Scottish Cricket: Ferguslie floored by West's firepower (15 June 1999)

15 June 1999

Scottish Cricket: Ferguslie floored by West's firepower

Keith Graham

Corey Richards and Douglas Lockhart took up where they had left off a week before when they smashed Ferguslie's attack for an opening stand of 225 in their SNCL Premiership meeting at Hamilton Crescent on Saturday. The West of Scotland pair had romped past West Lothian's record low of 31 in a mere eight overs on the previous Saturday.

This time they provided the foundation for an imposing total of 261 for 1, Richards finishing unbeaten on 150 and Lockhart hitting 88.

However, the rain frustrated the Hamilton Crescent side. Ferguslie's opening pair Mark Atkinson and Iain Kennedy had produced a solid opening stand before off-spinner Gregor Maiden snapped up four wickets only for the rain to intervene. The visitors had reached 106 for 6 and West had to settle for 19 points rather than 25.

Third-placed Ayr were, however, able to complete an important victory against Grange at New Cambusdoon. The visitors reached 203 for 7, John Garden top-scoring with 43. Ayr's response was given a good start by Bruce Patterson and Alan Simpson and reached their target with six wickets down, Colin McCrossan hitting a stylish 56.

Greenock too gathered full points when Dene Hills' third successive century saw them home at Glenpark against Heriot's. The Edinburgh side had posted 201 for 8 with Jamie Watkins providing late impetus with an unbeaten 53. But the Goldenacre attack had no answers to the power and class of Hills who reached the boundary on 20 occasions to lead his side to a nine-wicket victory.

Less than two hour's play was possible at Boghall but the home batsmen restored some pride after the previous week's debacle by reaching 74 for two against Carlton with Alec Davies leading the way on 40 not out, before rain fell.

Prestwick strengthened their promotion challenge from division one with a 107-run victory over Perthshire. Drew Parsons (78) and Peter Bruhn (89) took the home side to 250 for four and a superb catch by Bruhn to dismiss Lal Rajput (69) clinched the points for Prestwick.

Clydesdale failed to bowl out Hillhead after Sawa Sawant's unbeaten 89 had seen them to 246 for six but still maintained their push for the Premiership with 21 points.

Keith Sheridan with 84 and three for 20 steered Poloc to a division two win over Corstorphine, whose last man Dominic Stayner sustained a blow to the face from the bowling of Atta-Ur-Rehman and had to be taken to hospital.

Stenhousemuir's hopes of taking over from Falkland at the top were dashed when, having bowled the leaders out for 109, they were foiled by the weather. Uddingston, too, were frustrated when, having reached 233, of which Atif Rauf scored 100, they were unable to winkle out SRHM's final pair.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph