Hard work pays off for Forres

Hard work before and during the game against Buckie paid off with another 20 points and with only one league game left of the season, all is still to be played for.

With such bad weather at the start of the day, the Forres team had to clear away puddles from around the field on Saturday to ensure that the game went ahead. After an hour’s work with brush and fork the water was cleared away, leaving the sun to do the rest although the start was slightly delayed. When play eventually got underway Buckie had won the toss and decided to bat first. Forres struck quickly when Daniel Walls was bowled by Fraser Merricks for 0 in the third over, clipping off stump. John Corsie was now partnered by youngster Joe Hough who eventually decided to play a few shots but a top edge to short cover saw the end of him as he was caught by McGrath off the bowling of Farr for 8. Andy Ballantyne joined Corsie but the batsmen seemed to close shop, runs almost drying up. Then Merricks stuck again when he bowled Ballantyne for 2 leaving Buckie on 32 for 3. A Ali clearly likes to play his shots, but he got tied down when Farr cramped him, leaving him to take his chances against Merricks who bowled him with a slower ball for 15. The introduction of new batsman, Barry Newlands, broke the hold Forres had on the game. Corsie came out of his shell and suddenly Buckie seemed a more confident team as this pair added another 31 runs to the score. The partnership was broken when Newlands, on 20, went for a big shot through mid off, Dhami took a good catch to give Steve Barron the wicket. Nathan Winkler faced just one ball as he was bowled by Durance who then went on to clear up the Buckie tail, including the prize wicket of Corsie caught on the mid wicket boundary by Derek Ross for 43. Buckie had somehow managed to accumulate 104 at the end of their innings, with David Durance taking 5 for 33 as he cleared up the Buckie innings. Fraser Merricks chipped in with 3 for 30.

The Forres reply was far from fluent, not helped when Nigel Gerrard was run out for 3 with 26 on the board. Gus Farr joined Dhami who looked curiously out of sorts. Buckie were bowling with a plan, to bounce Dhami out and eventually it worked when he went after a head high Newlands delivery and was caught behind for 19. Neil McGrath came in at 4 and played himself in for an over or two. Farr was looking comfortable, accumulating well until he got hold of a delivery from D Chappell a little too well and was caught at long off for 22. David Durance didn’t have the day with the bat that he had with the ball, he was caught behind for 0 but his replacement, Ian Roberts, made up for it with a flurry of shots giving him a quick fire 12 when he was bowled by Newlands. By now Forres were on 76 for 4 and when McGrath tried to hook Newlands Forres had moved along to 85 for 5. A moment or two of worry as the Forres wickets were falling too quickly but Fraser Merricks and Steve Barron steadied things and when Barron sent a six sailing over mid off the nerves were calmed and Forres were assured of their victory.

Next Saturday sees the final fixture of the season as Fochabers are the visitors to Grant Park. The intriguing scenario is that both teams could win the league so it will be a real battle ahead for both sides.