Inverurie Cricket Club

Ellon Vs Inverurie Don Valley Inverurie Don Valley got their Grade 1 season off to a poor start by losing to Ellon in a match dominated by batting with both sides bowlers reaping few rewards from their afternoon efforts.- Despite losing the toss and being ask to make first use of the wet Ellon wicket following the previous night and mornings rain Inverurie openers Hadden and Lamb made steady progress taking the score along at 3 an over before Hadden (43) perished while attempting an expansive drive with the score on 60, this brought Martin (6) to the crease for an all too short stay when he decided to leave a ball destined for his off stump not long after Lamb (32) had holed out to mid-off after a well constructed innings leaving Inverurie on 98 for 3 off 31 overs. Having lost only 3 wickets and with plenty of batting to come Inverurie were hopeful of reaching 180 from their allotted 46 overs however Coutts (27) and Norval had other ideas about the final total and set about the Ellon attack with gusto as they peppered the boundary with a flurry of fours, this tactic was proving fruitful and in hindsight perhaps should have been continued when Coutts changed tact and perished trying for a quick single. This final wicket took Murrison to the crease to join Norval for the final 10 overs and the pair in tandem managed to score at 6 an over to take the Inverurie total up to what on paper looked like a more than competitive 204 as Murrison (11 not out) farmed the strike successfully to Norval (73 not out) who was belligerent in his assault on the Ellon bowlers in an excellent innings comprising 8 fours and 4 sixes. Following an ‘against all odds’ fine tea, supplied by Ellon, Inverurie took to the field confident, perhaps overly confident, of at least avoiding defeat with the opening attack of Lamb (0-47) and Skevington (0-41) sharing the new ball and despite keeping things tight weren’t rewarded as 40 runs came off the opening 13 overs a stat that could have been improved had chances not been spilled in the field. The change bowling of Coutts (0-38) was quickly replaced when Inveruries normally most consistent bowler couldn’t control the swing or length he was bowling, it was this change that temporarily changed the momentum of the game as Hadden (2-42) and Parr (1-19) managed to get a foothold into the Ellon innings as first Hadden had White (20) caught and bowled before Murrison caught Davies (36) with a sharp chance behind the stumps and when Parr had danger man Barrett caught by Skevington on the deep square leg boundary Inverurie felt they had a chance with still more than 100 runs required. This optimism was to be short lived however as Ellon, with the batting of Aroia (48 not out) and Woolrige-Gordon (58 not out) made short work of the total hitting 19 boundaries between them in an unbeaten partnership of 107 in a period of play that saw Inveruries bowlers devoid of answers to the Ellon batting onslaught. The eventual manner of Inverurie defeat will be of concern to anyone who watched the game and not least the Inverurie players who were completely lost for any solution to the aggressive hitting of the Ellon batsmen. Perhaps the game came a week early for the under prepared Inverurie squad and they will be hoping they can put things right and bounce back this Saturday when they play host to Mannofield at Kelland Park, time will tell. INVERURIE DON VALLEY – 204 for 4 (T. Norval 73not out, G Hadden 43) 13 Points ELLON – 205 for 3 (G. Hadden 2 for 42, C Parr 1 for 19) Saturdays match ball was kindly sponsored by Mr. Ellis Thorpe

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