2023 Awards Evening
The 2023 Awards Evening was held on Saturday 26th August when the clubhouse was packed to see a number of awards handed out to players and supporters. Gregor Chambers was chosen as the Players 1st Player of the Year while Emily Norris was accorded the same honour for the Glenpark XI. Sam Sanghera was named the Club Player of the Year in recognition of his whole-hearted enthusiasm over the season.
Thanks are due to Peter Hempsey for penning this article that documents all the awards that were handed out and to Angela Prabhu for taking photographs throughout the evening. More of her photographs have now been added to the article.
August Glenpark Supporters Prize Draw - Results
The August monthly draw for the Glenpark Supporters Prize Draw (GSPD) was carried out on Saturday 26th August 2023 by the legend that is Tom Black. The four lucky winners were Linda Robertson, Linda McDowell, Alastair Munro and Kenny Love.
The Autumn jackpot draw took place on Saturday 2nd September 2023, carried out by John MacNab, and was won by Jean Bryce.
Congratulations to everyone on their win!
The next draw will take place on Saturday 30th September 2023 for the usual prizes.
We are always looking for new members to join the draw, the receipts from which are used to improve the facilities of the Club for all members. If you wish to join, please contact Brian Papworth using the details to be found at the Contacts link at the top of this page.
1st XI season ends in a wash-out
The weather had the last laugh when the 1st XI's last game of the season against Uddingston was cancelled as Glenpark failed to recover from the heavy rains that fell during the week. Farewell season 2023, you won't be missed!
1st XI face Uddingston in final game of the season
The 2023 season comes to an end on Saturday for the 1st XI when Uddingston are the visitors to Glenpark. The Lanarkshire side handed out a heavy defeat to the team when they met at Bothwell Policies earlier in the season and the locals will be looking for better fortunes this time around. They will need to do so without the services of professional Rahul Dalal, who has had to return to India to prepare for his coming domestic season. He will be badly missed as he had made significant contributions with bat and ball throughout the season. Now is the time for others to step up to replace him. The weather has had a malign impact on cricket in the second half of the season but if it plays ball then the game will start at the scheduled time of 12 noon.
The Glenpark XI have completed their league season and accordingly have no game on Saturday.
Emily Norris wins Scottish Cup medal
One of the Club's players has made it on to the winner's rostrum this year. Emily Norris, became a Scottish Cup winner on Sunday when she helped her West of Scotland team-mates to win the Beyond Boundaries Womens Scottish T20 Cup. Many congratulations to Emily on her success.
1st XI's game with Stirling rained off
The weather interfered yet again with the 1st XI's fixtures as their match with Stirling County at New Williamfield failed to start due to the heavy overnight rain that rendered the Stirling ground unplayable. This was especially galling for the club's professional, Rahul Dalal, as the game was to be his last one for the season due to his having to return early to India on Monday.
Remarkably, since the second half of the league programme began at the beginning of July, wet weather has occurred on every Saturday. The side should have played eight games during this time. Instead only one has been able to be played as normal; three completed with reduced overs; and four either abandoned or cancelled.
The Glenpark XI did manage to play but came up just short as Milngavie 2nd XI won a low-scoring game by 2 wickets. Batting first, Glenpark slumped to 22 for 5 before the lower order rallied to take the score to 95 before the last wicket fell. Milngavie made a similarly poor start as Nagendra Nagaraju and Adnan Afzal took 3 wickets each and Muhibullah Ahmadzai grabbed a couple but the visitors' 9th wicket remained defiant and took their team to victory. Our match correspondent, Dave Sharma, who was pressed into action behind the stumps for this game, sums up the action in his final report of the season.
Barto Andrade
Members will have been saddened to learn of the recent passing of Barto Andrade, who was a popular and much loved bar steward and latterly Bar Manager at the Club over many years. His funeral is being held at Greenock Crematorium on Wednesday 23rd August at 9.00am. Our sincere condolences go to Barto's family and his friends.
Statement on incident at Glenpark on Saturday 12th August
Greenock Cricket Club have issued an unqualified apology to Majid Haq, an umpire at a match at Glenpark on 12th August in relation to an incident that occurred during a league game against Stenhousemuir. Greenock Cricket Club deplores any such conduct and will fully cooperate with the authorities in the investigation. The individual concerned has been suspended with immediate effect.
