Inverclyde Now Logo CRICKET — Greenock Miss Out On Chance To Defeat League Leaders

5 August, 2019 | Local

Uddingston 102 all out (25 points) after 37.1 overs

Greenock 84 all out (5 points) after 30.5 overs

NOT for the first, or even second time this season, Greenock got themselves into a winning position by bowling out their opposition for a low total only to be unable to bat well and finish the job.

Premier Division leaders Uddingston came to Glenpark keen to maintain their top position, but, midway through the match, that ambition looked unlikely, as they were all out for just 102 runs following a first-class bowling and fielding display by Greenock, rounded off by a first senior hat-trick from under-17 Scottish international Sean Fischer-Keogh.

Uddingston won the toss and elected to bat on an afternoon which started out warm and sunny, with Glenpark in first class condition and ready to provide the setting for an entertaining match.

It was Greenock who gained the early initiative when the opening batsman Mo Awais was well caught by Sehmat Pandher in the second over. Awais (9) had been very positive in the few balls he had faced and had scored two boundaries before Sean Fischer-Keogh made the breakthrough.

And it was Fischer-Keogh who was also instrumental in the second Uddingston wicket to fall. Amir Hafeez drove the ball towards the extra cover area and set off for a run, but Fischer-Keogh was quick on his feet, and, having made good ground, picked the ball up one-handed then made a direct hit on the stumps with his throw, to run out the Uddingston opener who had not yet opened his account — 16 for 2 in the seventh over.

‘Harry’ Singh and Amir Gul then put together a partnership which was looking like being a lengthy one until Sehmat Pandher took a second, very smart catch low down at cover to dismiss Singh for 17 off the bowling of Sam Sanghera with 51 runs on the board.

Greenock picked up wicket number four just before the midway drinks break when Chirag Pandher clean bowled Gul for 23, and the Glenparkers were in positive mood. Their optimism was well founded, as Uddingston’s innings lasted only a further 12 overs after the midway point.

Three more wickets were picked up between the 28th over and the 32nd over — Gavin Bradley (13) bowled by Saurabh Bandekar, Bryan Clarke (3) bowled Bandekar and Ross Lyons (3) caught Barranechea, bowled Cammy Calder — leaving Greenock in a dominant position with the score on 86 for 7.

The visitors reached 100 runs without further loss before Sean Fischer-Keogh demolished the last three batsmen in the space of three balls to give him his first senior hat-trick. Durham County and Scottish internationalist Gavin Main was Fischer-Keogh’s first victim, trapped leg before wicket (LBW) for 13 with the fifth ball of his ninth over and new batsman Niall Alexander, fresh to the wicket, was clean-bowled next ball to give the Uddingston man a first ball ‘duck’. Fischer-Keogh then gained his hat-trick with the first ball of his tenth over when Mo Adnan (1) was bowled to wrap up the league leader’s innings for just 102 at the start of the 38th over and Greenock looked to be in a strong position as the teams left the field for the tea-break.

Fischer-Keogh with 4 wickets for 32 runs from 9.1 overs was the outstanding bowler for Greenock, with Saurabh Bandekar 2 for 6 from 8 overs and Chirag Pandher, Sam Sanghera and Cammy Calder each with one wicket, the other bowlers who did well for the local side.

Zac Barranechea opened the Greenock innings as he has done in each of the Premier Division matches to date, but with yet another, opening partner. Chirag Pandher who normally bats in the lower middle order, was promoted to open the innings and became Barranechea’s sixth partner at the top of the order.

But the tactic failed to benefit the Glenpark side, as Pandher was clean-bowled in the very first over by a fast spearing yorker from pace bowler Niall Alexander before a run had been recorded on the scoreboard. Greenock then made steady progress with Barranechea and Indian pro Saurabh Bandekar seeming in good form and dealing well with the Uddingston bowling attack.

However, with the score on 38 in the 11th over, Greenock lost a second wicket when Barrenechea fell victim to change-bowler Amir Gul. He had just scored a boundary from Gul’s very first ball and attempted to repeat his sweep shot next ball only to top edge the delivery and was easily caught by slip fielder ‘Harry’ Singh. And when Greenock’s professional Saurabh Bandekar was bowled by Gavin Main with just four more runs added to the total, Greenock progress towards the winning target was suddenly and significantly altered.

The experienced pairing of Shailesh Prabhu and Rod Mountford only managed to add a further eleven runs for the fourth wicket before Mountford was adjudged LBW to Gul to make the score 53 for 4 in the 17th over. Sensing Greenock’s vulnerability, Uddingston’s bowlers grew in confidence and, in the space of just the next five overs, the Glenparkers slumped to 72 for the loss of 8 wickets with just Prabhu showing any sign of being able to withstand the visitors’ bowling attack.

However when Prabhu was run out for 21 attempting a second run in order to retain strike, Greenock’s last hope of somehow being able to reach the winning line all but ended. And, with heavy rain clouds around and a short stoppage because of a brief downpour, that hope was finally extinguished when Sam Sanghera was caught by Alexander off the bowling of Mo Awais with the local side still 18 runs adrift of the Uddingston total. Amir Gul with 4 wickets for 30 runs from his 10-over spell was Uddingston’s top bowler.

Only three Premier Division matches are left to be played and Greenock remain in eighth position, just slightly more than 10 per cent above Drumpellier who occupy second-bottom position. At least one more win may well be needed for Greenock to be sure of finishing above the two relegation spots.

Greenock Cricket Club is sponsored by Cleaning Supplies 4U

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