Saints start season with a Highland fling

THE NoSCA 2012 season got underway on Saturday with Forres St Lawrence taking up where they finished last season by beating Highland in a one sided affair.

Highland struggled to field a full team, showing up at Grant Park with only nine players, so Forres skipper Nigel Gerrard had no hesitation in asking the visitors to bat first when he won the toss.

First ball of the match saw Jon Crabtree play down the wrong line of a delivery from Derek Ross, knocking over his off stump. Then just two balls later Ross repeated the process when he sent number three batsman Seshu back to the pavilion. If this wasn’t bad enough for Highland they lost their number four, John Paul, for another duck as Aaron Roberts took his off stump out of the ground. Highland were reeling with just a single run on the board and their batting ripped apart. Rory Cameron tried to help opener Stuart Catto to make a game of it but he proved ineffectual as his partner panicked, called for a run and Cameron was run out for the fourth duck of the innings. Highland Captain Rob Outram came in at number 6 and he got off the mark with his first delivery but with only 6 runs on the board and four wickets down the game was not going to last long. The Highland batsmen stuck in, making Forres work for their wickets although the introduction of David Durance for Aaron Roberts brought the breakthrough the homeside were seeking. In Durance’s second over he got the ball to swing in and trimmed the bails, sending Outram back to the pavilion. Two balls later youngster I Hussain had the long walk back as he too was bowled by Durance, this time middle stump. A quick stand by A Hussain brought him 7 runs and moved the Highland total along to 29 but he swiped one time too many as he missed and bowler Durance hit. S Joseph was the last man, holding up an end while Catto tried to put a few runs on the board but he finally fell as Aaron Roberts took the catch at mid off. Catto top scored with 28 from his sides 46 run total. Durance took 4 for 5, Ross 2 for 34.

In reply Highland bowled tidily with Crabtree and Catto opening for them facing Nigel Gerrard and new Forres recruit Pal Singh. The batsmen took their time to get the pace of the pitch before Gerrard fell LBW to Crabtree for 4. Gus Farr joined Pal and this pair played some delightful cricket shots, square cuts and turning the ball down to fine leg, before Crabtree struck once more delivering an in-swinger to Pal which broke the leg stump. Neil McGrath came in to finish things off and Forres passed the Highland total in the 16th over, Pal had made 19, Farr 10 not out and McGrath 4 not out.

The next league game is on Saturday when Forres host Northern Counties at the Grant Park with a 1pm start.