Scottish Cricket: West turn the Wright way to title (24 August 1999)
Craig wright's magnificent unbeaten 84 took West of Scotland to their first SNCL Premiership title on Saturday as they swept Grange aside at Hamilton Crescent
24-Aug-1999
24 August 1999
Scottish Cricket: West turn the Wright way to title
Keith Graham
Craig wright's magnificent unbeaten 84 took West of Scotland to
their first SNCL Premiership title on Saturday as they swept
Grange aside at Hamilton Crescent.
The Edinburgh side struggled to 151 as Wright and Australian
Grant Roden quickly made inroads with the ball before Roddy
Smith, Yasas Tillikeratne and Stuart Davidson staged a fightback.
The Sri Lankan was the visitors' top scorer with 45 before Gregor
Maiden dismissed first Smith then Tillikeratne lbw.
The Grange innings subsided thereafter and though West lost Corey
Richards and Stephen Gilmour early on, Wright's innings led his
side to a six-wicket victory.
Former leaders Aberdeenshire lost to West Lothian at Boghall,
where Craig Light's century took West to 233 for six. Missing
their captain Neil MacRae, on duty for Scotland in Belfast, and
Colin Smith, nursing a back injury, the visitors' soon lost Jason
Arnberger run out. Despite Graham Clubb's 35 and a late flurry
from David Cox and Peter Baxter, they fell to 145 all out.
West Lothian's win assured them of Premiership status next year,
as Stoneywood Dyce lost to Heriot's. The Aberdeen side were
bowled out for 136 and Greg Butchard's unbeaten 79 saw the
Goldenacre side home by seven wickets.
There were runs galore at New Cambusdoon, where relegated
Ferguslie were at least warmed by Mark Atkinson's second
successive century and Stuart Kennedy's 85 not out to finish on
243 for two. Ayr responded in kind with Bruce Patterson hitting
116 and Graeme Rummans 89 as they raced to an eight-wicket
victory.
Greenock's acquisition of Phil Simmons as a stand-in for the
injured Dene Hills did not quite work out as Carlton, thanks to
75 from Cedric English, hit 236 for eight from the home attack.
With Simmons falling to a catch behind off Ally McLeod for 18,
one of four victims for the visiting captain, the home side could
muster only 120.
Clydesdale enjoyed an eight-wicket victory at Forthill over
Forfarshire thanks to a fine all-round performance from stand-in
captain Rennie Keith, who took five for 60 then scored 79 not
out. Sarwar Sawant hit 87 as the Glasgow side assumed top spot in
Division One, though Prestwick also won by four wickets at
Myreside to further underline their elevation to the Premiership.
Stenhousemuir confirmed their rise to first division status with
a resounding victory over Falkland but Uddingston's equally
convincing victory over SMRH leaves Stirling County struggling to
win promotion despite their comprehensive victory over GHK, in
which Sajid Ali had 122 not out.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)