GREENOCK begin the final third of their league programme on Saturday when Langside are visitors to Glenpark.
These six remaining fixtures will be important for Greenock to cement a place in the top half of the Western Premiership Two.
The match with Langside (formerly Weirs) will be viewed as a must-win fixture for the Glenpark team as they try to get back on to a winning path after a middle section of the league programme in which two matches were won, two matches lost and two abandoned.
The teams are sitting in sixth (Greenock) and seventh (Langside) with just six percentage points separating them, so a win for Greenock would provide some much-needed breathing space with so few matches remaining.
The fixture between the two sides earlier in the season was cancelled because of wet weather.
The Glasgow side has had a similarly inconsistent season with just four wins to show from ten matches completed.
Twice Langside have been bowled out for less than 90 runs. But four times since mid-June the Southsiders have scored more than 140 when batting first. And one of those occasions was when they scored 176 and dealt the first defeat of the season to the then undefeated league leaders Kelburne, who they bowled out for just 59.
In their most recent match two weeks ago, Langside were themselves bowled out for 68 chasing second-bottom Glasgow Accies’ score of 119.
So, the Glasgow team’s form has been difficult to predict and Greenock will therefore need to be well prepared and focused to ensure the visitors do not have one of their better performances.
A factor in Greenock’s own inconsistent season has been the availability of regular 1st XI players. The modern day work patterns are such that numerous players frequently require to work on Saturdays and therefore there is a lack of continuity week by week in the team selection. Added to that are injuries which develop as the season progresses and also players off on holiday.
For the match against Langside, this issue is once again a problem. Greg McDougall, the Greenock team captain, was unfit to play in last weekend’s abandoned match against Glasgow Accies at New Anniesland because of an injury, and is again sidelined this weekend.
Sam Sanghera too is doubtful because of an injury and several others are unavailable.
Much will depend on the local side’s two young Australian amateurs Connor Nowlan and Angus Tolhurst. Both have had a good season so far with bat and ball. Between them they have scored almost 800 runs and taken close to 40 wickets.
The team has yet to be announced. The match will start at noon.
Greenock’s 2nd XI (Glenpark) play Clydesdale 4th XI at Hamilton Palace Sports Ground at noon.
Greenock Cricket Club is sponsored by Cleaning Supplies 4U
