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After the previous couple of weeks without cricket Ellon 2nds were desperate to get back into the action against Mannofield at Gordon Park.  Despite a number of Ellon players and the grounds men telling captain Huw Owen that the game should be called off due to the weather our captain went ahead with the game.

Owen lost the toss and Ellon were asked to bat by opposition skipper Andy Lawson.  Opening batsmen Owen and Steve Dalton did not find the opening bowling of McNevin and Russell Gray too threatening and Dalton particularly was enjoying the width that McNevin was providing as he played a couple of lovely square cuts for 4.

Just as both batsmen were looking to dominate Owen hammered the ball to Jim Mullholland at Mid On who took a superb catch.

Ean Mackie joined Dalton at the crease but the pair only added 8 runs before Dalton was fooled into trying to dispatch a full toss and was expertly caught by a diving Mullholland.  Dalton batted well for his 23.

Next man in was Steve Palmer and he looked in fine form finding the boundary with ease until he tried one shot too many and was bowled by Brechin for 22.

Chris Watson joined Mackie at the crease knowing this pair would have to put on a decent partnership to boost the total to a reasonable score.  Mackie played the support man role giving Watson as much of the strike as possible.  Watson was making the most of his opportunities punishing the bad ball for 4.  The pair put on 63 runs for the 4th wicket before Mackie was LBW to McNevin for 14.

Vice Captain Kenny Hutcheson joined Watson with Captain Owen telling both batsmen to start playing their shots and enjoy themselves.  With this Watson brought up his fifty with yet another 4.  Unfortunately for Ellon Watson was out only a few balls later for a superb 55.

Gordon Smith came in to replace Watson but he was fooled by Mullholland and was bowled without troubling the scorers.

Gary Dawson replaced Smith but by this time the Ellon middle order was in full collapse and it was not long before Hutcheson was making his way back to the dressing room when he was bowled by McNevin for 5.

Alan McKean was the next man in and he hit a couple of textbook shots before being bowling by Brechin.

Martin Buchan replaced McKean but he was out 3 balls later without adding to the Ellon total.

Last man in was Alistair Mustoe, he joined Dawson and both batsmen were enjoying themselves with Dawson in particular taking a liking to the bowlers hitting a couple of typically belligerent 4’s.
The Ellon innings closed on 175 for 9 from 42 overs.  After yet another fine tea provided by the Station Hotel, Ellon took the field knowing that all that stood between themselves and the win was 10 wickets.

Ellon’s opening bowlers Hutcheson and Watson knew the task in hand and it was not long before Hutcheson picked up Ellon’s first wicket of the afternoon in his 2nd over when he caught and bowled Brechin.

The experienced Brian Henderson joined McNevin at the crease and the pair looked in no hurry to try and reach the Ellon total.  Just when McNevin was starting to play his shots Hutcheson picked up his 2nd wicket of the day when Gary Dawson took a catch off his bowling.  Mannofield were 32 for 2.

Then things went from bad to worse when Watson bowled Gray for 0.  Mannofield were reeling at this stage but fortunately Graeme Johnstone came in to settle the ship.  Henderson was playing the anchorman role and was well supported by Johnstone.

Eventually Ellon managed to break the partnership thanks to a great piece of fielding when Kenny Hutcheson did well to pick the ball up and throw it in quickly and Ean Mackie did the rest.

D.Johnstone replaced his son at the crease and he made his intentions very clear by hitting Owen straight out of the ground for a 6.  But apart from that he did not do to much damage and the sub fielder took a catch off the bowling of Steve Palmer.
Robertson joined Henderson at the middle and the pair made it almost impossible for Ellon to secure the win as they kept almost everything thrown at them out.

Finally Ellon managed to dislodge the pair both down to the flight and guile of Steve Dalton aptly supported by his fielders.  First he deceived Robertson in the flight and Mackie took the bails off for his 1st stumping of the season.  Then he lobbed the ball up and Henderson hit the ball like a missile unfortunately for the batsman it went straight to Gordon Smith at square leg.  Henderson scored his 28 at a very slow pace.

New batsmen Kidd and Mullholland were able to keep the Ellon bowlers out to deny them the win that they deserved.

Ellon battled valiantly to the end but were unable to dislodge the Mannofield batsmen.  Ellon travel to Kintore next week for the Johnstone Cup Semi Final knowing that a result will be gained from this game one way or another.
 
 
 

H.Owen	ct Mullholland	McNevin	13
S.Dalton	ct Mullholland	McNevin	23
E.Mackie	LBW	McNevin	14
S.Palmer	bowled	Brechin	22
C.Watson	bowled	Mullholland	55
K.Hutcheson	bowled	McNevin	5
G.Smith	bowled	Mullholland	0
G.Dawson	NOT	OUT	11
A.McKean	bowled	Brechin	2
M.Buchan	ct McNevin	Brechin	0
A.Mustoe	NOT	OUT	3
		Extras	27
		Total	175

 
 

Mannofields' Bowlers
C.McNevin	4 for 46
R.Gray	0 for 44
G.Johnstone	0 for 37
M.Brechin	3 for 28
J.Mullholland	2 for 13

 

M.Brechin	ct + b	Hutcheson	3
C.McNevin	ct Dawson	Hutcheson	16
B.Henderson	ct G.Smith	Dalton	28
R.Gray	bowled	Watson	0
G.Johnstone	RUN	OUT	6
D.Johnstone	ct Parks (sub)	Palmer	9
D.Robertson	st Mackie	Dalton	10
G.Kidd	NOT	OUT	4
J.Mullholland	NOT	OUT	1
		Extras	31
		Total	114

 
 

Ellons' Bowlers
K.Hutcheson	2 for 27
C.Watson	1 for 18
S.Palmer	1 for 16
H.Owen	0 for 20
G.Dawson	0 for 13
S.Dalton	2 for 3
A.McKean	0 for 9