No joy for Greenock in the Rowan Cup Final
Clydesdale v Greenock 1st XI
Clydesdale 141 for 4 (JG Williamson 40)
Greenock 1st XI 104 for 6
Greenock 1st XI's last chance of picking up some silverware for the 2011 season was ended at Titwood in Glasgow last night when the team was outplayed by a good Clydesdale side in the Murgitroyd Rowan Cup final, losing by 37 runs in the 20 overs a side match.
Evening cricket matches played in August always have to contend with fading light and so the toss takes on an added importance. Clydesdale took advantage of their good fortune in winning the toss and elected to bat first in the best of the light and invited Greenock to bowl and field in overcast conditions made worse when a period of continuous drizzle occurred. Also a delayed start but with no adjustment in overs to be played meant the toss was even more important than usual.
Sher and Greg Williamson got Clydesdale of to a very sound opening to their innings compiling 78 runs before Williamson was brilliantly caught for 40 by wicketkeeper Andy Hislop who had to race backwards for about twenty five metres and then dive full length to take the towering top edge by the opener from the bowling of Waleed Jamal.
Sher and new batsman Ian Adress maintained the very positive approach to batting established by the opening pair and took the score to 121 before Sher was run out by a direct throw on to the stumps by Chris Bellwood with just three overs left in the innings. Bellwood himself then picked up two further wickets thanks to fine catches by Aidan Forrest and wicketkeeper Andy Hislop and Clydesdale closed their innings on 141 for 4.
Clydesdale's challenging total required Greenock to score at seven runs an over but from the start of the innings Greenock fell behind the necessary rate. Chris Bellwood and Willie Rowan did give Greenock a good base putting on 41 runs from the opening 7 overs before Rowan was run out having scored 27 runs from 25 balls faced. However, Greenock gradually slipped further behind the rate and wickets were lost also. Bellwood (22) and Hislop (1) were both bowled in successive overs and when Richie Berrington (24) was caught in the deep in the 16th over with the total on 82, the task was almost impossible.
Jonathan Hempsey with 16 not out kept the score moving at a run a ball but further wickets of Ben Peterson (1) and Dougie Wylie (6) provided Clydesdale with a very comfortable victory and the Rowan Cup was theirs for a second successive season.
