Glenpark XI claim the local bragging rights

Inverclyde vs Glenpark XI
WDCU Championship Three
Saturday 3rd June 2023

 Scorecard       

It was a beautiful sunny day for Saturday's local clash between Glenpark and Inverclyde at Gourock Park. Looking to bounce back from last week's disappointing defeat, Glenpark did just that with arguably their best, and certainly most disciplined, performance of the season so far.

Having been put in to bat, things did not start well for the visitors, losing openers Jamie Nowell and Asad Farooq early doors, but after that the batters went about their business of setting a decent target. The whole of the middle order contributed, beginning with a fine consolidating partnership between Eddie Ahmad and PJ Bryceland. Aware that runs would not come easy with a very slow outfield, they began with picking up ones and twos, before PJ started to find the boundary. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a catch just as he was getting going, having made thirty runs.

There then came a series of stands: Eddie and Dave Sharma, Eddie and Ewan Stewart, then Ewan and Usmaan Mansoor. Again realising it was likely to be a low scoring game, the players looked to occupy the crease and preserve wickets, to allow a push in the final few overs. Ewan and Eddie particularly played well for their forty and thirty runs respectively. Glenpark made use of their full forty overs, posting a challenging total of 153, worth 200 at another ground.

It was felt that Glenpark were in the driving seat as long as they didn't succumb to the sin of bowling wides, which had lost them the game last week. On this occasion the bowling showed the same focus as the batting. With Dave returning, though carrying a restricting injury, he paired up again with Asad to open the bowling. Both bowled tidily, Asad having success with a catch by Eddie at mid-off, then clean bowling the home side's number three. Dave had some close chances, but remained wicketless. At the end of their twenty overs, Inverclyde were 26 for two, well behind their required run rate.

The enforced double-change brought on Emily Norris and Ewan. Having been the league's leading wicket taker, but not getting a chance to add to her tally last week, Emily soon set things straight by removing the Inverclyde captain in her first over. Again this pair kept pushing up the asking rate, whilst having further success: Dave taking a slip catch off Ewan, and Emily bowling another. When their spells finished the score was 56 for 6 after 32 overs, and the outcome of the match was in little doubt. The remaining overs were shared between Jamie, PJ, Usman and Inam Khan, the first two taking a wicket apiece, as Inverclyde finished well short on 74 for 8.

So Glenpark take the region's bragging rights on this occasion, and it was well-deserved with an excellent all-round performance. If this is the shape of things to come, further successes are guaranteed.

Sponsor watch:
Ewan: 40
PJ: 30
Eddie: 30
Emily: 2-15
Asad: 2-16