Helensburgh Advertiser | Sport

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 18th May, 2006 09:54

Bowled over

By Helensburgh Sport Scene

Defeat to East Kilbride

DESPITE posting a decent knock, Helensburgh Cricket Club slumped to a nine-wicket home defeat at the hands of table-toppers East Kilbride.

As suspected before the event Kilbride — already riding high at the top of the Division — provided tough opposition, and in the end they proved themselves a class above their hosts.

The day started badly for Helensburgh, with five first team regulars having to call off. East Kilbride won the toss and put Helensburgh in to bat.

Bruce Girvan and Brian Crossan opened the batting. With little practice behind him, Crossan was in immediate trouble and he was finally bowled by Kilbride’s opening bowler.

This brought Williams to the crease and he and Girvan embarked on a long haul of careful survival. After 10 overs the score was 17 for 1, with several maidens bowled. The only stroke of note was a four from Williams in the eighth over.

The batsmen played and missed but the bowling was accurate and, on a slow track with the ball keeping low, run-scoring was difficult.

Runs came in ones and twos before Girvan drove an excellent hard hit four. With both batsmen beginning to settle and looking at a decent score each, disaster struck.

Girvan hit the ball to the furthest corner of the field without it crossing the boundary.

Going for a run to the throw, Girvan realised too late that Williams had not responded and both ended up at the same end.

Girvan was run out for 21 runs, which was needless, as he had not looked in any real trouble. At this stage the score was 44 for 2 off 20 overs.

Bob Stickland came to the crease and joined in a stand of 34 with Williams who brought up the 50 with a legside four, then moved the score rapidly on to 66 with three fours in the 24th and 25th overs.

Unfortunately, Stickland then edged a ball to the wicketkeeper without contributing to the stand — his run of ducks continuing.

Captain for the day, Matt Gale, contributed a four before being well caught by extra cover running in at full tilt, and catching the ball on his toes.

Graham Lang joined Williams and the scoring began to accelerate. Williams was now hitting fours at regular intervals and good running between the wickets kept the score moving.

Lang survived a stumping appeal off the third ball of his innings and hit a scorching four to leg into the trees.

At 40 overs the score stood at 91 before, in the 41st, Williams hit a two to reach his 50, followed by two more twos in the same over. However, attempting one more, he was bowled for 54.

This was a well constructed innings which held Helensburgh together and put some respectability on the score.

With five wickets left Lang and Martin Burley came to bat and did not disappoint. They took full advantage of an off-spinner from the road end, with Lang hitting two sixes in the 44th over before he fell rooted on the back foot, plumb LBW for a useful 20 runs.

Burley hit a big six as soon as he came to the crease. Raju stayed with him for four until the innings closed at the 50th over.

The final score was 146 for 6 — in the circumstances considerably more than might have been anticipated. However, 200 is really required to stand any chance against the top sides.

And so it proved. Without three mainline bowlers and up against a quality batting side, it turned out all too easy for East Kilbride, who had 36 off ten overs, 100 off 20 and 147 off 24 to win the match by nine wickets.

Burley proved the most containing of the Helensburgh bowlers. He took the only wicket in the ninth over with a plumb LBW off Gibbs (25 runs), while Raju also bowled consistently.

Dalgleish — with 63 not out, including nine fours — and Bradley — 54 not out with five fours and two sixes — brought East Kilbride to an easy victory.

Burley finished with a respectable one for 33 off eight, Raju 0 for 64 off 12.

With only three points gained, Helensburgh lie ninth in the Brunton Miller West District League Division One, above Glasgow High Kelvinside (GHK), who have yet to win a game this season.

Next Saturday’s game away to GHK at Anniesland is crucial and the club have promised a stronger team effort.

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