Brave effort by Kingholm

Aug 8 2008 by Cameron Strachen, Dumfries Standard Friday

ON SATURDAY, Kingholm travelled to Glasgow on a showery day to face Glasgow University Staff Second XI (Garscube) at Garscube Estate.

Having lost the toss again, openers Ben Rayen and Alan Cringean opened the batting in solid fashion moving steadily at three an over so that, by the time Cringean was bowled behind his legs for 25, the score was 70 off 23 overs.

Colin Taylor and Rayen continued in this fashion taking the score to 90 before Taylor was run out for eight.

Rayen soon followed, run out for 54 attacking runs in what was his maiden half century for the club.

However, from a position of strength at 100-3 off 35 overs, the middle order crumbled amid a series of mistakes and mistimed shots, as has so often happened this year.

First Kenny Wilson was inexplicably stumped for six, then Davey Fallas followed caught for five and finally Ashlyn Pillay bowled for three. This left the team at 112-6.

Kevin Kirkpatrick batted well for 17 before being bowled and when injured captain Mike Lumb was stumped for eight off a wide on the last ball of the innings, the batting closed at 142 all out - which seemed 20 runs short of what the away side should have achieved.

The Garscube innings started with more misery for Kingholm when opening bowler Dougie Sloan pulled a thigh muscle in the first over and had to come off.

This left Wilson and Davy Armstrong, who bowled superbly in tandem, restricting the home side to two runs per over.

Armstrong bowled opener Shav for 10 and Wilson trapped Holland lbw for 12 to leave the home team on 40-two at the 19-over mark.

Rayen replaced Armstrong but the home team started to accelerate, thanks to batter Riaz who eventually departed for 44.

Other wickets fell and Wilson, Kingholm’s best bowler, finished with superb figures of two for 22 off 15 overs.

But it was in vain as the batters attacked Pillay’s spin effectively.

In a tense finish, Armstrong returned to almost win the game but Garscube reached their target with two overs to spare and seven wickets down.

This was a brave effort by Kingholm who were struggling without bowlers Lumb and Sloan.

At least now they are competing well against other teams in this division and the points gained today keep them just above the drop zone.

The Norman Furnishings Man of the Match went to Ben Rayen for a well-deserved first half century for the club, which should be the first of many.

Anyone interested in playing for the club or helping out in any way should contact club secretary Sandy McNay on 01387 710713.