Heavy snows in 2010. Flooding in August 2020. Heatwaves and drought in 2021. West Lothian is certainly no stranger to extreme weather conditions. So it should come as no surprise that a mythical meteorological event happened on Saturday 20th May which also simultaneously dispelled a well-known proverbial saying. Lightning did indeed strike the same place twice, with that spot being Boghall Cricket Ground, the picture postcard home of Linlithgow CC. The first bolt hit the club last Saturday, following their nail biting win over last year’s Champions, Gala. The second bolt hit the club this Saturday, following the game with Edinburgh CC, who themselves have won the league twice in the past 5 years. Probably worth caveating that I presume it was lightning. Whilst no thunderstorms were observed in the area on either day, it can be the only logical explanation for the electric atmosphere in the air every time the 1s step out to play cricket.
On a muggy, overcast day LCC lost the toss and were asked to bat on what appeared to be a relatively flat deck. Having been made to look like complete mugs by the same opposition in their previous three meetings, LCC were keen to prove that their unbeaten start to the season was no fluke.
Strachan and Hedge were first into the firing line and that metaphor quickly transpired into reality, as the opening pair of Edinburgh bowlers whistled tracer bullet after tracer bullet past the outside edge of the shell shocked pair. The sparse covering of grass on the surface of what we had initially assumed would be a benign wicket may as well have been a gorse bush. The ball would disappear into the thicket off one line and instantly reappear travelling down a different line. After battling through to 11, Strachan was the first to go with the score on 21, a leading edge popping back up to the bowler. Bell nervously walked out to the middle to face the music. Unfortunately, Edinburgh were in charge of the playlist and his walk of 500 miles to the middle was followed by 500 more back to the changing rooms a couple balls later, having his off stump rattled by a ball which pitched outside leg. In a similar manner to last week, we arrived at a fork in the road – take the easy route and rebuild the innings, or take the dark, skeleton-strewn path along the rim of the smouldering volcano and make life as difficult as possible for ourselves? So off we gladly marched into the darkness of Mordor, Hedge (7) chopping one back onto the stumps, and Thomson (0) castled by another seaming seed of a delivery. 21 for 0 had quickly become 29 for 4. Saunders (15) and Robinson (10) decided that attack was the best form of defence on that surface. However that ploy didn’t prove to have any long term success, with Saunders getting one that kicked up to take the shoulder of the bat and loop to gully. Robinson followed a short while later with the score on 54, bowled playing down the wrong line to the newly introduced off spinner. Dixon was joined by Black at the crease. With the opening bowlers bowled out, the pair began to dine out the banquetous bowling that the rest of the Edinburgh team was serving, which largely involved many different flavoured pies. The score rattled along to 90 before Dixon (22) bit off more pie than he could chew and holed out at deep mid-on. Marshiya joined Black at the crease but didn’t stay for long, slicing a catch to point off the leggie. Running out of batting partners, Black (36) tried to hog the strike and look for boundaries rather than singles which ultimately proved his undoing, struck on the pad trying to sweep a straight one. Hamilton (2) and Hill were left with the task of trying to dig the team out of a hole, but sadly the former used his spade to paddle a ball to cover. LCC skittled for the third week running, all out for 114.
With the self-belief that low totals are defendable still fresh in our minds following last week’s win, LCC took to the field hunting for early wickets. Hamilton and Thomson took the new ball, with the latter thundering in and bowling lightning (very very frightening). However, the demons in the wicket that had plagued the LCC innings appeared to have gone on sabbatical, as ball after ball either whizzed past the outside edge or fell agonisingly into no-man’s land when hit. The traumatic memories of the past three defeats to Edinburgh were starting to bubble to the surface as the scoreboard ticked along at 6 an over. Channelling his inner Dennis Lillee, resplendent with white sweat band and all, Thomson finally got one of his lightning bolts to hit the mark, nipping through the gate and clattering into middle and off. 28 for 1. The runs continued to flow off the bat for the visitors as they looked to continue with their positive, attacking mind-set. The introduction of Dixon, however, immediately plugged that hole as he repeatedly landed the ball on a sixpence and starved the batsmen of any width or length with which to free the arms. This was exactly what Thomson needed, as it allowed him to ramp up the aggression and go searching for wickets. And that’s precisely what he found. A sharp bouncer was onto their No.3 before he knew it, catching the splice of the bat and looping to the eager badger Bell at mid-on. 47 for 2 soon became 53 for 3 as Dixon got in on the act, the remaining opener slicing a drive to Thomson at point. And when that fielder took another sharp return catch off his own bowling a couple overs later, with the score on 59, the wolf pack once again could smell blood. With the dangerous Butt and Munir at the crease, LCC knew that one or two more wickets could really swing the game in their favour. Edinburgh battled away with LCC making sure that each and every run would need to be fought for. A further 15 runs were added to the scoreboard before the vital wicket of Butt fell, Saunders taking a good low catch behind the stumps off Thomson. 74 for 5 and 41 runs still required. The onus of steering Edinburgh to victory now rested solely on Munir’s shoulders and he looked more than comfortable with this task, which was made easier by Thomson finishing his allotted overs, and ending with fantastic figures of 10-0-36-4. Hamilton was brought back into the attack alongside Dixon, as LCC looked to make full use of their strike bowlers. A couple lusty shots from Munir pushed the score along to 94 for 5 before Hamilton decided he had seen enough of that batsman, pinning him plumb in front of all three. 94 for 5 and 21 runs still required. He also took offence at the sight of the next batsman to the crease, and also sent him packing a couple balls later, with Saunders taking a sharp chance whilst standing up to the stumps. Refusing to share the limelight, Dixon then stepped onto centre stage, first enticing Majeed to try win it in style only to find the reliable badger at deep mid-on, who gleefully pouched the catch on his second attempt, and then clean bowling the No.10. 94 for 5 had become 94 for 9 in the space of a couple overs and the champagne was now on ice. With one wicket remaining and Hamilton (10-3-34-2) bowled out, skipper Black took the ball looking to try and wrap up proceedings alongside Dixon. The remaining pair of batsmen were determined to etch themselves into Edinburgh CC folklore and they managed to dig in, defending resolutely and scampering through for the occasional quick single. Each run they eked out became increasingly more painful for the LCC lads as the winning total got closer and closer. 20 to win became 15, which became 10. Finally, with only 7 runs left to get, Black managed to get one to hold in the wicket and induce a leading edge to mid-wicket, where Joe “I never drop catches” Robinson was more than happy to live up to his moniker and send LCC into a state of joyously frenzied celebrations. For the second week running, the LCC supporters were witness to another grand stand finish. Lightning had indeed struck twice.
And for the third week running, Clinton Dixon continued to turn back the clock and demonstrate his prowess with both bat and ball, eventually finishing with 10-4-17-3. If you take off Munir’s 4 and 6, along with the inside edge by one of the other batsmen that went for 4, he effectively bowled 9.3 overs for 3 runs against arguably the most aggressive team in the league.