Scottish Cricket: Goddard reported over spitting incident (29 June 1999)

29 June 1999

Scottish Cricket: Goddard reported over spitting incident

Keith Graham

Leading Scottish cricketer Chris Goddard has been reported to league chiefs for spitting on an opponent.

Goddard, a batsman for the Heriot's FP club in Edinburgh, responded to sledging by Ferguslie players during an ill-tempered National League clash on Saturday.

Heriot's immediately suspended Goddard - nephew of national selector George - for a Scottish Cup tie on Sunday and plan an investigation.

A full SNCL programme was completed on Saturday at the weekend thanks to the dry weather.

Aberdeenshire, despite racing to an imposing total of 271 for 1, dropped their first points of the season when they failed to winkle out Greenock's last pair at Mannofield.

Both home openers made centuries, with Jason Arnberger going for 140 and captain Neil MacRae reaching exactly 100 not out, to give the Scottish selectors yet another reminder of his talents, thus far ignored.

But although Peter Baxter quickly dismissed Stuart McDonald and then captured the prized wicket of Dene Hills and going on to complete a return of 4 for 19, stoic resistance by the Greenock tail kept them just intact with nine wickets down, frustrating the home team - who nevertheless collected 20 points - to maintain their place at the top.

Runs also flowed at the other end of the country with Ayr, on home territory, running up a mammoth 307 for 2. Graeme Rummans was in commanding form with an imperious unbeaten 146, well supported by Alan Simpson (89). And it was Rummans who undermined Carlton with the ball, taking 3 for 37 as the Edinburgh side went down despite a brave 59 from Scott Baker and 51 from Alan Olsen. Skipper Mark Rennie also claimed three wickets as the visitors' tail collapsed to a total of 187, enabling Ayr to go second.

Grange at last found some form with a stirring win at Boghall, thanks largely to a rapid 75 in 88 balls by Steve Crawley, who returned only on Friday night from holiday in America. There was no sign of jet-lag when the hard hitting right-hander began the visitors' reply to West Lothian's 210.

He was well supported by John Cropper in an opening stand of 116 and with George Salmond throwing off the effects of a tummy bug to cruise to an unbeaten 31 and Yasa Tillikeratne (37) at last scoring some runs, Grange got home with seven wickets and over three overs in hand.

West of Scotland quickly disposed of Stoneywood Dyce at People's Park where the home batsmen had no answers to Mark Gilchrist's floaters. He had four wickets and Craig Wright three as Stoneywood subsided to 84 all out. West lost three wickets on the way to an easy victory.

Runs were also at a premium at Goldenacre where Ferguslie's first six batsmen accumulated a meagre 22 runs between them. The tail managed to stutter to a total of 104 with Chris Martin taking 6 for 20. The home team also struggled and it was only through Scottish coach Jim Love's unbeaten 34 that they eventually crept to a three-wicket victory.

Stenhousemuir took over the leadership of division two with a massive 182-run victory over Poloc.

Scotland's one-day cricketers are aiming for their own 'ten-in-a row' record, against Ireland.

Not since 1993 have the Irish enjoyed any luck against their Celtic rivals in the abbreviated game. A new-look Scotland will today attempt to stretch that remarkable sequence against their oldest cricketing rivals in this season's Triple Crown opener at Contarf.

The proposed tour of a South Africa A team to Scotland beginning on July 27, has been downgraded to a South African Cricket Academy squad after consultations between the Scottish and South African Cricket Unions.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph