Ellon Vs Stonehaven
Saturday 30th June

Report by Calum Petrie

ELLON Gordon 2nd XI and their Stonehaven counterparts took to the field at the Gordon Park on Saturday amid clear blue skies and warm sunshine for their Grade 4 encounter.

Having bowled Stonehaven out for 54 en route to a nine wicket victory in the two teams' previous meeting in April, Ellon looked on paper to be odds-on favourites to seal full points in their bid for promotion. However it was a weakened Ellon outfit which began Saturday's game after a string of call-offs. On a positive note it allowed the Gordon Park side to blood some of it's promising youngsters, with Hamish Dalgarno and Callum Tremaine drafted in from the juniors for some valuable senior experience.

Ellon captain Ian Duncan won the toss and put Stonehaven in to bat on a soft, damp wicket. And that decision appeared to be vindicated after 13 overs with Stonehaven on the ropes at 17/3. If the first wicket to fall was a tad unlucky, S Crozier (4) dragging a Duncan delivery onto his stumps, then the second and third were thoroughly deserved. Greg Rees found the edge of P Law's (3) bat while Duncan accounted for S Dickinson (2) in similar fashion, wicketkeeper Ean Mackie snaffling both opportunities without ado.

Luckily for the visitors, opener B Findlay and new batsman B Campbell quickly settled into a strong partnership.
The Ellon fielders soon found it tough going - anything which left the bat did so at speed, and with the boundaries racking up and chances non-existent, the home side were feeling the heat.

Finally, in the 34th over and after a partnership of over 100, Steve Harley trapped B Campbell lbw for 71.
In taking Stonehaven from 17/3 to 130/4, Campbell and Findlay had brought their team back from the brink with an impressive partnership, Campbell hitting the big shots and opener Findlay - who eventually
finished on 63 not out - picking the gaps. And Harley was rewarded for his persistence soon after with M Colvin (4)
finding the grateful hands of Ian Campbell at square. Unfortunately that was the last wicket the Ellon men were to take, and after 44 overs - which included a well-crafted cameo of 33 not out by R Potter - Stonehaven captain Findlay felt his side had done enough,declaring on a formidable 198/5.

After tea, as ever generously provided by the Station Hotel, Ellon had to think positive thoughts as they set about chasing 199 to win. Charlie Adams was the first wicket to fall, bowled by Gardner for 4. With Ian Campbell punishing the bad ball with some fine boundaries at one end, Ian Duncan looked bedded in at the other before falling for 10
- Gardner's second wicket. Duncan was perhaps unfortunate to find himself on the wrong side of a remarkable catch by P Hay, but it was a stunning piece of cricket which could only be admired.

After Matthew Dalton was caught off Potter for 5, Campbell found a steady partner in Ean Mackie, who finished the match on 22 not out. The pair put on 88 for the fourth wicket before Campbell eventually fell
for 74. When Gardner eventually found Campbell's stumps in the 39th over it brought to an end not only the match's highest score but a tremendous innings which included 14 boundaries.The key wicket of Campbell brought about a mini-collapse in the Ellon innings.

At 136/4 with 7 overs remaining, Ellon were never likely to knock off the 63 runs required for victory, but the matter was put beyond all doubt when Duncan Campbell (6) and Steve Harley (0) were bowled in quick succession by C Findlay.

The soft wicket took some of the pace out of the bowling but balls keeping low proved a constant danger, particularly when playing off the back foot, and this was illustrated by the fact that four out of the six Ellon batsmen out were out bowled. With the clouds gathering and the rain beginning to fall, Ean Mackie and young Hamish Dalgarno saw out the potentially hazardous last few overs.

After their allotted 46 overs Ellon had racked up 150/6, and while not within range of Stonehaven's total, it was enough to save the game, which in the circumstances represented a job well done by the Gordon Park men.

Stonehaven Thistle 2nd XI 198/5 (B Campbell 71, B Findlay 63 not out; IDuncan 2/17, G Rees 1/24).
Ellon Gordon 2nd XI 150/6 (I Campbell 74, E Mackie 22 not out; A Gardner 3/40; C Findlay 2/1).

This Saturday Ellon 2nds take on St Ronalds 2nds at the Gordon Park in
the semi-finals of the Johnstone Cup, with a 1pm start.