Durance makes magnificent seven

FORRES St Lawrence hosted Elgin on Saturday with the sun shining on the cricketers helping the home side to maximum points.

After winning the toss the Elgin skipper, Rick Wimble, decided to bat first. Wimble and opening partner Z Vale had a short lived stay at the crease as Vale was bundled out in just the first over when he feathered a Gus Farr delivery through to the keeper who parried it to Al Farr at first slip. Allan Duncan appeared to think that attack was his best form of defence but he was never going to handle the bowling of Farr who bowled Duncan for 7. In the same over as the score progressed to 11 Wimble was yorked by Farr for just one. Elgin were teetering on the brink of a disaster but Steve Parrot and Kevin Fraser dug deep to just stay there as the Forres bowlers were moving the ball. John Duff was unlucky to come away with no wickets from his 12 overs but the Elgin pair rode their luck and moved the score onward until Fraser lifted a ball from change bowler Durance and Tony Farr ran round to take the catch. The partnership had picked up 37 valuable runs and Parrot wasn’t finished yet. Mark Petrie looked to play some shots but he just wasn’t getting bat to ball until finally he went arial only to see Gus Farr pocket the catch off the bowling of Durance. Youngster Mark Hindes came in when his team could have folded but he played well, showing some ability and no fear as Gus Farr returned to the attack. Parrot and Hindes had moved the score on to 85 when Parrot unluckily played on when he had reached 49 giving Durance his third wicket. The Elgin resistance had been broken now and Durance was eager to cash in as he swept away the remaining four wickets. R Hawkins was bowled for 0, Hindes caught by Ross for 14, C Hawkins caught behind for 0 and D Vale caught by Hogley for 3. Durance finished with 7 for 20 with Gus Farr taking 3 for 21. Elgin finished on 97.

In reply Forres wasted no time at all. Pritpal Dhami and Nigel Gerrard were faced with a weakened Elgin bowling line up and attacked with gusto. It took just 13 overs for Forres to overhaul the Elgin total as Dhami struck the ball around the field. Quality shots and although the bowling was weak he could only play against what was bowled at him. The innings closed with two sixes from Dhami as he moved to 72 not out with Gerrard on 22 not out. A clinical performance with the bat from Forres. Next Saturday Forres travel to Fochabers for a top of the table clash.