1st XI in last-chance saloon when they play Helensburgh

The 1st XI will have to lift their spirits for this week's match after their dramatic loss to Hillhead last Saturday at Glenpark.

The shock of the catastrophic batting collapse when so close to victory, and the impact it has had on their relegation battle as the season draws towards a close, must be put aside. Full focus needs to be on Saturday's match against Helensburgh at their Ardencaple ground.

With just two matches remaining, only wins from both fixtures will give the team any hope of escaping relegation. Even then, results from other matches involving their relegation rivals will need to go in their favour. It is now no longer in their own hands.

Meanwhile, Saturday's opponents, Helensburgh, will be in high spirits and confident mood after a fine win last Saturday over Mearns, who are also in the relegation mix. Set 213 runs to win the match, Helensburgh won with some ease, scoring 216 for the loss of just five wickets and having six overs still available.

Key batters who ensured the target was met were Hasan Ahmad 46, Henry Ash 35 Gregor Chambers 44 and Caelan Lang 47 not out. Also helping their cause were 26 extras.

It could be that extras will play a key part in determining the outcome of Saturday's match. Helensburgh gave away 37 against Mearns and the 1st XI conceded 42 against Hillhead of which 37 were wides. The bowling side which can produce the most disciplined attack could well give their team an important advantage.

Against Hillhead, the team made a fine start to the match, reducing the visitors to 57 for the loss of 5 wickets with just 17 overs bowled. A partnership of 53 runs for the sixth wicket allowed Hillhead back into the game but the attack then bagged 3 further wickets to put Hillhead on the ropes at 122 for 8.

But a fine rearguard action by the visitors' tail-end batters added 53 runs and set a challenging total of 175 to overcome.

In hindsight, a double failure to capitalise on good positions which had been created, and a profligacy with extras, were the factors which enabled Hillhead to build a total well beyond that which should have been achieved.

Much tighter control of bowling and tactics in the field will be high on the pre-match thoughts of the side when they line up for the match at Ardencaple.

But, of course, it was the batting collapse which ultimately handed the win to Hillhead. Having worked hard to get to 131 for the loss of just 3 wickets, the batting line-up disintegrated to 146 all out.

Saturday's team shows three changes to the team which lost to Hillhead. Veteran coach Tom Black steps down along with Mahmood Ahmadzai while Jamie Nowell is unavailable. Into the side come Fahim Dinarkhiel, who was unavailable last week, and Rod Mountford while the final replacement has still to be determined.

It was hoped that Cammy Calder would be available but that is unlikely. He would have been an important addition to both batting and bowling line-ups. The performance of Chirag Pandher when used as an opening bowler last week with five wickets for 33 runs from his ten overs, could see him retained in that opening bowling position against Helensburgh.

The fine start to the innings provided by Jamie Nowell and Chirag Pandher last Saturday was a positive from the match and it is unfortunate that Nowell cannot play this week. A repeat performance from whoever opens this week would give the team a huge encouragement and hopefully spur others to contribute as the innings develops.

The players will have considered long and hard about what happened in the final stage of the Hillhead match and be clear about how to ensure such a collapse does not happen again.

This Saturday's game across the Clyde can quite properly be described as the team's most important match of the season. Only a win can keep alive their slim chance of survival in the Western Premiership Two. Lose and relegation will result.

The Glenpark XI are at Glenpark on Saturday when they take on Anniesland, the second eleven of Glasgow Accies. The selected team will have another attempt to record the first league win of the season. They have really nothing to lose as relegation back to Western Championship Three was confirmed a while ago.

On Sunday, Glenpark will play host to the Western Cup Final between renfrew and Victoria with play due to start at 1pm.

The Club is grateful for the continued sponsorship from Ethos Group.