MCC – 131 all out (Loeffen 60) vs Holy Cross – 132-1 (Ellis 62*)
 
The Firsts finished their Division 1 return season with a disappointing defeat to Holy Cross at Arboretum. While this was a low note to finish the season on, MCC still finished 3rd in the Division – an excellent result and proof of how far the team has come over the past few years.

 Captain Peachey won the toss and elected to bat on what looked to be a soft, slow wicket, with a heavy outfield due to the rain that had fallen during the week in Edinburgh. It was a watchful start from the openers, A Sardesai (10) and Macgregor (33), both of the batsmen wary of the pace of the wicket and the tight lines being bowled by the Holy Cross bowlers. Just as both batsmen looked to have settled, and with the score ticking over at around 3 runs per over, Bonfield got one to nip away off the pitch and clipped the top of Sardesai’s off stump.

 Macgregor continued to look comfortable at the crease, and joined by Loeffen, kept the score moving with well run ones and twos and the occasional well struck boundary. With the slow run rate, MCC looked as though they were building for a push later in the innings, but just after the drinks break, Macgregor was adjudged lbw to Lynch and Peachey followed soon after, stumped for 0.  Loeffen passed fifty for the eighth time this season, and MCC reached 100-3 off 35 overs, knowing that they needed to push on to set a competitive total.

 There was still plenty of batting left to come so it came as a surprise with what happened next. MCC slipped from 100-3 to 113-5 with Collier (5) and Wilson (2) dismissed by good catches in the outfield, and then to 123-9 as Gandhi, Macsimczyk and D Sardesai all went without score and van Jaarsveld (6) falling to Trewartha (4-34).

With the last man at the crease, Loeffen tried to add as many runs as he could, hitting one enormous six, but perishing one ball later for a well constructed 60. In a collapse reminiscent of the MCC of old, 7 wickets fell for 31 runs and the innings closed on 131.

 Smaller targets had been defended in the league this season, and MCC knew with the strength of their bowling attack that they had just as good a chance to manage this feat. Early wickets were the key, particularly against opening batsmen who had created havoc in the Activcity T20 Final. It was to be the same story in this game as Owais Mazher and keith Fraser started hitting from the off. Despite some good overs from Loeffen (1-22) and Macsimczyk (0-41), Holy Cross were scoring at over 5 runs per over and looked far more at home at the crease. MCC didn’t help themselves with some sloppy ground fielding and a dropped catch, but were rewarded for their perseverance when Loeffen had Owais caught by Macgregor for 36.

 That brought Ellis to the crease and he immediately picked up where Owais had left off. The sun and breeze seemed to have removed any demons in the pitch and both batsmen scored freely, keeping the scoreboard moving. Peachey shuffled his bowlers but to no avail and Holy Cross reached their target within 28 overs, taking the 20 points and sneaking past MCC for 2nd place.

This result aside, it has been a successful season for the Firsts on their return to Division 1 and they will look add new players and build on their performances in 2012.