GREENOCK travel to play Irvine in a Premiership Two match at the Ayrshire club’s Marress ground.
And with two consecutive wins from last Sunday against Accies and in midweek against Renfrew, the local side will make the journey with confidence.
After a slow start to the season, the Greenock side has begun to show its capabilities. Runs have flowed in the most recent three matches and the team has recorded two fine wins against Glasgow Accies in a league match and against Renfrew in the McCulloch Cup.
The club’s two Australian amateurs, Will Jenkins and Callum Henry, have played major roles in the team’s fine performances. The blue skies and warm sunshine has perhaps played a part as both have quickly settled in at Glenpark.
Jenkins is an all-rounder and scored 43 runs and took two wickets against West on Saturday followed by four wickets, including a hat-trick, against Accies on Sunday. And in midweek, he scored 84 not-out from just 69 balls faced in the cup match against Renfrew at Glenpark.
Henry scored a magnificent 108 not-out as Greenock easily overcame Accies at New Anniesland on Sunday and pouched four catches as wicket-keeper during the three games.
But particularly pleasing have been the contributions with both bat and ball made by numerous other players. Nikhil Kadyan (36), Sam Sanghera (23) and Ewan Stewart (32 not-out) all scored valuable runs last Saturday against West. While on Sunday at Accies Aryan Sanghera (26), Sehmat Pandher (21) and Mo Ahmadzai (18 not-out) supported Callum Henry as he made his brilliant century.
On Wednesday evening against Premiership One team Renfrew, Chirag Pandher with 31 runs got Greenock off to the perfect start in a 112-run opening partnership with Will Jenkins. And Cammy Calder (four wickets for 24 runs) and Chirag Pandher (3 for 12) then helped to seal a fine win for the Glenparkers, as the team made it two wins out of two in the McCulloch Cup.
Saturday’s opponents Irvine have not had a good start to their Premiership Two league programme. The Ayrshire side have yet to record a win having lost to West of Scotland, Stirling County and East Kilbride. The result of these poor performances is that Irvine are firmly based at the bottom of he table with just one point from their three matches. So, Greenock, with the form that has been displayed over recent matches, will go into Saturday’s match at the Marress ground as favourites.
The match starts at noon. The team will be: A Sanghera (C), M Ahmadzai, C Calder, F Dinarkheil, C Henry (Wk), W Jenkins, N Kadyan, C Pandher, S Pandher, S Prabhu, E Stewart
McCulloch Cup
Greenock 149 for 2 (20 overs) W Jenkins 84 not out, C Pandher 31
Renfrew 98 all out CS Calder 4 for 24 , CS Pandher 3 for 12
Greenock made it two wins from two matches played in the McCulloch Cup with a comfortable victory over Renfrew. Next midweek, the team travels to play Ferguslie in what will be the decider regarding which team wins the league section of the cup competition.
Glenpark XI
Greenock 2nd XI are at home to Mearns Challengers on Saturday. It will be a top-of-the-table battle as both sides have played three and won three. The match is scheduled to start at noon. The team will be: M Ahmad (Capt), D Sharma, H Safi, U Mansoor(Wk), Mahmood Ahmadzai, M Zeeshan, S Haidary, Z Dilsoz, R Kumar, Y Hayat, S Safi
Greenock Cricket Club is sponsored by Cleaning Supplies 4U
