CRICKET — Greenock Face League LeadersLEAGUE leaders Prestwick are Greenock’s opponents this Saturday as the local side battle to stay above the relegation places in the Premier Division.
With just three matches remaining, and only a very few percentage points separating the clubs at the lower end of the league table, things could not be tenser. A single victory for Greenock from any of these three games would almost certainly ensure another season of Premier Division cricket in 2018.
Greenock will travel to Prestwick for the game at the Henry Thow Oval knowing that they will have to play at their very best as a team to return with a win. The Ayrshire side are having an outstanding season and are unbeaten in the league since the first Saturday in June when they lost to Ayr.
Former Irvine professional Sachin Chaudhary, who transferred to Prestwick during the winter off-season, has been the key player in Prestwick’s transformation into a side which tops the table and could become this season’s Premier Division champions. In recent matches, Chaudhary has scored 81 against Poloc and last Saturday 108 against Ayr.
In the 2017 season, Chaudhary has scored almost 500 league runs and is also the top wicket-taker in the Premier Division with twenty seven wickets. Greenock’s plan for Saturday is clear — dismiss Chaudhary early and see out his ten overs without loss of any wickets.
A number of other players have also had some fine individual performances for Prestwick. Opening batsman Fazal Jawad scored a century at Dumfries in early July and last Saturday Tom Smith, a lower middle order batsman, scored 81 at Ayr.
In the Prestwick bowling attack, former Greenock player Willie Rowan had one of his best games of the season last Saturday at Ayr, returning figures of 3 wickets for 30 runs, which included bowling New Zealand pro and top scorer in the Premier Division, Michael Papps for zero. Others in the Prestwick bowling line-up who Greenock will watch out for are Gavin Pitt, Ross Patterson and Mitchell Rao.
But it is their own team and individual player performances which Greenock will be placing most importance upon. Within the team there are players who have provided top performances during the season and from whom some more of the same could well see Prestwick being seriously challenged on Saturday.
Greenock’s best performances have been against the sides at the top end of the league with wins against Ayr and Uddingston standing out, and also a fine effort against Ferguslie at Meikleriggs.
Neil Flack will reflect on his good early season form which saw him score well with 94 against Dumfries and an excellent century in a cup match at GHK. Greenock will hope that he is able to bat long into the innings.
Australian overseas amateur, Kyle Scrimegour, who is Greenock’s top scorer in the Premier Division will also want to do well and target improving on his top score of 66 against Ferguslie.
Western District Cricket Union Premier Division (after Saturday 5 August matches)
Back into the side is Shailesh Prabhu whose experience will be of importance. He will very likely be asked to open the innings along with teenager Harry Briggs and these two will hope to provide a solid start and see off the opening Prestwick bowling attack.
Prabhu accumulates runs steadily and without fuss and Briggs has shown the ability to be a good opening bat, so a solid start from these two would give confidence to the rest of the line-up.
Also back into the team comes Chris Hempsey. His wicket-keeping skills and potential for run-scoring should provide a boost for the Glenpark side as they take on the league leaders, and he, like others in the team, will be keen to get runs on Saturday.
A possible omission from the team is Julien Hulbert. He damaged his right knee during last weekend’s league match and will take a late fitness test to determine if he is able to play. Hulbert is one of Greenock’s regular opening bowlers and his absence would be a considerable blow.
Bowling and fielding have been the team’s main strength consistently through the season and all teams have found difficulties with the local attack and Greenock must hope that Prestwick will be similarly challenged.
Greenock’s team for Saturday’s Premier Division match against Prestwick at the Henry Thow Oval which will start at noon will be from: JPC Hempsey, HR Briggs ND Flack, AP Forrest, CJK Hempsey, JW Hulbert, GJ McDougall, SS Pandher, SS Prabhu, SS Sanghera, KG Scrimegour, LPJ Ware.
