Greenock's wide boys gift victory to Clydesdale
Greenock 1st XI vs Clydesdale
Clydesdale (10 pts) 202 for 7 (MQ Sheikh 53, RM Haq 42; WJ Rowan 5 for 25)
Greenock (0 pts) 159 all out (PC McIntosh 28; JG Williamson 4 for 40)
Greenock began the 2010 Scottish National Cricket League season with a home defeat against Greaves Clydesdale when they committed the cricketing equivalent of hara-kari to lose by 43 runs on Saturday at Glenpark.
Having won the toss, the visitors rather surprisingly chose to bat first on a greenish track as the game, reduced to 48 overs a side, started slightly late at 13.15 due to the morning rain.
Willie Rowan opened from the Bedford Street end and was rewarded almost immediately with the wickets of both Clydesdale openers Shahid (1) and Williamson (2) by the fifth over with the score on just 6. Rowan was to enjoy further success as Hussain then departed for 9 following a great catch by Berrington and the visitors were in trouble at 32 for 3. Haq now joined fellow internationalist Sheikh at the crease as the two stalwarts dug in to begin the recovery. With the score on 50, Rowan’s cleverly disguised slower ball induced a false shot from Sheikh on 4 whose look of horror turned to one of relief as youngster Baum grassed the straightforward chance at extra cover.
It was only after another 76 had been added that the locals took their next wicket when Hempsey finally removed Sheikh for a well earned 53 and then Haq was run out for 43. The Clydesdale middle order kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely as Greenock looked at least one bowler short, with the guile of the unavailable Wylie being sadly missed. Clydesdale closed their innings on a very credible 202 for 7 with Rowan completing a well deserved 5 wicket haul. Of the final total the home team contrived to give away an incredible 57 extras including no fewer than 41 wides. The inability to bowl a cricket ball some 22 yards in the general area of on or just outside off stump just has to be a serious concern and on a challenging wicket, no team in the world can afford to gift more than 25% of the opposition’s runs in extras and expect to compete.
In reply 16 for 0 quickly turned into 16 for 2 as first Hislop was caught plumb in front and then Berrington gloved a short delivery to the ‘keeper next ball. McLaren was next to go for a duck with the score on 43 followed by the battling McIntosh for a useful 28. Baum could consider himself a trifle unlucky when he was brilliantly caught by Singh at backward point for 5.
Clydesdale really had their tails up and they went for the kill as the smell of blood was most definitely in the water (Ed. count the cliches in that sentence). Bellwood (22) was bowled by Haq with one that turned sharply and then Rowan succumbed in similar circumstances to Bashir with the total on 94 for 7. There then followed a period of normal and sensible cricket as old head David Thomson nurtured Jonathan Hempsey through a well compiled partnership of 49 before the former fell LBW for 18. Chris joined his brother at the crease and then bizarrely at the same crease as Hempsey the elder was run out by a mere 22 yards much to his obvious chagrin. Sanghera hit the next delivery down the throat of long on and at 159 all out, that was that as the drowning of sorrows began in earnest.
GCC would like to thank Ball Sponsor - Spar Convenience Store South Street, Match Sponsor - Murray Plant of Linwood and Presidential Suite Sponsor - Acorn Apartments.
