League Leaders Prestwick survived an explosive century by Josh Forsyth to escape Nunholm with a very narrow victory against Croma Vigilant Dumfries. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat, and seemed to be getting off to a quick start with Jawad and Rafiq taking advantage of a sluggish start as the bowlers took a while to get their lines right at the cost of extras and misfields but Niall Alexander got the first breakthrough by getting Rafiq for 5 after shelling a catch at deep square leg earlier as he was caught behind by Josh Forsyth behind the stumps.
Alexander’s counterpart, Danny Alexander managed to get the new batsman Smith out with the delivery of the day to bowl him out for only two. However as promising a start it was for Croma Vigilant Dumfries, Jawad was looking like he was set as the focal point of the Prestwick innings, batting sensibly and waiting for any bad balls to pounce on. At the other end Sachin Chaudhary was starting to get his eye in but he was stopped before he got into the full flow by a spectacular reaction catch by Chris McCutcheon off his own bowling to a very well struck shot by the former Galloway professional.
Jawad was then joined by Macdonald who got a fifty in the previous encounter between the sides but it was the opener who was looking the dominant player as the home side could only get half chances out of him and despite not giving up many boundaries the visitors were ticking along at slightly over 3 an over. Stand in captain Scott Beveridge ensured that there was no repeat fifty for MacDonald as he was dismissed for 16 as Niall Alexander made no mistake to put the scores 100-4. Thomas Fleet was also no able to join Jawad for very long as he was caught and bowled by Alexander for 10.
Jawad remained and decided to take the innings even more into his own hands as he was joined by Rowan as he accelerated after his fifty with Rowan chipping in when needed. The 63 run partnership was eventually broken when Rowan was out LBW to McCutcheon for 25 and Jawad finally departed almost straight after getting his century. In the final overs Mitchell Rao put the steady run rate into over drive blasting 30 balls off 16 balls before getting ran out as the game ended by Telfer as Prestwick finished up on 230-9.
The Croma Vigilant Dumfries innings couldn’t got off to a worse start as they lost 3 early wickets. Al Davidson was caught by Rao for 10 off Pitt, Carlton was unable to get much of a score as he was caught behind by MacDonald by Rowan and Bellwood was out LBW by Rowan to leave the home side in the mire at 30-3. Throughout this mini collapse Thomas McBride was at the other end, where it looked like the home side would be looking to avoid embarrassment rather than win the game. He was joined by Josh Forsyth who after taking his time to play himself in helped to rebuild the innings with sumptuous drives from McBride and Forsyth running between the wickets like a man possessed in addition to his customary big hitting.
Prestwick looked unable to break the two of them down as McBride nickeled and dimed his way to a valuable fifty before getting out LBW to Rao for 54 in a 93 run partnership with the scores now 123-4 after 32. It was a partnership that put Croma Vigilant Dumfries in with a shout as Scott Beveridge entered the crease. Forsyth brought up his fifty with powerful low flying six and with the game essentially a T20 at this stage he brought the thunder to a sunny Nunholm.
After being shackled to an extent by the spin bowling he took it upon himself to launch a barrage on the Long on Boundary with the ball halfway towards Georgetown before it landed. Beveridge himself was able to contribute with a beautifully executed ramp shot for four before getting greedy and spooning it straight to the keeper for the most routine of catches. Niall Alexander came in and worked Forsyth on strike as the run rate pushed the game closer and closer to Dumfries to make the unlikely turnaround seem possible. Forsyth continued to terrorise the car owners of Dumfries as he completed his ton in 118 balls with 33 of them coming between fifty and a hundred.
Forsyth then tried to hit one too hard and was bowled for 110 with Croma Vigilant Dumfries needing 15 off 2 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Alexander attempted another big hit after getting a six earlier but only found the hands of Chaudhary. With 9 needed off the final over it was Armstrong and McCutcheon to bat but after a pair of singles they ran a risky two and Armstrong was ran out, the next ball McCutcheon was also ran out, and the trifecta of calamitous running was confirmed on the second last ball when Irwin was ran out with Dumfries 5 runs short of a very important win with decision making and fine margins the difference in a very competitive and exciting match up. Next week they make the trip to Glasgow to play Clydesdale at Titwood.
