1st XI gain thrilling win over fancied Carlton
Greenock 1st XI vs Carlton
Scottish Cup
Sunday 25th May 2014
| Greenock 1st XI | 78 for 6 | ND Flack 30 |
| Carlton | 78 for 7 |
The much delayed first round Scottish Cup tie against top Edinburgh side Carlton was delayed again almost to the point of the much dreaded bowl-out on Sunday afternoon at Glenpark. However, the rain relented for a brief spell and the twice postponed match got under way just after 5pm but with a reduced playing time of just ten overs per side.
Carlton won the toss and invited Greenock to bat. Dwight Thomas and Neil Flack opening the innings for Greenock and got the team off to a good start scoring at the brisk pace demanded by the limited overs available and soon had reached 20 on the scoreboard. Thomas (8) then edged a ball from Ahmad and was caught by wicketkeeper Boyd.
Greg McDougall came and went without scoring and Flack was joined in the middle by Jonathan Hempsey. Twenty nine runs were added by these two before Flack was caught by Shaw off the bowling of Freshwater for 30. One wicket often brings two and so it proved as Hempsey was bowled by Drummond for 16 without any further addition to the total. 60 for 4 in the 7th over of the ten overs per side match.
Only six runs were scored in the eighth and ninth overs as Carlton pinned down Greenock but a brilliant final over in which Sam Santhosh hit three boundaries took the Glenparkers to a very competitive 78 for the loss of six wickets.
In reply, Carlton raced to 19 at the end of the very first over and had thirty runs on the scoreboard by the end of the second over. Greenock appeared to be in trouble. However wickets can alter a game quite quickly and so it proved.
Former Greenock player, and recently retired international batsman, Fraser Watts (10) was bowled by Dwight Thomas in the fifth over with the score on 44. Then Watts opening partner Freshwater was bowled by Greg McDougall just four runs later to make it 48 for 2 in the sixth over. A third wicket went down in the seventh over when former Scotland captain Gordon Drummond (3) was bowled by Jonathan Hempsey.
Eight runs were added in the ninth over for the loss of Rajendram who was run out for 12 taking Carlton to 73 for the loss of just four wickets. Only six runs needed for victory from the last six balls to be bowled.
Neil Flack was given the last over to bowl. A single off the first ball was followed by a wicket when Shah was caught by Greg McDougall on the boundary for 3. Boyd was then run out without scoring and then Flack took a brilliant diving catch from his own bowling to dismiss Rory MacPherson (6). Three wickets in three balls.
Carlton now needed five runs to win from just two balls remaining. New batsman Keith MacPherson put Carlton into favourite spot with four runs from the penultimate ball leaving just one run needed from the final delivery....but he failed to get it and Greenock won by virtue of having lost just six wickets to Carlton’s seven wickets down.
Greenock therefore took the scalp of last season’s competition runners up and one of the top sides in Scotland.
