Magnificent fielding effort secures ‘treble’ over Leicestershire

 22 August 2010

A superb bowling and fielding display by the Saltires secured a thrilling victory over Leicestershire yesterday. This win, when combined with the earlier CB40 win at Grace Road and an excellent victory by the Scotland Lions over Leicestershire 2nd XI, completes a memorable treble for the Scottish sides this summer.

In glorious sunshine, Gordon Drummond won the toss and again chose to bat first. Ryan Flannigan replaced Preston Mommsen to play his first CB40 game and opened with Fraser Watts. Watts was the first to go, adjudged leg before by umpire Dawood, although it looked high.

Gavin Hamilton, playing his last game for Scotland, joined Flannigan and the two built a partnership of 41. Flannigan was very subdued against an accurate Leicester attack and laboured for 34 balls over his 13 before he was leg before to the experienced Claude Henderson. Worse was to follow for the Saltires as they collapsed to 50 for 5, with the quick wickets of Hamilton, Bailey and Lockhart.

But Scotland’s middle and lower order rallied superbly, with Berrington, Parker, Drummond and Haq all contributing in building the Saltires score up to 166.

Richie Berrington looked in excellent form and compiled a very professional 46 from 59 balls. In partnership with firstly Parker and then his captain they laid a platform for a competitive total. Majid Haq played some attractive shots in scoring 29 not out from only 24 balls - including the only six of the game.

A total of 166 looked to be under par but, from the position of 50 for 5, it was a fine effort to finish with a potentially defendable total.

Scotland started well with the ball, with Parker inducing an edge from Du Toit, which George Bailey effortlessly pouched at slip. The fine Aberdonian weather did not hold and, after a couple of rain delays, Duckworth/Lewis came into play, leaving Leicestershire a victory total of 113 off 21 overs.

On a true but slow pitch, this should have been a comfortable chase for the Foxes. But the Scottish bowlers and fielders then proceeded to put in an inspired display.

England Lions player James Taylor was first to go, trapped in front by Majid Haq. The key man was James Benning, who had played some lovely shots in moving to 42 off 41 balls. Then his partner Greg Smith hit a powerful straight drive off Goudie; however, the ball cannoned into Benning as he set off for a run. Goudie calmly gathered the ball and threw the stumps down to run out Benning.

At this point, the game was well and truly on, with the Saltires sensing the win. Haq and Lyons bowled a decisive nine-over spell, conceding just 32 runs. All the time, the required run rate was increasing as the Foxes batsmen could not score boundaries. Smith fell to a fine catch on the long off boundary by Bailey off Lyons. And, over the remaining overs, the Scottish seamers bowled to their field, with the Leicester batters unable to cope with the full yorker-length deliveries.

The Scottish fielding was simply superb during this time, with Bailey and Watts excelling in the deep, Berrington and Goudie making excellent stops in the infield, and Flannigan taking a sharp catch at mid-wicket to remove the Leicester captain Boyce.

Captain Drummond took the responsibility of bowling the final power play over and restricted the batters to only one boundary. As the last over approached, 21 runs were needed. Scotland’s 20-year-old opening bowler Matthew Parker was given the responsibility and, backed up by more good work in the field, restricted the Foxes to just nine, including an academic four off the last ball.

Scotland’s young side can be proud of a very impressive display both in the field and in the second half of their own innings. Scotland’s campaign in the CB 40 concludes with two hard tasks against Warwickshire and Durham next week, but if they show the same intensity in the field and the top order fires, anything is possible.

It was a fitting send off for Gavin Hamilton, who led the team from the field (pictured) to end his career as a Scotland player. Gavin will be a very hard man to replace, as he has been the mainstay of the Saltires batting in recent years.

However, there is an exciting crop of young batsman who have already played for the national side and who will now have the opportunity to step up. Coleman, Hairs, Mommsen, Chalmers, Davey and Flannigan are all still 22 and under and have had a taste of international cricket.

So the Scottish cupboard is full of players ready to move forward. Who will take his chance?

Pictures by Donald MacLeod

Read Willie Dick's account

And Mark Woods on the Hampshire game on Saturday