Cricket News – Dumfries lose out to title challengers Prestwick
Your Move Dumfries were put in to field in their Premier League encounter with Prestwick at home on Saturday. The opening attack bowled well and skipper Chris McCutcheon was rewarded with a catch well held by keeper Fergus Bainbridge
standing up. James Hobman took a caught and bowled to remove opener Singh for an aggressive 46. However that brought Sachin Chaudhary in to join former Scotland international Majid Haq for the defining partnership of the match. Haq focused on building a total and, after a run-out decision that went his way, Chaudhary accelerated to a century. It required another Hobman wicket to remove him for 124. Another followed in the final overs and Prestwick had reached a big score of 304 for 4 with Haq on 87 not out.
The Dumfries reply faltered immediately with Akbar taking two quick wickets. A bowling change only brought on the top combined league wicket takers with the spin of Haq and Chaudhary. That dented the middle order and it was only Scott Beveridge that was providing the resistance with a top score of 47. He and Callum Reynolds-Lewis, deploying his reverse-sweep, with 27, were the only scorers of substance in a disappointing losing total of 109.
Meanwhile Dumfries 2nds, Nunholm, were playing their counterparts at Prestwick, St Ninians, in the Reserve League. St Ninians batted first and reached 264 for 7 with the Nunholm bowlers sticking to task and chipping away with wickets. Sean Thornely took two wickets, as did the spin of Cammy Telfer and Jerry Goodin. John Woodhouse also got a deserved wicket.
A similar start to that of the firsts meant the side went two down in only the second over. However Mat Williams stood firm aided by Jerry Goodin. Williams was the run scorer in the top order with a score of 46 and Sean Thornely batted well at seven with an innings of 41 not out, for the Dumfries Croma Vigilant Player of the Match Award, as Nunholm finished on 185 for 8.
The Dumfries Sunday XI registered a 6 wicket win at Appleby after dismissing the home side for 144. Sean Thornely bowled at the stumps to remove two of the top four and the other two were victims of under-15s spinner Harith Hassan who went on to take three wickets. His spin partner on the day Aiden Goodin took his wicket caught and bowled in his eight-over spell and David Lightfoot deceived two for his wickets.
In reply opener Mat Williams provided solidity with 45 not out and number four, Adam Elliott, hit 40 followed by a 20 from James Hobman and another not out, 12, from Sean Thornely to claim the win.
On Sunday, the combined Dumfries, Galloway Women’s side played a development game on Sunday against a young Stewart’s Melville side at Nunholm. On their debuts, Emily Barnard was the top scorer for the home side with 39 not out and in a partnership with Bethan Cubbon, 25 not out. Kylie Watson hit the cover drive of the day in a score of 16 and Sue Strachan hit 19 as the home side reached 147 for 8. However fifty not by Chloe Kiely helped the visitors to a comfortable win in a total of 170 for 6 in a enjoyable game which provided more match experience for both sides.
Also on Sunday the Dumfries Under-11s had a last ball thriller against Lanercost when a win for them was still possible. However the visitors took the win by just a couple of runs. That was after runs by Cory Dawson and Thomas Cook and a wicket each for Gregor Martin, Thomas and Cory and Isaac Ishmael.
In representative cricket, Chris McBride has been named in an extended Scotland squad for the T20 World Cup finals. Niamh Muir had her first Scotland call-up and joined team-mate Orla Montgomery in a Scotland under-17s girls tour against Yorkshire this week and Sean Thornely and Emma Fordyce were playing age-group matches for the Western Warriors.
