Hillhead 1st X1 211 for 6 ( after 50 overs ) 25 pts Poloc 1st X1 109 all out ( after 34 overs ) 0 pts
On an excellent Hughenden batting strip, Hillhead compiled their best total of a frustrating season to record 211 runs in their allotted 50 overs. They then bowled out their southside opponents, Poloc, for 109 to thereby secure a very welcome 25points in their quest to remain a WDCU Division 1 Club.
Yet the emphatic nature of this victory at some stages seemed elusive. Robert Cathcart, Poloc’s opening bowler had both Hillhead’s openers back in the hutch in the first 5 overs. But that only allowed Hasan Azhar, Hillhead’s no.3 batter, to drop anchor early to shore up the innings and consolidate. He arrived on the 5th ball of the game and departed, having faced 137 balls, in the 44th over, recording a very fine 78 containing 6 “4’s and 1 “ 6” . His principal batting ally was the athletic Ross Jones who came to the crease in the 26th over and remained undefeated with 61 at the close from his 80 deliveries, with 4 “4’s” and 2 “6’s”. His powerful legside hitting undid all of the Poloc change bowlers. Veteran Paul Bartlett, reveling in an unpressurised situation, added a breezy 19. On reflection, Poloc will rue the lack of a 5th bowler, some 10 overs of their makeshift attack conceding 82 runs.
Apart from a stout middle order partnership of 51 from their captain, all rounder Murtaza Syed, and Kashif Parvez, Poloc’s reply never really showed any momentum. Despite the host’s unfailing generosity in gifting 25 wides to their total, few of the visitors’ batters took the game to the opposition. And when they did show some aggression, their running between the wickets was poorish with Ross Jones brilliantly contributing to 3 run outs with his aggressive chasing down of the ball on the ground and fielding. Keshav Soni showed a return to form with the new ball with his 2 for 19, while skipper, Shehroz Mehmood, was his usual miserly self with the ball conceding only 18 runs in his 10 overs.
Hillhead now travel on the 6th August to Marress for their next WDCU1 game against Irvine with some confidence from this win, but coach, Mike Ashworth, will seek more penetration and accuracy from his attack to trouble the hosts.