Fifth Cross fifty delivers Nunholm win

Jul 3 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Friday

JMS Nunholm played their last game of the first half of the league season against bottom placed Motherwell.

Both teams were win-less and desperate for maximum points and the Dumfries side’s captain, Chris McCutcheon, was determined that it would be his side to prevail and led from the front with both bat and ball but it was the dogged and determined Graeme Cross who really ‘did the business’.

Bowling first, Nunholm allowed their visitors to get off to a flyer but then steadily pegged them back despite a dearth of wickets.

McCutcheon bowled his 15 overs for less than 4 an over and was well supported by Trevor Newport, Douglas Brotherston and Peter Johnstone who bowled their overs at the four mark.

Motherwell, despite 36 extras and the equivalent of almost five extra overs were kept to 232 runs and on such a good wicket and fast outfield it was very “gettable”.

Nunholm’s batting line-up looked strong on paper but nevertheless such a total requires at least a couple of batters to get a big score and when two wickets fell in the first four overs that was two less to choose from.

It is in such circumstances that the sight of Cross walking to the crease is reassuring – especially on the back of four half-centuries in succession.

He duly delivered his fifth and with his captain put on 130 for the third wicket to put his side in a winning position.

But there were still just under 70 runs still to get when McCutcheon decided that it was not the day for a maiden century when caught for 73, and then there were still 20 runs required after another four wickets had fallen.

It took the cool head of the injured Farries to keep the defiant Cross company and win the match by three wickets in the penultimate over, Cross finishing on 71 not out.

Match scoreboard: Western Union Division 2, match ball sponsored by APD Ltd

JMS Nunholm beat Motherwell by 3 wickets at Nunholm

Motherwell 232/7 (50 overs, Guna 78, C McCutcheon 15 overs 2 for 54, T Newport 10 overs 1 for 43, T McBride 7 overs 1 for 33)

JMS Nunholm 233/7 (48.1 overs, C McCutcheon 73, G Cross 71 not out)

Dumfries Man of the Match: C McCutcheon, sponsored by Dickies Bar.