game was against Skye and Lochalsh, who had just inflicted another defeat on Ross County. Step forward young Mr Blakey, who demolished the dangerous opening pair of Angus Robins Senior and Paul Curtis, so often real thorns in our side. Two further wickets followed for Ronan who finished with four for fifteen, a really great spell of bowling. Prashant had his best spell of bowling for the club so far, and finished with one for nine. A rear guard thirty-four not out from Duncan, partnered by Wides (twenty) took Skye to 108/8.

Ross and Mayank opened and put on 12 before Ross was smartly caught behind by Curtis. Dave batted comfortably before being stumped for sixteen and the score on forty-four. At this time FA were a bit behind the run rate, and the nerves were jangling a bit on the side-lines. However, Mayank and Os were comfortable. Pacing their partnership well, they accelerated as required to win the game with one and a half overs to spare, Mayank not out twenty-eight, and Os unbeaten on thirty-eight. Another really convincing all round performance by the team.

Ronan finished the day with six wickets, Mayank with 83 runs. A close call for “Player of the Day”.

Won by six wickets

Never mind Chicago being known as the “Windy City”, Elgin City on Saturday was extremely breezy to say the least. However, the conditions only helped to underline how impressive the Fort Augustus performance was.

Elgin won the toss, elected to bat and got off to a fast start as bowlers struggled with the conditions. fifty-one was on the board in no time before Wimble was wombled by Ross and Os.

Woodall and Quillan continued at five an over before the latter was superbly bowled by Nilesh for a boundary laden forty-six. Ewan Fairgrieve joined Woodall and slowly but surely, the brakes were put on the run rate. The pair did put on seventy-eight, but when Fairgrieve was 0n forty, he was well caught by Ronan for Ross’ second wicket.

As the run rate dried up even more, Fairgrieve senior was caught and bowled by Nilesh, and Skilbeck was run out, before Elgins’ innings closed on 186/5. Despite the conditions, the bowling was extremely disciplined and only seven wides and no balls were conceded, a very encouraging statistic.

In reply, Ross and Nilesh put on twenty-seven in no time before Nilesh was caught during a no ball riddled over from Chalmers, probably surprised by a legitimate delivery!

Charlie T (fifteen) was the next to go with score on fifty-five, caught by the tallest fielder in the Highlands. A foot either side and it would probably have been a boundary. When Ross was dismissed for a solid twenty-eight, and the score on sixty-seven, Anjum was joined in the middle by Os, and this pair effortlessly and entertainingly took the game away from Elgin.

A boundary blitz helped the pair put on one hundred and fifteen before Os (forty-one) fell to yet another Fairgrieve. It was left to DJ to dismiss his first and only ball to the backward square boundary for the winning runs, with Anjum finishing on a superb sixty-seven not out. Fort Augustus won by six wickets with more than seven overs to spare. A really tremendous performance despite very hostile conditions. Well played chaps.

Notable Mentions – Batting

Notable Mentions – Bowling