Busy weekend ahead as long as the rains stays away

The 1st XI are away from home for a second successive Premiership Two match this Saturday. The team will travel up the M8 to meet Renfrew at the King George V Playing Fields for what will likely be a very keenly contested league match.

Last season, they won the corresponding fixture following a 'walk off' by the Renfrew team who disputed an umpiring decision. The WDCU league management awarded the match to Greenock following an investigation into the incident.

Already this season teams from the two clubs have met in midweek cup fixtures and the Greenock ones have come out on top on both occasions.

The McCulloch Cup match saw the 1st XI score 149 for 2 with Will Jenkins scoring 84 not out and Chirag Pandher 31. In reply, Renfrew were bowled out for just 98 with Cammy Calder taking 4 for 24 and Chirag Pandher 3 for 12.

The Glenpark XI defeated Renfrew's 2nd XI, Dean Park, by 31 runs in the Western Cup. Glenpark scored 122 for 4 with Sehmat Pandher making 40, Zabiullah Dilsoz 32 and M Mansoor 20. Dean Park were bowled out for 91 in reply.

The Saturday league cricket provides a different format of the game with 50 overs per side and so, while the 1st XI may have gained confidence from the midweek cup games, Renfrew will look to provide a more testing opposition in the longer format.

Neither side has completed a league match over the last three Saturdays due to the weather. But Renfrew were flying high following the opening three weeks of the season. Wins against Langside, Kilmarnock and Glasgow Accies have put them joint top of the Premiership Two table.

Key players in their early fine league form have been Ali Hamza, Hussanain Haider and Nipunada Gamage. Both Hamza and Haider have scored league centuries this season while Gamage was the matchwinner against Kilmarnock with 90. Haider and Gamage are also useful bowlers and have 13 league wickets between them.

The 1st XI will field a strong side for the Renfrew match as the team searches for its second league win of the season.

At the top of the batting order will be Callum Henry. The young Aussie has been in good form, and he will be keen to continue to add to his run tally and help develop a big innings total if the team bat first. He has scored almost 200 runs in the three league matches played so far.

The Glenparkers have shown a greater strength in their batting this season and already there are various players who have scored in excess of 30 runs in a single innings. These players now need to aim to go beyond the thirties and score fifty and more runs when out in the middle.

As Renfrew have a team capable of scoring in excess of 200 runs, the 1st XI must show a determination and focus in their batting approach, whether batting first or chasing a total. Building partnerships will be crucial for a good performance and there is experience in the team selected to make sure that can happen.

Aiming to tame the Renfrew early batters will be opening bowler Will Jenkins who is the team's top bowler in the league with 8 wickets to his credit. Fahim Dinarkheil is injured and will be replaced by past captain Greg McDougall and he and various others who have been showing good form, will be needed on Saturday.

A crucial factor, which all of the bowlers must work hard at, is reducing the number of extras conceded. Keeping them to a single figure number during the opposition innings can go a long way towards winning a match. Fewer extras given away can be viewed as just as important as one or more of the batters scoring a fifty.

This is a big match for the 1st XI. Returning from Renfrew with 25 points will be a huge result for the Glenpark side as they seek to rise up the league table.

On Sunday, the 1st XI and Dundee HSFP will try again to get their first round CS Challenge Cup match played at Glenpark. Originally scheduled for last Sunday, but postponed due to weather and ground conditions, the two teams will hope for better fortunes this Sunday to allow a positive conclusion to be obtained.

The selected team shows one change from Saturday's team with Harry Briggs replacing the unavailable Chirag Pander.

The Glenpark XI will look to continue their unbeaten run in the Western Championship Division Three against Vale of Leven at Glenpark on Saturday.

In midweek, Glenpark gained a walkover win against Vale in the Western Cup as the team from the Leven valley were unable to field a side. Hopefully, Vale will assemble a side for Saturday and a good competitive game will be provided for spectators. Eddie Ahmad will field a strong team for the game and included is Mohammad Zeeshan, fresh from his match-winning 86 not out for Hillend on Tuesday. The match starts at 12 noon, always assuming, of course, that the weather plays ball.

On Sunday, the Hillend XI travel for a match at Bothwell Policies against an Uddingston Development XI. This match will be the team's first Sunday League game of the season following the opening fixture against GHK Crow Road having been rained off two weeks ago. After Tuesday's comprehensive 10 wicket win over Marress, the Hillend boys will be keen for a follow-up win. No team has yet been selected for the game.

Lastly, an all-day match takes place at Glenpark on Tuesday when some of the best young players from both Scotland and Australia will be on view as Scotland Under-19s take on the touring Australian Emus. The match starts at 11am and included in the Emus side will be the club's two amateurs for this season, Callum Henry and Will Jenkins.

The Club is grateful for the continued sponsorship from Cleaning Supplies 4U.