Forty Club overcome weather and Greenock
The XL (Forty) Club (Scotland District) managed to defeat the weather to celebrate their first appearance at Glenpark with a victory. Conditions meant a delayed start and a reduced duration to the game. The XL club scored 144 for 9 in their innings to which Glenpark replied with 134, leaving the XL Club winners by 10 runs.
The bard of Glenpark, Dave Sharma, has penned this fulsome report on what was a most enjoyable game, played in great spirit to commemorate Shailesh Prabhu's 50th birthday.
1st XI match with Stenhousemuir abandoned
The 1st XI's hopes of avoiding relegation took a double and decisive blow on Saturday. Firstly their match with Stenhousemuir was abandoned and secondly in one of the few games to be played to a conclusion Stirling County recorded a vital win over Prestwick to ensure their survival.
When the rain intervened, the 1st XI were in a perilous position. Having reached 114 for 4 in what was a rain-shortened game, they collapsed to a disappointing 119 all out, with Rahul Dalal with 49 the only batsman to really trouble the scorers. Stenhousemuir had reached 10 for 0 off just 8 balls when the game had to be abandoned. Peter Hempsey's weekly report sums up what was a depressing day for the club.
The Glenpark XI did manage to finish their game against Stenhousemuir's second string, The Tryst, but fared no better than their big brothers. Batting first, they succumbed to 83 all out, a total which The Tryst overtook for the loss of just 3 wickets.
Forty Club at Glenpark on Sunday
This coming Sunday, 13th August, the Forty (XL) Club pay their first visit to Glenpark to play a Greenock XI. The match will be played over 40 overs per side and will start at 1pm.
Our intrepid Glenpark XI correspondent, Dave Sharma, writes "Only a few matches left this season so grab the opportunity and come along to an extra fixture at Glenpark this Sunday 13th August. In a special celebratory invitational match, Greenock take on The Forty Club Scotland District: a wandering team made up of veterans of the game, that travels the country promoting the sport and traditions of cricket. With some Greenock regulars defecting to the visitors' dressing room you have a choice of which team to support as Ralgex takes on Red Bull! Weather permitting, there'll be a few extras, and a boisterous crowd will make the occasion, and hopefully promote the desire for this contest to be an annual event."
1st XI's hopes dashed at Clydesdale
The 1st XI's hopes of a recording a second win on the bounce and climbing the league table were dashed at Titwood when they were comprehensively defeated by Clydesdale. The home side won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that was amply vindicated when they dismissed the 1st XI for just 122 in 35.1 overs. Only Rahul Dalal with 46 made any impression on the home bowling. The second half of the game similarly went the way of the home side as they cruised to victory by 8 wickets. Peter Hempsey's weekly report tells the tale of a game that did not work out the way the team and its supporters had hoped for.
The Glenpark XI were unable to beat the weather as their game with Inverclyde was abandoned after 6 overs with the visitors struggling somewhat at 18 for 3, when heavy rain intervened to continue the team's run of disrupted cricket. Inamullah Khan did the hat-trick, taking all three wickets that fell for just 7 runs, hitting the stumps each time - would he have gone on to take all 10 had the innings lasted the course?!
The Hillend XI game against a West of Scotland XI on Sunday was cancelled due to West being unable to raise a team. So ends the team's season, one in which only one game was played which is very disappointing.
July Glenpark Supporters Prize Draw - Results
The July monthly draw for the Glenpark Supporters Prize Draw (GSPD) was carried out on Saturday 29th July 2023 by Elinor McDougall. The four lucky winners were Bill Lochhead, Emma Norris, David Campbell and Charlie Murdoch.
1st XI gain crucial win at Prestwick
The 1st XI recorded a crucial win in their bid to retain their place in the WDCU Premiership One division, defeating Prestwick by 39 runs in a game which was briefly interrupted by rain in the Prestwick innings. The 1st XI batted first and made 183 runs in their allotted overs, Tom Polkinghorne (62) and Harry Briggs (54), who put on 98 runs for the second wicket, being the main contributors to the that total. Only a late flurry by the Prestwick lower order threatened that total as a disciplined bowling performance saw the Ayrshire side dismissed for 144. Peter Hempsey's weekly report provides all the details on what was a most important win for the team.
