PEPE’S St Michael’s were beaten in their opening WDCU Premier Three encounter against Motherwell at Kingholm Park on Saturday, losing a tight match by two wickets.
On being put into bat on a flat but slowish pitch, Saints only managed to bat for 31 overs and score 130 runs.
Reece McNay top scored with 39, with other contributions coming from Farukh Naqui (16), Sahim Naizia (14) and Qayoom Momand (11).
The only partnership of note was a fifth wicket one of 39 between McNay and Naizia, which was gaining momentum when Naizia was brilliantly run out.
In reply Motherwell raced to 47 before first change bowler Farsad Hosankial, with his spin and guile, took the first wicket to fall.
And with opening bowler Kieran Moore taking the other opener’s wicket, the complex of the match changed as Motherwell collapsed to 89 for 8 with Hosankial being unplayable, picking up another four wickets. He received great support from Momand with two wickets.
Unfortunately for the home team, Motherwell took full advantage of Saints two most penetrative bowlers on the day having finished their allotted allocation.
And with some judicious running between the stumps, and some contentious decisions going in their favour, they sneaked home by two wickets in the 41st over.
For the first competitive match of the season the ground fielding and catching was excellent, Ross Dallin (2), Rory MacLeod (1) and wicket keeper McNay(1).
Attendance at training has been good but the fragility in the batting is a concern.
The performance of the day was Farhad Hosankhial’s five wickets.
Meanwhile, the match ball was kindly donated by Solway Tours.
Senior Training continues at Kingholm Park from 6.30 pm to 8 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. All newcomers are welcome.
Junior training starts this Monday at the same venue at the same time. It is open to anyone aged five to 16 years.
n KINGHOLM, St Michaels’s 2s, travelled to play Hillhead 3s in their first league match of the season and, although losing by 30 runs, they put in a competitive performance.
The home side batted first totalling 150 all out in 33.2 overs.
Hillhead started confidently reaching 59 without loss, but that quickly became 87 for 6 with the introduction of newcomer Arslan Ali who took five of the first six wickets to fall with a fiery spell of quick bowling. Raj Shyam took the other wicket to fall, bowling at the other end. The other bowler to impress was Drew Vickers, taking four wickets in the latter part of Hillhead’s innings with his off spin in a tight spell. The fielding was energetic with wicket keeper Mike Lumb taking a good catch off one of Ali’s rockets and Ali himself taking a catch.
In reply Kingholm fell 30 runs short with skipper John Harriman top scoring with 29, while Irfan Mohammed (16) and Muhammad Ahmad (12) were the only other two batsmen to reach double figures.
Performance of the day was bowler Arslan Ali’s five wicket haul.
