Bright start to Glenpark XI's league season
Glenpark XI v Partick XI
Glenpark celebrated their entry to the new SNCL Reserve League, incorporating new rules, with an emphatic win over one of the stronger teams they’re likely to face this year.
In spite of overnight rain, the covered wicket looked in good shape and the match started fairly promptly with Glenpark bowling first. Openers Dave Sharma and Jonathan Hempsey got early success, but the occasional four ball kept the scoreboard ticking over. Skipper Mark Robertson relieved Hempsey and also picked up an early wicket. By the time veteran Sharma bowled through his ten overs (without injury – to everyone’s surprise!) Partick had lost half their wickets.
Andy Hislop replaced Sharma and kept the pressure on the visitors with tidy and attacking bowling. Robertson kept ringing the changes, with all the bowlers having success, and when Hempsey took a smart catch off Ryan Begley, Glenpark were well on top with the score on 89 for 8. However a frustrating 9th wicket partnership took the score to 133 before Greg McDougall broke through with a jaffa. Partick were finally dismissed for 140 in the 42nd over.
In response openers Alex Baum and Dave Sharma got off to a flyer, helped by some indisciplined bowling, taking the score to 42 after 6 overs. Partick resorted to bringing on the indefatigable Cameron who removed Sharma in his first over (there’s likely to be a 25-year-old scorebook with the same entry of Sharma LBW Cameron!). Ryan Begley then joined Baum to solidify this start with an excellent partnership of 55 before Baum unfortunately fell just short of his half-century. Begley was then joined by Mark Robertson, and it looked as if this pair would take the team to victory until both fell in quick succession. It was left to Dougie Moore and David Thomson to see the team home comfortably in the 33rd over.
Glenpark face another tough challenge at Titwood next week and can hopefully take some momentum from today’s game.
Partick XI (3 pts) 140 (41.4 overs) MI Robertson 3 for 24 DC Sharma 3 for 25
Glenpark XI (12 pts) 141 for 4 (32.1 overs) AJL Baum 43, RG Begley 35
Glenpark XI won by 6 wickets
Glenpark XI Man of the Match: Good contributions from Mark Robertson, Ryan Begley and Dave Sharma, but Alex Baum pips them with his runs, stumping and two catches.
Scooby Award: Mark Robertson – for not ensuring the Scooby Award was available for awarding! Greg McDougall also sported a special award for his part in the Scooby Award’s absence. Both looked fetching in blonde pigtails and purple skin-tight suit respectively (there was a fair amount of relief that the outfits weren’t reversed!)
'The Snake'