The Glenpark XI pushed the league leaders Woodfarm all the way in their Championship Three tussle before eventually going down by 17 runs.Woodfarm were reduced to 53 for 6 at one point in their innings before eventually recovering to 153 for 8. The Glenparkers were always struggling to reach that total, losing wickets at regular intervals, but a 9th wicket stand of 38 by Adnan Afzal and Hamidullah Safi almost saw them to victory before both were dismissed as the side were all out for 136. Our ageless correspondent, Dave Sharma, describes the action in his report on a match that shows that the team are a match for any other side in the league.
Blank Saturday for senior elevens
The 1st XI's game against West of Scotland failed to survive the overnight rains when the umpires decided that the conditions were not suitable for play and called the game off. Every chance was given to get the ground playable and an early tea was taken but a final inspection at around three o'clock decided that these efforts were in vain.
The other four games in the Premiership One league went ahead and reached a conclusion. As a result of Dumfries' heavy defeat at the hands of Uddingston, they swapped places with the 1st XI and are now at the foot of the table. However, there is still quite a gap to Stirling County in eighth place and with only five games left to play this season, time is beginning to run out for the team's hopes of avoiding relegation. If further games fall victim to the weather that will do the team no favours.
The Glenpark XI were also unable to play when their fixture at Hamilton Palace against Clydesdale Cavaliers was called off early on Saturday. That means that for various reasons the team has only played one game in the last five weeks which is immensely disappointing.
Ferguslie win the Renfrewshire derby with some ease
The 1st XI's game against Ferguslie beat the forecast rain and went ahead without any interruption. Unfortunately, the Paisley outfit proved too strong for the team, running out winners by 112 runs. Winning the toss, Ferguslie opted to bat first and made 222 for 9 in their 50 overs, Taimoor Ahmad, often a scourge of Greenock bowlers, making 78 and Gregor Chambers and Nikhil Kadyan both taking 3 wickets. In reply, the 1st XI were 66 for 2 at one stage of their innings but the loss of Rahul Dalal for 23 was the start of a collapse with the innings closing on 110. Lukas Fischer-Keogh top scored with 32 but the lower order were unable to make any meaningful contribution. Peter Hempsey's weekly report provides the details of what was unfortunately a disappointing display from the team.
The Glenpark XI were unable to beat the rain, their game at Glenpark against Anniesland being called off early in the day due to the ground being unfit for play.
Rain the winner at New Cambusdoon
The 1st XI's run of completed league games came to an end on Saturday when heavy rain forced a premature end to the game against Ayr. The team batted first and notched up 190 for 8 in an innings reduced to 44 overs by a rain interruption, a stand of 114 between Rahul Dalal (90) and Tom Polkinghorne (42) being the stand-out feature. There was just time for Ayr to reach 17 without loss before further play became impossible. Peter Hempsey's weekly report details the action that took place before the weather intervened.
The Glenpark XI managed to beat the rain at Glenpark and ran out comfortable winners against Galloway 2nd XI by 54 runs. Our correspondent, Dave Sharma, was not only the man of the match but has also provided his report on the match.
The Hillend XI finally played a game this season and it was a winning one. Batting first at Meikleriggs against what was really a Ferguslie 3rd XI, they scored 192 with Cammy Calder making 63 and Vishal Yadav 38, recovering from a horror start of 10 for 3. In reply, the Paisley men were dismissed for 78 leaving Hillend the victors by 114 runs.
Dalal sees 1st XI to vital win over Dumfries
Rahul Dalal saw the 1st XI to a vital 4 wicket win over Dumfries with a splendid unbeaten 74 in a match that was reduced to 30 overs per side after the start was delayed to allow the ground to dry out. Skipper McDougall won the toss and inserted Dumfries who scored 143 for 4 in their allotted overs. In reply, the 1st XI lost early wickets but a partnership of 58 between Dalal and newcomer Nikhil Kadyan (12) righted the ship and although two more wickets fell at 118, Aryan Sanghera kept up an end as Dalal remained undefeated to give the team hope for the rest of the season. Peter Hempsey's weekly report records the team's welcome return to form.
The Glenpark XI's game against Blackhill was called off on Friday evening as Blackhill were unable to raise a team.
