Greenock meet Clydesdale in vital last game of the season

The 2017 Premier Division reaches its conclusion this weekend with the final matches of the season being played across the west of Scotland. For Greenock, Saturday's round of matches will determine whether Premier Division cricket will be maintained or whether relegation and a drop into the WDCU First Division will be the outcome.

Greenock play fourth top Clydesdale at Glenpark while relegation rivals East Kilbride are at home to league leaders Prestwick. Greenock are just under five per cent ahead of East Kilbride and a win at Glenpark on Saturday afternoon would ensure the club's survival. Anything less will mean the local side depending on the Lanarkshire side losing to Prestwick.

Clydesdale will provide formidable opposition for the Glenparkers. Last year's champions have had a mixed league season but have already won the Rowan Cup and are finalists in the Western Union Cup and Murgitroyd Trophy.

Scottish international cricketers Con de Lange and Richie Berrington are key players in the Glasgow southside team and Greenock will hope to nullify their influence. South African former professional de Lange, who played English county cricket with Northants, is an experienced all-rounder. His orthodox left-arm spin bowling has proved highly successful once again this season in Premier Division matches and he tops the averages with 21 wickets at a cost of just 7.95 runs per wicket.

Former Greenock player Berrington has had a very fine season for Clydesdale. He has scored over five hundred league runs from just eight innings, with a top score of 139 not out against East Kilbride and has also hit 110 against Dumfries. He has an average of 89.83. And his bowling has also been an important factor in the team's performances with his 22 wickets from just 83 overs bowled placing him in the top six wicket-takers in the Premier Division.

But Clydesdale have others in their side who are capable of fine performances and which makes the Glasgow team formidable opposition. One such player is Mo Awais who with over 400 league runs is in the top ten Premier Division batsmen for the season and he is also a dangerous bowler when called upon. His innings of 110 runs and partnership of 145 runs with Berrington against Greenock at Titwood at the end of June was the key to Clydesdale's victory.

Greenock should be at full strength for Saturday's important match with teenage opening batsman Harry Briggs back into the squad following his unavailability last weekend. And it is likely that he will resume his opening batting partnership with Shailesh Prabhu.

Getting runs on the scoreboard has been a problem which Greenock have faced on numerous occasions this season, so it will be important for Briggs and Prabhu to get the team's innings off to a sound start.

Thereafter, Greenock's top middle order batsmen Kyle Scrimegour, Louis Ware and Neil Flack will be key to building the innings. Each is capable of scoring significant runs and against a strong Clydesdale side their input to the innings will be particularly important.

But Greenock have a line-up which, on paper at least, can bat well down the order and if on the last Saturday of the season a few of these players can find some batting form, and finish with a flourish, then Greenock can certainly give Clydesdale a real test.

Greenock's best performances during the summer have been against the top five teams in the league and the bowling line-up has been the Glenpark side's most potent force. Regular opening bowlers Kyle Scrimegour and Julien Hulbert have taken fifty one Premier Division wickets between them which places them both in the top five wicket-takers in the league.

However, Hulbert injured his knee three weeks ago against Dumfries and is a doubtful starter for Saturday's match. He will undergo a late fitness test to decide if he will take any part in the match.

If Hulbert is unable to play then Greenock still have good cover in their bowling line-up and Louis Ware, Jonathan Hempsey, Neil Flack, Greg McDougall and Sam Sanghera will be the players called upon to join Scrimegour in the Glenpark attack.

While Clydesdale have nothing to play for on Saturday, as they are well out of contention for the league title, Greenock will have a nervous afternoon and will wish to be kept up to date with how the East Kilbride match against league leaders Prestwick is progressing.

By early evening on Saturday, Greenock will know if they have retained their Premier Division status.

WDCU CSL Premier Division Table

Greenock have restored Harry Briggs to last week's squad in place of Ewan Stewart for Saturday's game which will start at 12 noon.

Saturday's match is very kindly sponsored by Clyde Carriers and ACT Construction (UK) Ltd.

The Glenpark XI are away to Anniesland (Glasgow Accies' 2nd XI) on Saturday in the WDCU First Reserve League and will be keen to end the season with a win. The match will start at 1pm and will be a 40 overs per side game as the ground is being used for a school rugby match in the morning.

The Hillend XI's final game of the season against East Kilbride has been cancelled. It has been another frustrating season for development cricket on Sundays.

***Greenock's junior cricketers finish thier season with 2 matches on Monday evening. The Greenock / Helensburgh Under-18s are at home to the combined Ferguslie and Hillhead team while the Under-13 XI travel to Paisley to play Ferguslie at Meikleriggs.

Greenock Cricket Club is sponsored this season by Cleaning Supplies 4U.