Stoneywood-Dyce pulled off a remarkable six-run win against Heriot’s at Peoples Park on Saturday, thanks to a last-gasp hat-trick from half-fit fast bowler Elton Willemse who was not going to bowl because of a back injury.
South African Willemse was called into the home attack with the Edinburgh side needing only 10 runs and three wickets left.
“I had a brief chat with Elton and asked him if he could have a crack despite having a bad back. I knew his pace would trouble their lower order batsman. It was a magnificent performance,” said Michael Leask who was a forceful captain for Stoneywood-Dyce, leading from the front to score a quickfire 34 after his side were put into bat before taking the responsibility for opening the bowling, grabbing three wickets for 25 with his off-spin.
The home side looked like posting a big score when, with Leask at the wicket with top scorer Eddie Steinson (46), were 118 for two only for Mark Watt to change all that in the 31st over. He had both batsman magnificently caught in the deep to spark off a collapse.
Poor batting from the Aberdeen side meant they were reduced to 131 all out, leaving Heriot’s the apparently easy task of winning game, especially when they reached 70 for the loss of only two wickets.
But they were to suffer a similar fate as the home side, losing faith in themselves to slump to 118 for seven, mainly due to some brilliant catches.
First Leask held a superb caught and bowled, followed by great midwicket catches from Willemse and Ali Gill, while teenager Jamie King took a magnificent catch over his head on the boundary.
But with former Stoneywood-Dyce batsman Steve Knox still at the crease and only seven required a victory from the home side looked unlikely.
Willemse’s third over changed all that as he ripped into the Edinburgh side’s batting, taking out Knox’s off stump on the way to an astonishing hat-trick to win the game, and dismissing the Goldenacre men for 125.
Leask was delighted with the win, but realistic enough to recognise his side had got off the hook. “It’s a great win, but we batted badly. Elton saved our skins today, his three for four saved us, but we know there’s work to be done. I will, however, take our first home win of the season. We’ll now need to consolidate our position.”