Glenpark XI bounce back in active fashion
Glenpark XI v Active Life
Glenpark returned to winning ways this weekend in a crucial match at Glenpark.
Fielding first, Glenpark got off to a good start with Jeeta Singh removing the openers cheaply. Then the visitors started to make headway. Dave Sharma, still carrying an injury, looked out of sorts and couldn’t get his line right; it was not until skipper Mark Robertson brought himself and Sam Sanghera on that the home team began to bring things back. Supported by some good catching wickets began to fall and it looked as if Active Life would be restricted to a moderate total.
Kieran Begley replaced Sam and continued the good work with a couple of wickets – including a stumping by Chris Hempsey standing up to the wicket against his medium pace. The last pair wagged the tail with some roundhouse hitting, but Dave came back to claim the last two wickets, dismissing the team for 164. Dougie Moore and Stuart Anderson each took a brace of catches, and Jamie McDowell a trio – none of them easy, proof of the adage catches win matches.
Glenpark’s response got off to a shaky start, with Kieran and Mark falling cheaply, but then Dave Sharma was joined by Chris Hempsey who put on a vital partnership. Dave originally was the aggressor as Chris sensibly played himself in. Then, when the ever fragile Dave succumbed to yet another muscle strain and needed a runner, Chris took on the mantle of run-getter.
Dave eventually reached his half-century, but fell soon after, the pair having put on 91 runs. Chris unfortunately followed quickly, just short of his fifty. Glenpark wobbled a little as our Bradman (Jeeta) had a rare failure, but Dougie Moore and Jamie McDowell steadied the ship to victory. Jamie continued his solid play from last weekend, and Dougie looked like he’d never been away from the game with a clean-hitting display.
Glenpark will hope to continue in this vein with another big match against Victoria next week, league leaders at the start of play today, a win there would be a big step towards division two cricket next year. On today’s performance there’s no reason why that should not be the result.
Active Life (6 pts) 164 (38.4 overs) Amir 39, MI Robertson 3 for 43
Glenpark XI (25 pts) 165 for 5 (39.1 overs) DC Sharma 54, CJK Hempsey 43, Ali 3 for 56
Glenpark XI won by 5 wickets
Glenpark XI Man of the Match: Special mention went to Dougie Moore & Jamie McDowell for their batting and fielding displays, but the team selected yours truly.
Scooby Award: Chris Hempsey – the ball after berating Sam for his fielding efforts he let through four byes Also after being chastised by the skipper for dropping a chance he challenged Mark for not having taken a catch himself – in spite of the fact that he hadn’t had a chance to take all game.
'The Snake'
