Hillhead 1st X1 172 all out after 49.5 overs (1 point) Kilmarnock 1st X1 177 for 4 after 46.1 overs (25 points)
Life in the WDCU Division 1 is a considerable step up for Hillhead’s cricketers, compared to what they have become used to in recent years in Division 2. While “catches certainly win matches” and Hillhead’s 2022 outfielding has been exceptional – 8 catches against Renfrew with Ross Jones’s effort in the deep being of “Test Match Special” quality, and to-day newcomer Jacques Grosvenor’s two pouches being well above average – their core batting and bowling has yet to match their fielding.
Apart from Ben Ward with the bat, who followed his 79 n.o. against Bon Accord in the Challenge Cup last Sunday with 81 n.o. today, the rest of the order has not really fired yet. Captain Shehroz Mehmood with the ball has been his usual miserly self, while Jack Holland was impressive against Renfrew with 5 for 13. Ranjith Ramasamy bowled a tidy, but wicketless spell today with 10 overs for 25 runs, but there is a lack of menace and penetration about the attack just now. The Club, however, is in good shape with a considerably improved square, some improved depth in its playing resource and an excellent Academy system thanks to Barri Gilani and Ian Holland.
Today’s game saw Hillhead inserted and finding batting difficult. The score after 25 overs was only 57, and reached the total of 172, thanks to Ben Ward’s occupation of the crease and his accumulation of runs. Next highest scorers were Paul Bartlett and “extras” with 23, while Ross Jones and Jamie Lindsay-Dawe contributed 16 and 15 respectively.
In their reply, visitors Kilmarnock wobbled briefly at 38 for 2, but the combination of their “pro”, Muzamill, who scored 63 effortlessly and their overseas amateur Ben Lombard, who banked a hard hitting 62 n.o., saw them reach the target with 4 overs to spare.
It does not get any easier for Hillhead as next week they travel to East Kilbride for round 4 in the WDCI Division1 league