It was a big game start to the 2025 season last Saturday as Bon Accord won the toss and elected to field against Master Blasters. The Master Blasters top order laboured against the opening spell of Tauqeer Malik who delivered 8 overs taking 4 for 14. At 81 for 7 the result felt like a foregone conclusion, but mixed between a few conservative overs, the boundary was liberally peppered by Chandrashekar Mallireddy who was unbeaten on 61 as Master Blasters batted the overs to total 189 for 9. The Bons response included the first competitive sight of Fazball in 2025 as Mr Awan blitzed his way to 92 before becoming one of 3 victims for Mallireddy. When Awan was out it was 171 for 2, and despite a slight wobble where Bons lost another 3 wickets in short time, it only took them 24.5 overs to romp to victory.
The Aberdeen Grammar derby saw their 1sts overcome their 2nds by 100 runs. Rob Swiergon stood firm with the bat for the 1sts as wickets fell at the other end as he posted the first Grade 1 half century of the season. His 66 set the platform for an expansive unbeaten 81 from Avash Upadhyaya. Muhammad Kashif picked up 4 for 47 as the 2nds were set a challenging 260 for 8 to chase. Salman Bedaar top scored with 41 but Agha Haider did some damage with 4 for 37 to bowl out the 2nds for 160.
Gordonians batted first against Grampian and a patient 39 from Indy Pandit could have paved the way for a bit of acceleration, but when he was out with the score at 92 for 3 the innings disintegrated quickly. Batters 7 to 10 all made short lived ducks and they were all out for 139. Srikanth Lakshmikanth topped the Grampian bowling stats with 4 for 15. Grampian coasted to an 8 wicket win with half centuries from Alwin Nimmy (55no) and Mynul Nadim (58).
In Grade 2 lots of runs were expected on the new artificial pitch at Countesswells. Will Redpath made 60 as Banchory made what may have felt like an under par 217 for 6 which included no 6’s, unusual for Countesswells. Shane and Chad Abbott took 3 wickets apiece as Banchory bowled out 2nd Gordonians for 175, Tarun Dureja having made a rapid 30, but again, it was a 6’s free innings.