Glenpark Summer Camp 2023
The Club is extremely excited to announce that the much enjoyed summer camp for kids is coming back with a bang this year at Glenpark. This is a multi-activity sports camp aimed at children aged between 6-15 years old, and whilst it will have a main focus on learning cricket skills, there will also be lots of different activities too.
The camps will run for 3 weeks:
Week One: 17th-21st July
Week Two: 24th-28th July
Week Three: 31st-4th August
The camp will run as a morning session: 09:30-12:00 and then an afternoon session: 13:00-15:30, but there is also the choice to book the full day which will be from 09:30-15:30 with an hours lunch break in between. If your child(s) wish to come for the full day they will need a packed lunch as lunch will not be provided.
The prices are as follows:
Morning session: £10
Afternoon session: £10
Full day: £20
Full week (all day): £80
Full week (half day): £40
Sibling discounts are also available
Due to the limited spaces being available, to ensure your child gets a place in the summer camp please phone or text Emily Norris to book on: 07957908809.
More details on the timetable and booking procedure can be found here and on the costs for taking part here.
1st XI blown away by Uddingston
The 1st XI were simply swatted aside by Uddingston in their crucial bottom of the table clash at Bothwell Policies, losing by 9 wickets in a match that lasted less than 40 overs. Only two of the team managed to reach double figures as they collapsed to 89 all out, comfortably their lowest score of the season. To rub salt in their wounds, Uddingston knocked off the runs in just over 10 overs, opener Mo Awais scoring 60 off just 32 balls. Peter Hempsey's weekly report sets out the details of what was the team's most disappointing league performance of the season.
Stirling come out on top in key league match
The 1st XI were unable to pull off the victory they so badly needed when they met Stirling County on Saturday. The visitors won the toss and wisely chose to bat and would have been pleased to post a total of 252 with Gregor Chambers the best of the home attack with 4 for 48. The Glenpark reply never really got on top of the job despite six of the batsmen reaching double figures. However none of them was able to play the big innings that was required, Lukas Fischer-Keogh being best with 35 and the innings petered out at 174. A rain interruption in the second innings resulted in DLS revising the par score to 234 in 44 overs, meaning the eventual loss was by 60 runs. Peter Hempsey's weekly report describes the action of what was ultimately another disappointing performance by the team.
The Glenpark XI fared no better at Garscube against Milngavie 2nd XI, despite making 175 for 9 in their 40 overs. Dave Sharma top-scored with 36 although Mr Extras contributed a quite remarkable 82 runs to the total. In reply the Milngavie batsmen shrugged off the loss of an early wicket to easily knock off the runs to record an eight wicket win. Our correspondent, Dave Sharma, reflects on a disappointing batting performance in his report on the match.
Stenny make it a dismal day for the senior teams
The 1st XI were heavily beaten by Stenhousemuir, despite another unbeaten ton from Rahul Dalal. Stenhousemuir batted first and amassed the convincing total of 292 for 6 in their 50 overs. None of the bowlers made any real impact on the opposition batting, whose professional, Danie Rossouw, made 109. In reply, the batting struggled badly, losing early wickets, and nobody was able to stay with Rahul for any length of time. He finished on 111, with only Tom Polkinghorne with 26 providing any sort of support to him as the innings ended on 182. Peter Hempsey's weekly report details the good and bad aspects of the team's performance.
If anything, the performance of the Glenpark XI was even more disappointing. They bowled first and two early wickets looked promising but missed catches meant that The Tryst ended on 196 for 5. In response, the batting failed completely and the innings ended after 21 overs with the scoreboard showing just 58 runs. Our match correspondent, Dave Sharma, pulls no punches in his report of a match that realistically puts an end to any hopes of promotion.
A double dose of midweek defeats from Ferguslie
Ferguslie did the double over the club's senior teams in this week's midweek games. On Tuesday, the Glenpark XI were well beaten by Meikleriggs in the Western Cup, their batsman unable to get close to their opponents' score of 168 for 6. Chris Hempsey top-scored with an unbeaten 30 as Glenpark could only manage 111 for 7 in their 20 overs.
On Wednesday the 1st XI's batsmen did a much better job, reaching 161 for 6 with Cammy Calder making 59. But Ferguslie made short work of this target, reaching 164 for 4 in just 15.1 overs, their professional Muhammed Mayet scoring a savage 100, with 76 of those runs made in boundaries, to leave the 1st XI winless in their McCulloch Cup group.
