Another Cross 50 but Nunholm draw

Jun 26 2009 by Iain Pollock, Dumfries Standard Friday

GRAEME Cross must be wondering when his efforts will produce a win as he scored his fourth successive league 50, this time at Anniesland for JMS Nunholm in Western Union Division 2.

An opportunity for a win batting second became instead a struggle for the final drawn result.

After a debate about how the wicket would behave Nunholm put the Glasgow Accies side in to bat.

Chris McCutcheon got through the defences twice to put both openers back in the pavilion for 40 and immediately after the 25 overs drinks break 86 for two became a healthier 86 for four as first Marcus Richardson took a sharp catch at square leg off Barnes and Trevor Newport induced a top edge.

However a catch went down and half-chances went and Milne, batting at number 5, made the difference by reaching the boundary five times with a crucial 50 and the lower order hussled for valuable late runs to reach 189 for nine after 50 overs. Robert McBride was rewarded for his efforts getting two bowled in the latter stages.

Then Nunholm discovered the value of those runs as the wicket proved low and slow and the bowlers kept the ball on the stumps.

Opener Narasimhan proved difficult to contend with and it was slow progress as Nunholm reached 75 for two at their 25 overs break with Farries just out bowled for 30 as was Johnston for 20.

Then Nunholm came back into the game as Cross and McCutcheon shared a partnership with one 11 run over in particular boosting the run rate to reach 118 for two.

Seventy runs were needed off 16 overs. However that combination came to an end after 43 valuable runs when McCutcheon became another bowled victim.

Then three more wickets fell for nine runs, all to Fornear, as Cross looked on from the other end.

The last throw of the dice was with the resolute support of Jack Barnes but Graeme Cross managed to get run out backing up for another resilient fifty (53). At 153 for seven with six overs left it then became whether a losing draw could be salvaged.

It was, thanks largely to Jack Barnes with 17 not out, and, with the novelty of a bowler appealing for a wide off his last ball when one more wicket was needed, the game was drawn with honours going to the Glasgow side.

Match scoreboard: Western Union Division 2, match ball sponsored by Creative Ceilings. JMS Nunholm drew with Anniesland. Anniesland 189/9 (50 overs, T Milne 50, C McCutcheon 15 overs 3 for 53, J Barnes 11 overs 2 for 42, R McBride 14 overs 2 for 50). JMS Nunholm 164/9 (50 overs, G Cross 53, H Farries 30, P Singh 4-40, R Fornear 3-31). Dumfries man of the match: Graeme Cross sponsored by the Dumfries Timber Centre.