Inverclyde 138 all out
Hillhead 3s 141 for 3
INVERCLYDE lost out by seven wickets to Hillhead 3rds in a WDCU Championship 3 match at Gourock Park on Saturday.
The start was delayed by one hour to allow the wicket to dry after the recent rain and a rain interruption early on meant that the game was reduced to 35 overs a side.
Inverclyde had a decent start until David Thomson was bowled by Kumar at 17 for 1 in the 7th over. Gordon Lappin joined Scott Campbell and built a useful partnership but Lappin was stumped for 30, at 63 for 2. David Tolan continued the attack with a quick-fire 26 until he was caught on the mid-wicket boundary trying to repeat his previous six. Campbell had been defending his wicket well but was unfortunate to play on after his important innings of 25, in the first of the visitor Bell’s four late wickets.
Captain Gareth James helped Inverclyde’s total to increase encouragingly but was bowled for 27 with four overs remaining. Zander Lovell, Douglas Pilkington and Paul Singh were further -victims of Bell’s late accurate spell, leaving Ethan Burke not-out as Inverclyde’s total closed in the 33rd over at 138 all-out.
James made an early breakthrough in the visitors’ reply when he bowled Dasani in the third over. Singh then had S Kumar caught by Lappin at mid-wicket at 22 for 2, and first change-bowler Lappin’s off-spin accounted for Dabell, well held by Lovell at short third man in the 13th over.
However this was the final Hillhead wicket to fall as A Kumar and Anant remained undefeated, attacking the locals’ bowling as they reined in the increased run rate. Two difficult chances were missed at long-on and deep mid-wicket and this pair struck their side to victory in the 30th over. Lappin took 1 for 25, James 1 for 36, Singh 1 for 38, with Tolan and Lovell bowling well but remaining wicketless. Inverclyde were disappointed to lose after competing well for much of the game, but could not break the visitors’ winning partnership.
Inverclyde’s next match is an away fixture against Kingholm in Dumfries on Saturday.
Outdoor practices continue on Tuesdays at 6.30pm at Gourock Park.