1st XI fall short against Clydesdale
The 1st XI met in Clydesdale on Saturday in what was a closely-fought encounter but ultimately they came up just short. The Glasgow side batted first and in their allotted 50 overs accumulated 215 for 8, a good score but not a winning one at Glenpark. Gregor Chambers was the best of the bowlers, taking 4 for 42. At one point in the team's reply, the score stood at 134 for 2 with Dalal and Polkinghorne well set but with the latter's dismissal, there followed a rush of wickets and they were finally all out for 182. Dalal with 71 and Polkinghorne with 40 were the leading scorers. Peter Hempsey's weekly report describes the action of a game on which the team will reflect that a golden opportunity to win was spurned.
The Glenpark XI were worthy winners of their derby match with Inverclyde, defeating their local rivals by 79 runs, thanks to a good all -round performance. Our match correspondent, Dave Sharma, has supplied this report of a match which keeps the team up at the top end of the table.
1st XI suffer two narrow defeats
It was a case of so near and yet so far for the 1st XI in their midweek games this week. On Wednesday they missed out to Renfrew in the McCulloch Cup by just 1 run. Needing 4 off the last ball to win they could only manage 2 to give Renfrew victory by the slenderest of margins. Lukas Fischer-Keogh was the star with the bat, scoring 70.
On Thursday, it was Langside's turn to squeeze home, defeating the 1st XI by 2 wickets in the second round of the Rowan Cup. Gregor Chambers top-scored with 55 in the team's 104 for 8 and while wickets kept falling in Langside's reply, they just didn't fall quickly enough and the south Glasgow side sneaked home with an over to spare. Ewan Stewart with 3 for 26 was the Glenparkers' most successful bowler.
The Glenpark XI's Western Cup tie with Helensburgh on Tuesday was called off as their opponents could not raise a team.
Another ton for Rahul not enough for 1st XI
Despite a second successive unbeaten century from Rahul Dalal, the 1st XI fell to another league defeat, losing by 7 wickets to Prestwick. Dalal's 109 was the mainstay of the team's 176 for 5, an innings cut short by rain after 42.4 overs. DLS adjusted that score to 208 but this proved no obstacle to Prestwick who knocked off the runs for the loss of just 3 wickets with almost 5 overs to spare. Peter Hempsey's weekly report rounds up the details of a match which promised much but ultimately slipped out of the team's grasp.
The Glenpark XI were involved in a high-scoring affair away to Woodfarm but came out of it with a 5 wicket loss. Batting first, they scored 224 for 9, Nagendra Nagaraju with 42 being the leading scorer. The game was very keenly poised when Woodfarm stood at 153 for 5 but their 6th wicket partnership could not be separated and the home side reached their target in the 39th over. The match was a triumph for Mr Extras who reached his half-century in both innings.
Kelburne rule the roost over Greenock teams
Kelburne achieved double success over Greenock teams in this week's midweek cricket. On Tuesday their second string were too strong for the Glenpark XI, winning by 41 runs in the Western Cup while on Wednesday, the 1st XI, again forced to field a weakened eleven, were no match for their Paisley rivals in the McCulloch Cup, going down by 75 runs. Even at this early stage of these competitions, the two elevens have it all to do if they hope to reach the knock-out stages.
Double delight Saturday
The 1st XI broke their league duck in some style on Saturday, travelling to Hamilton Crescent to take on West of Scotland and winning by 4 wickets. Skipper Greg McDougall won the toss and asked West to bat, a decision that was amply justified as the attack made quick inroads into the home side's batting lineup. At one stage West stood at 105 for 8 but rallied to 148 all out with wickets shared out amongst the bowlers. When the 1st XI were 13 for 3 in the team's reply, the outlook did not look rosy but a superb unbeaten 105 from Rahul Dalal off just 70 balls saw the Glenparkers across the winning line. Peter Hempsey's weekly report gives all the details of a match which delivered a much-needed win and which will hopefully set the team up for the rest of the season.
