Weekend roundup – 5th/6th July

The 1s travelled north to take on Falkland at Scroggie Park in round 10 of the EPL.  Batting first both openers went cheaply but Daniel Da Costa and Olly Davidson rebuilt the innings.  They put on 64 for the 3rd wicket before Da Costa went for 47.  A wicket next ball left the Arrows in trouble at 88 for 4 but Ben Stronach and Davidson again steadied the ship.  Davidson was bowled in the 31st over for a patient 39 and when James Stronach fell soon after the visitors were again on the back foot at 153 for 6.  Oli Stones and Stronach Snr then produced the biggest partnership of the day to take the score to 228 before Stronach holed out for 66.  The final 3 wickets fell with the score on 231 leaving Stones unbeaten on 39.  In reply the home side lost regular wickets although they never let the required rate get too out of hand.  Rory Allardice picked up 4 wickets and there were 2 for Davidson and Harry Simpson as well as 1 each for Conor Regan and Da Costa as the Arrows bowled out the home side in the final over to win by 20 runs.

The 2s were also taking on opposition from Fife as they welcomed Dunnikier to Grange Loan.  Batting first Pavan Yaridi (20) and Mathew Wells (32) got things off to a decent start but wickets fell cheaply thereafter.  Of the remaining batters only Rory Ledingham (11) and Aadi Khadse (19*) made it to double figures as the Arrows were bundled out for 122 in the 42nd over.  Charles Stronach struck early and when there were further wickets for Hector Murray, Ferg Foley & Rory Ledingham things were looking promising for the home side.  Ledingham then got a 2nd to make is 78 for 5 but some good lower order resistance edged the visitors towards the target.  Despite further wickets for Foley, Shreyas Tekale and Stronach, Dunnikier got over the line in the 38th over to win with 2 wickets to spare.

The 3s welcomed Drummond Trinity 2 to Peffermill in an ESCA Div 2 encounter.  Bowling first Lewis Broster picked up an early wicket and then captain Brad McKay and Robbie Murray struck to leave DTs 52 for 3 in the 11th over.  A good 4th wicket partnership was broken by Tom Hathorn but the next wicket proved as difficult to come by.  It was Hathorn again who struck to make it 145 for 5 in the 30th over but some good late order hitting from the visitors took them to 223 for 7 from their 40 overs.  In reply Anish Amin and Euan Keatinge fell early but Calum Robertson & Hathorn put on 118 for the 3rd wicket before Robertson went for 58.  Hamish Foley went cheaply but Murray and Hathorn took the score to 198 in the 35th over when Hathorn was run out for a fine 81.  Murray departed 3 balls later for a quick fire 30 but there was still work to do.  Raghuram Parasur’s 14 got the Arrows in sight of victory but a clatter of wickets left them needing 2 runs off the last with no wickets in hand.  Up stepped Finlay Thompson to hit a 4 first ball and see the 3s to victory with 1 wicket in hand.

The final game on Saturday saw the 4s make the short journey to Kirkhill to take on Penicuik 2s.  Bowling first Abhi Mehta picked up 2 wickets in the 4th over to leave the home side up against it at 11 for 2.  Some tight bowling kept the pressure on the batters until Jake Heller struck in the 13th over to make it 30 for 3.  Heller picked up a 2nd in the 19th over and then Stu Dawson claimed another to leave Penicuik in more trouble at 45 for 5.  Then 12yr old Aaradhy Khadse entered the fray and returned the remarkable figures of 3.3 overs, 2 maidens, 5 wickets for 1 run as the home side were skittled for 52.  Skipper Al Murray missed a straight one in the first over but David Simpson (21*) and Chris Sale (29*) knocked off the runs without further alarm as the 4s recorded a 9 wicket win.

On Sunday the 1 hosted Heriot’s in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup.  Bowling first Conor Regan picked up an early wicket and when Daniel Da Costa struck in the 12th over Heriot’s were reduced to 47 for 2.  The visitors fought back and took the score to 90 for 2 after 18 overs before the weather closed in.  After a prolonged rain delay the match was reduced to a 30 over contest giving Heriot’s 12 more overs to bat.  Wickets fell regularly as the visitors chased quick runs with 3 wickets for Rory Allardice and 2 each for Arun Pillai and Olly Davidson as Heriot’s finished on 155 for 9.  DLS adjusted the target up to 177 and the task got more difficult as 3 early wickets put the Arrows on the back foot.  Da Costa and Davidson got the scoreboard moving but wickets kept falling.  Despite 49 from Davidson, including 4 big 6s, the home side were bowled out for 133 in the 28th over meaning that Heriot’s progress to the final in August.

The Women were also due to be in cup action on Sunday as they took on Stew Mel at Inverleith in the first round of the Beyond Boundaries Women’s Scottish T20 Cup.  Unfortunately no play was possible and the two sides will try again in 2 weeks time.

The final game of the weekend saw the 5s play Stew Mel 4s at Peffermill.  With weather about the match was reduced to 35 overs and having been inserted the Arrows were in a bit of difficulty at 95 for 6 in the 20th over.  Martin Robertson (20) and Ollie McCallum (26*) were the only batters to get to grips with conditions but eventually the rain made any further play impossible and the match was abandoned.