East Kilbride 1st X1 66 all out in 29.3 0vers ( 1 point ) Hillhead 1st X1 70 for 3 in 14.4 overs ( 25 points )
It’s one of the many paradoxes of the game of Cricket that low scoring encounters can be more exciting and tense than high scoring ones. This was certainly true at Hughenden when, on a bowler friendly surface, East Kilbride were skittled out for 66 and Hillhead edged very nervously across the finishing line, after a titanic struggle against the visitors attack.
Winning the toss and batting first, the visitors moved to 30 for the loss of 3 wickets and then the introduction of off- spinner , Lucas Farndale, changed completely the complexion of the East Kilbride innings. First of all he had Mohammed Ramzan taken brilliantly by Paul Bartlett at first slip for only 1. Then East Kilbride skipper, Rajmohan, wisely took the game to Hillhead and hit about for a quick fire 21 until he was well caught in the deep by Mark Forbes. That then precipitated an East Kilbride collapse, engineered by Farndale who took the last 5 visitors wickets to fall for 5 runs in 3 overs to have East Kilbride all out for 66. His final analysis was 9.3- 1- 36- 7.
Sixty six does not seem a big total to chase when you have all 10 wickets intact, BUT it is not every game that teams have to face the menace of east Kilbride’s strike bowler, Mohammed Khan, when trying to win a match. And after 5 overs Hillhead were 3 wickets down for 22 with 3 batters, Messers Lindley “Biggles” Dawe, Mehmood and Collins all departed quickly “bowled Khan”. At this stage, if it had been a boxing match, the Hillhead “corner ” would have thrown in the towel , given the physical disparity between the Hillhead batters, Hassan Azhar and Jack Holland, and the muscular, athletic Khan. But due to a mixture of good luck, tenacity and technique, Hillhead held on and blunted all the East Kilbride bowlers could muster.
At the end, Azhar had reached a fine 30 not out with very skilful shot selection and Jack Holland likewise on 15 not out. Extras produced a healthy18 and importantly Hillhead had secured a valuable victory. Next up are Kilmarnock away on Saturday July 23.