The Glenpark XI had the easiest of wins at Glenpark, defeating the Clydesdale Cavaliers by 10 wickets. The visitors were bowled out for just 38, with Emily Norris with 3 for 2 returning the best figures. Jamie Nowell and Eddie Ahmad knocked off the runs needed for victory in just 6 overs. Dave Sharma, having recovered from last week's injury, provides an a eye-witness report on the match.
1st XI progress in Rowan Cup
The 1st XI reached the second round of the Rowan Cup with an 18 run victory over East Kilbride at Torrance House on Thursday. Batting first, they overcame a rocky start which saw them lose thier first two wickets for just 10 runs. A stand of 115 between Tom Polkinghorne (62) and Gregor Chambers (60*) and a cameo from Cammy (Calder), who hit 15* from just 8 balls, enabled the team to post a total of 154 for 3. East Kilbride made a great start, putting on 74 for the first wicket but their openers were then dismissed by Usman Mansoor and they finished on 136 for 6. Langside are next up for the team at Glenpark on 1st June.
On the previous evening, a much-weakened eleven were well beaten by Ferguslie in the first group match in the McCulloch Cup. The Paisley side scored 209 for 1 in their 20 overs and restricted the 1st XI to 105 for 8, Rahul Dalal with 32 and Greg McDougall with 27 being the top scorers.
To complete the midweek picture, the Glenpark XI, again with a weakened side, went down to Anniesland in the first group match of the Western Cup on Tuesday. The Glasgow team easily overtook Glenpark's 106 for 6, losing just 2 wickets in the process.
Ian Chambers charity bike ride
Ian Chambers, who is Gregor's Dad and who comes to all the 1st XI games and in an emergency steps in as the 1st XI scorer, is about to embark on a cycle ride from Lands End to John O'Groats in aid of SMA UK, a charity which supports people and families affected by the rare genetic disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Details on how to follow Ian's progress can be found here.
We wish Ian and his two friends who are doing the ride with him, all the very best.
Champions too strong for 1st XI
The 1st XI were well beaten by the league champions Ferguslie at Glenpark on Saturday. The visitors batted first and at one point were reduced to 133 for 6 but their depth in batting saw them reach 238 before being dismissed in their final over, Rahul Dalal being the most successful bowler with 4 for 39. Greenock's reply never got going with wickets falling at regular intervals. Only Gregor Chambers with 45 offered any real resistance as their Paisley opponents won by 112 runs.
Peter Hempsey's weekly report gives more details on a game which showed again the levels the team needs to reach to survive in the division.
The Glenpark XI came up just short at New Anniesland when they went down to Anniesland by 16 runs A last wicket stand of 44 saw the home side reach 169 before being dismissed and despite 46 from Chris Hempsey and 44 from a hobbling Dave Sharma, Glenpark were all out for 153. Dave Sharma has taken time out from nursing his injury to pen a full report on the match.
Disappointing weekend for 1st XI
The 1st XI were unfortunately no match for Ayr on Saturday, losing by 119 runs to the visitors. Ayr made 266 for 7 in their 50 overs, their professional Frylinck making 91 and the locals could only respond with 147 for 9. Tom Polkinghorne scored 54 but could not get anyone to stay with him with only Chambers and Dalal making it into double figures. Peter Hempsey's weekly report provides more detail on a disappointing performance by the team.
It didn't get any better on Sunday when they were swept aside by Stewart's Melville in the first round of the Scottish Cup by 9 wickets. Batting first, they could only amass 92 and the Edinbugh side wasted no time in overtaking that total, losing just one wicket in the process. Peter provides a brief report on what was an extremely one-sided affair.
The Glenpark XI made it two wins out of two when they defeated Galloway 2nd XI by 5 wickets, a pleasing victory given the struggle to get eleven players to travel and play. Hamidullah Safi was the star with the ball, taking 5 for 8 as Galloway were dismissed for just 44. Glenpark did make heavy weather of the chase but ultimately they won quite comfortably.
Mixed fortunes to start the league season
It was a case of mixed fortunes for the club on the first Saturday of the league season.
The 1st XI at one stage looked on course for victory at Dumfries, with home team on 56 for 4 chasing a target of 193 to win, but the locals' middle order stood firm and won the game by 4 wickets in the 49th over. Tom Polkinghorne with 64 and Lukas Fischer-Keogh with 54 starred with the bat in a total of 192 for 7, their partnership putting on 120 for the third wicket, whilst skipper Greg McDougall was the most successful bowler with 3 for 43. Peter Hempsey fills out the details in his report of a game which promised much but ultimately failed to deliver for the team.
