Drummond Trinity CC 1st XI v West Lothian II on Sat 26 Apr 2008 at 13.00
Drummond Trinity CC Won by Seven Wickets
An April morning saw ten DT players emerge at Inverlieth Park for the first league game of 2008, looking positively dashing in their splendid new black caps. Now down to business. Polly won the toss and put West Lothian in to bat on what would prove to be an uneven wicket. One can only wonder how it would have played had it not been for the sterling efforts of Kev and Grant who'd rolled the square earlier in the week.
Jamal opened the bowling with new DT signing Imran Khan (no, not that one – this one’s better) whose lightning pace and pinpoint accuracy accounted for Thomson in the fourth over (bowled), and Vorster and Whitton in the eighth over (the first well caught in the deep by Jamal, the second bowled). Jamal bowled Smith three overs later, leaving West Lothian without their top four batsmen and with only nineteen to show for it. The heavens threatened to intervene at this point, but once that danger passed, mortal forces wouldn’t be enough to deny the DTs. Malcolm Raven and Gus McNab had been rebuilding the visitors’ innings when Nick Murton was introduced into the attack. Nick clean bowled Raven with his second ball, and immediately struck again. The DTs will be keeping an eye on the biscuit jar from now on as Polly dusted off his best Mister Tickle impression to take a deft overhead catch at square leg, leaving Nick on a hat trick.
At 36 for 6 the DTs were keen to kill the game off, but they were delayed by stubborn resistance and some lusty blows from McNab who ended up with 38 before he was bowled by Shezhad, who struck thrice and ended with exceptional figures of three for four off 4.1 overs. Rizwan also took his first league wicket for the club, courtesy of another fine catch from Jamal, who appeared to be ‘it’ for the day, finally taking three. With an excellent all round performance in the field, the DTs had managed to restrict West Lothian to 84, a low total, even on a dishonest track. Not bad with only ten men.
Now 85 doesn’t look an imposing target, but the DTs aren’t the kind of guys to pack up and leave with their tools and blankets strewn around and the wallpaper still to be put up. After the early loss of Shezhad (bowled by Bennie), Jamal and Imran began to put the game beyond West Lothian, both batsmen stylishly stroking the ball around the ground. Grant Raven removed Jamal for fifteen, leaving the DTs on 41 for 2. Tim joined Imran at the crease, and by the time the latter departed for an impressive 27, having displayed grace and grit in equal measure, the DTs looked set for victory. Tim (16no) and Gus (7no) guided the DTs home to a comprehensive seven wicket win in the eighteenth over. We then retired to The Lobster Pot where Kev reminisced his way through sepia-tinged scorecards from another century.
Thanks must go to West Lothian who played the game in an excellent spirit throughout. All in all, a great start to the season from the DTs who succeeded in freezing the visitors out of the game after fiery spells from our opening bowlers had put us in the driving seat. The win ensures that we remain top of division three - albeit on alphabetic difference.
West Lothian II Batting
84 for 10
| Alan Whitton |
2 |
Bowled |
| Ken Thomson |
0 |
Bowled |
| Terry Vorster |
5 |
Caught |
| Kevin Smith |
7 |
Bowled |
| Malcolm Raven |
9 |
Bowled |
| Angus McNab |
38 |
Bowled |
| Alistair Gurr |
0 |
Caught |
| Grant Raven |
6 |
Caught |
| Noel Dally |
2 |
Caught |
| Andy Carver |
1 |
Not Out |
| Donald Benny |
0 |
Bowled |
Drummond Trinity CC 1st XI Bowling
Drummond Trinity CC 1st XI Batting
85 for 3
West Lothian II Bowling