Excellent Russell Ellwood showing helps Forres St Lawrence beat Nairn
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AN excellent showing from Russell Ellwood helped Forres take full points against Nairn at Grant Park on Saturday.
Asked to bat first, Nairn put on early runs to give them a solid start, despite losing opener Woodward who was bowled by an in swinger from Lamb.
Anniss and Davies worked hard to bring the score up to 58 when Anniss sent a shot straight to Gus Farr at mid off, giving Ellwood his first wicket.
Bronkhorst settled in but the rest of the order tumbled around him, first Davies nicking behind off Barron then Stevenson playing a nothing shot to Gus Farr.
Hayward propped up an end but just as he looked like opening up he sent a dolly to Tony Farr at mid wicket, leaving Nairn on 85 for 5.
Booker-Milburn joined Bronkhorst and this pair dug in, adding another 30 valuable runs before Gus Farr came on to mop up some of the tail.
Nairn closed their innings on 137, with Barron 2 for 18, Ellwood 2 for 18 and Farr 2 for 12.
The Forres reply started badly with Gerrard caught at slip in the third over.
However, Dhami and Merricks laid the foundation for the innings with Dhami making 33 and then playing an uncharacteristic shot to a wild delivery which was caught at mid off.
Gus Farr made a brief visit to the crease and soon Merricks was on his way too, with Forres on 60 for 4.
Enter Ellwood and Barron who needed to add middle order runs and stability.
Ellwood got off the mark with an aggressive boundary and continued to play hard as Barron backed him up.
They saw off a few scares as Booker- Milburn bowled well but their positive play soon had Forres on the way to the hundred and after that it didn’t take long to pass the Nairn total, the win coming in the 33rd over.
Ellwood finished with 51, with Barron on 20.
Forres travel to Inverness on Saturday where Northern Counties are the opposition at the Northern Meeting Park, with a 12 noon start.