It was a different matter for the Glenpark XI. Their opponents, Blackhill, could only field 9 men and were quickly skittled out for 23. In reply, the Glenparkers passd that total in just 3.2 overs for the loss of 2 wickets. In a blast from the past, veteran all-rounder Dave Sharma has been persuaded to write a comprehensive report on the match, something which is bound to please his many admirers.
A winning weekend to start the season
A dry and mostly sunny weekend saw the 2023 season start at Glenpark and it was a winning start as both friendly matches were won in some style. New professional, Rahul Dalal, was the star of Saturday's victory over East Renfrewshire, his hard-hitting 85 giving promise of things to come in the league season as the visitors were defeated by 6 wickets. On Sunday, Gregor Chambers, who had taken 4 for 17 on Saturday, was the main man with the bat, making 50 in the total of 160 for 6 against West of Scotland. The Glasgow side made a steady start but the introduction of Nagendra Nagaraju to the attack brought any hopes that they might have had of winning to a rapid end, as he took 5 for 9 in just 4.1 overs to seal victory for the home side by 36 runs.
Peter Hempsey in his first report of the season provides the details of what was a splendid start to the season.
Player Sponsorship evening a resounding success
Despite no cricket being played on Saturday 15th April, the day was still deemed a success due to the Player Sponsorship function held in the evening. Players, members and crucially sponsors all assembled to discover who would be sponsoring who in the coming season. As can be imagined, everyone was on tenterhooks to learn who get the chance to sponsor our new pro, Rahul Dalal. Shailesh Prabhu turned out to be that lucky person. Can't see him going thirsty this summer!!
Player sponsorship returns to Glenpark
The Club is delighted to announce the return of Player Sponsorship. For just £50 per player, members can sponsor a Greenock player for the 2023 season and earn rewards depending on that player's performances in all competitive 1st XI and Glenpark XI matches. These incentives are
Batting - 30 runs earns a bottle of beer, 50 runs a pint and 100 runs a jug of beer
Bowling - 2 wickets earns a bottle of beer, 3 wickets a pint, 5 wickets a jug of beer with a bottle of beer for every wicket on top of that number
Fielding - 2 catches/runout earns a bottle of beer, 3 earns a pint, 4 a jug of beer, 5 a jug and a bottle and more than 5 a jug and a pint.
Any member who wishes to sponsor a player should contact captain Greg McDougall on 07957 673373 or leave his or her name with Lynn Cole at the bar.
The draw for the allocation of players will take place on Saturday 15th April at 7.00pm after the opening season friendly with Hillhead and it is hoped that as many sponsors as possible will be able to attend to take part and find out which specific player they will be sponsoring.
Rahul Dalal signs for Greenock
The Club is pleased to announce that it has signed Rahul Dalal from India as its professional for the 2023 season. Rahul joins the Club after a successful season for Arunachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 482 runs, which was the highest aggregate amongst the teams competing in Arunachal's group. In all first-class cricket, Rahul has scored 2407 runs with a top score of 267*.
Rahul is a right-hand bat and also bowls off-breaks and will undoubtedly be a key player for Greenock in their return to the Premier Division this season.
Index of history articles
In 2020, when no cricket was played due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a number of articles relating to the history of the Club were published on the website. These can be read via this link.
Club records now updated back to 1931
The Club records have been updated again, this time to cover the years from 1931 to 1937. Each year that has been added to the archives has a summary of all games played by the 1st XI together with full averages, selected scorecards and a short review of the season. The cumulative records of the Club have also similarly been updated.
This new update covers the years when the Club's professional was Reg Hollingdale, from Sussex, who can reasonably be claimed to be one of the best professionals employed by the Club. During this time, the Club won the Western Union title on two occasions while there were any number of memorable games, not least the time when Jack Hobbs played at Glenpark in June 1935. 1937, though it did not result in title or cup success, was a year when there were some outstanding personal performances, such as John Kerr hitting two centuries in four days at the age of 52.
As with previous updates, there a number of caveats that need to be kept in mind and these are detailed in this brief article.
Work will now start on the next update which is likely to cover the years from 1925 to 1930.