Final overs flourish wins it for Dumfries

Jul 10 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Friday

APD Dumfries left it late, in fact to the final ball, to defeat Weirs in Glasgow on Saturday in National League Division 2.

With half the side (the experienced half) missing attending the club wedding of the year, it took an all-round team effort to fashion the win.

Weirs were put in by stand-in skipper Josh Geary and it looked a good decision when first Douglas Brotherston ran out one opener for nought and two catches by Chris Bellwood in Robert McBride’s first and third overs reduced Weirs to 19 for three.

The problem was at the other end with the other opener Murray who was on the back of a run of fifties.

He was supported by the middle order whilst scoring the bulk of the runs off the bat.

Despite Alan Davidson and Geary bowling tight spells, it took the introduction of the leg-spin of Jerry Goodin to make in-roads taking two of their wickets.

That combined with Bellwood getting Murray caught behind for 59, immediately followed by another run-out, made it 104 for seven.

Then another Goodin victim and Dumfries were hoping for not much more than the 119 score to chase.

However the tail wagged, and vigorously, and the last eleven overs yielded 65 runs due to Young and Skelton who each scored 24.

The home side finished on 184 for nine with a full house of 10 overs from each of the five Dumfries bowlers used.

Graeme Cross gave the side the solid start required with the total at 34 when he was bowled.

Alan Davidson went for 28 in the 20th over as Dumfries reached 50. The side were opting to play it steady as Drew Dawson and Bellwood shared a partnership taking the score into the nineties.

However, Bellwood (19) was on the wrong end of an LBW decision as Murray backed up his runs with the first of his wickets.

That brought in man of the match to be, Geary, with 12 overs to go. He and Dawson boosted the score to 120 as the run rate accelerated.

At that point, Dawson was caught and the required run rate had neatly reached eight an over with eight overs left.

Playing the waiting game hadn’t worked previously against Falkland. However, Gary Dalziel hit a rapid nine.

Tommy McBride a rapid 20, and Goodin perished in the attempt, and with two overs to go Dumfries needed 20 with three wickets left.

That looked easy in the Twenty20 World Cup.

However... Brotherston was run out but nevertheless the penultimate over leaked 12 with two boundaries.

Eight to win off the last. Two, one, dot, two, one and it came down to two of the last ball and cometh the hour... Robert McBride swung, the ball sailed towards long-on, dropped just short of the fielder and the batsmen scrambled two to win, just.

Geary finished on 36 not out and, as they say in Australia, made the difference. McBride scored a vital 6 not out, while Andrew Forsyth was just being thankful he wasn’t thrust into last over action and at least the side didn’t have to regret the extras imbalance of 40 to 14 conceded!

This was a good win from a young side, many hours in the selection, and pushed APD Dumfries into third place.

This Saturday APD Dumfries play SMRH at Nunholm.

Scoreboard

Scottish National League Division 2, match ball sponsored by DHL Exel Supply Chain.

APD Dumfries beat Weirs by 2 wickets at Albert Park,

Weirs 184-9 (50 overs, R Murray 59, Jerry Goodin 10 over 3 for 39, Robert McBride 10 overs 2 for 49)

APD Dumfries 185-8 (50 overs, Drew Dawson 38, Josh Geary 36no, Alan Davidson 28, R Murray 3 for 39)

Dumfries Man of the Match: Josh Geary, sponsored by JP's Hair and Beauty Salon.