After many, many weeks of not playing cricket, finally, the Clackmannan 2’s managed to find a sunny, if not slightly windy, (“slightly windy” – like the Titanic took on a bit of water!! Webmaster) Saturday to play a game. This was 4 weeks after the last game, which we had won convincingly, and the team were going to do their best to recapture that form.
However, with four second team regulars being taken to fill holes !! in the firsts, things were always going to be against us.
So it was then that Clackmannan made the journey to Leith with only 10 men, 3 of whom were playing their debut, and one that hadn’t played for 4 years. It was down to the senior players to step up and take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Clackmannan lost the toss, and were asked to bowl in very windy conditions. The wind was howling straight down the pitch so the opening bowlers had very different problems to face. Ali, running with the wind had to make sure he could stop, and Ramsay, running into the wind had to make sure he actually got to the crease to bowl. The Leith openers looked quite secure, in truth, playing some good defensive cricket against some very good bowling. It wasn’t a dismissal that broke the partnership, but a very painful calf injury that saw Spence carried from the pitch. Leith continued to score steadily after this disappointment and while never scoring heavily, they were amassing runs. Cox bowled straight and well, with some very good variations and Bryant Nichols was doing the same from the wind assisted end. It was Bryant Nichols that struck middle stump to send Watt (41) back to the pavilion but Leith continued on their steady way from there.
It was only when Clackmannan’s ‘part time’ bowlers came out  Whit! to throw a few down that things began to happen. Firstly Graham Fraser had Middleton caught for 51 as he tried to hoick a straight six down the ground with the wind (not with the bat then, must have been a good curry). He never quite got hold and it was Barry Malcomson, brother of Scott, playing his first game for the club that took a good, steady catch. After this, the wickets just kept falling.  The older Malcomson brother, Scott, took two wickets in two balls, and is on a hatrick next time he bowls in a game. Fraser continued his slow, straight, into the wind bowling to have two more batsmen caught in his next over.  Bryant Nichols added one more to his tally for the day before the Leith opener, Spence, returned to try and stop the collapse. He did this well, and put on 29 for the 9th wicket with Yorke. He did this with a runner, and that should have been his demise after 35 overs as he was technically run out by stepping out of his crease, but, while the umpire gave him out there was confusion from all involved, the batsman failed to hobble off so play continued with a greater determination by Clackmannan to get the job done. Neil Ramsay took the 9th wicket with the penultimate ball of the innings and two squirted runs (the mind boggles) from the last saw Leith finish on 162-9. Graham Fraser was the pick of the bowlers with 3-35 and also one fantastic catch in the deep mid off of Bryant Nichols, Barry Malcomson also deserves a mention for his three catches, as do Leo Brown, Mark Smith, and Bob Ramsay for some fantastic fielding on their first games. “Bob Ramsay first game” – he has been playing since he was 10 and he’s now 58!!
It was always going to be a difficult score to get to for Clackmannan. Indeed it was well out of reach in the end. With a very uneven and unpredictable pitch that Clackmannan had rucked up further ( No, dear reader, the spelling is right R.ucked means- creased or wrinkled, although…..)  Opening batsmen Neil Ramsay and  Graham Fraser were removed by  some very good, swinging deliveries, after looking uncomfortable with the bowling , Ramsay caught at short fine leg, and Fraser bowled. Scott Malcomson soon joined them back in the hutch, and Leo Brown, after scoring his first run for the club also walked back. (well he’d left his bike at home)  Captain James Cox and Nick Bryant Nichols put bat to ball a few times to hit 17 and 11 respectively, Nichols caused damage to the adjacent Bowling green as he dropped one over the fence for 6, and Cox placed a few excellently struck shots straight down the ground for his boundaries. Cox was bowled middle stump by a swinging delivery as he tried to flick it off his legs, hmmm!and Bryant Nichols also walked after skying one. Kash Ali, Barry Malcomson, Bob Ramsay and Mark Smith didn’t really bother the bowlers or the scorers, ooeewhh! and Clackmannan were all out for 45.
In truth it was a heavy defeat, but with the 4 debutants, and the lack of an 11th player, it’s not too disheartening. Oh! Aye it wiz! At least we got 5 points from the game which will be invaluable at the end of the season.
Well done to all, especially Man of the Match Graham Fraser, who has asked me to mention once more his fantastic one handed catch that I think he may be very proud of. Next week is a free one for Clackmannan 2’s, so we’ll all be down at the Arns supporting the firsts.