Glenpark XI come up short against Anniesland

Anniesland v Glenpark XI
WDCU Championship Three
Saturday 13th May 2023

 Scorecard       

It was a perfect day for cricket this Saturday as Glenpark travelled to New Anniesland for their third match of this year's campaign. It was hoped that the visitors could keep up their success after two convincing wins, but they were under no illusions that these opponents were going to be a much tougher challenge.

Having been asked to field first, Glenpark opened with Dave Sharma and Asad Farooq. Although Dave was finding some away movement, it was Asad who struck early on, with a catch taken by Hamid Safi. Not long after Usman Mansoor forced an edge, but keeper Sudeep Chaudhary couldn't hold on to the catch. He did, however, take an excellent one off Dave a few overs later. Chris Hempsey then took a catch at first slip, again off Dave, and the home team were three down without too many runs on the board.

Then followed a solid fourth wicket partnership that continued up to the drinks break. Thereafter things soon changed with the introduction of Ewan Stewart to the attack. Both set batsmen were removed, first with another catch to Chris, then Ewan deftly steered the ball on to the stumps for a backing-up run out. After these breakthroughs, wickets fell steadily, two more to Ewan, one to Usman and one to Emily Norris, reducing Anniesland to 125-9, an eminently reachable target.

Unfortunately the final pair wagged. Although Ewan continued to bowl tidily, runs came steadily from the other end; when the last wicket fell to a run out in the final over, a more difficult total of 169 had been amassed.

There couldn't have been a worse start to the reply, with Sudeep adjudged LBW first ball. Dave joined Ewan, and the pair made good progress, assisted by some wayward bowling. Then came a double blow: Ewan being caught for 19, then Dave having to retire with a calf strain (likely related to the ten straight overs bowled earlier). Chris batted superbly, relishing the opportunity to spend some time in the middle, but had to watch Patrick (PJ) Bryceland, Asad and Muhib Ahmadzai lose their wickets in quick succession at the other end.

Chris was then joined by Usman, who was determined to support the senior batsman in an encouraging partnership - Chris's hard hitting ensuring that the required run rate never became unmanageable. Unfortunately, just as his innings was accelerating, Chris lost his wicket, agonisingly short of a deserved half-century. Dave went back out to join Usman, but when the latter fell, hopes for a win all but vanished. Hamid and Sahil Safi fell quickly, bringing Emily in to join Dave for the final wicket. The pair did their best to see the final overs out, but cruelly Emily feel to the last ball of the match.

It was a good effort against a side that is predicted to finish high in the league, with the team left wondering what might have been had they taken the last Anniesland wicket quickly, or had Dave managed to partner Chris in the response. A lot of positives to take to the next game against Clydesdale, along with a few learning points.

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Chris: 46 runs, 3 catches
Ewan: 3-24
Dave: 2-24, 44 runs
Sudeep: 2 catches