Inverclyde 100 all out
East Kilbride 3rds 103 for 2
INVERCLYDE were well beaten by a strong East Kilbride side in their penultimate match of the season.
Inverclyde captain Dave Cooke decided to bat first on the good wicket but this backfired when he was bowled in the fifth over by Durrani with an in swinging yorker.
However Gordon Lappin was quickly into his stride with a fine half volley pick up to the mid-wicket boundary in the same over and, together with a solid innings from Scott Campbell, built a good start for Inverclyde.
The partnership was on 49 when Lappin was unfortunate to top edge a high full toss to be caught for 25 runs at fine leg with the total on 55 for 2 in the 17th over. Tight bowling from the home side restricted Inverclyde to 23 runs over the following 10 overs, and then opening batter Campbell, now attacking the bowling where possible, was well caught at long-off to be dismissed for 28 at 78 for 6.
Chris Dick batted well for his composed 10 late runs, and Ibrahim Haidari drove a boundary to take Inverclyde to 100 but was bowled next ball for 7 as Inverclyde’s innings closed in the 34th over, Ethan Burke the not out batsman.
Faced with the modest target East Kilbride’s Sachar and Mohammed raced to 78 runs in 12 overs until the latter was deceived by Dick’s slower ball to be bowled for 45. Dick removed Sachar for 27 two overs later with Douglas Pilkington taking a good low catch behind the wicket.
Sadiq Safi bowled an impressive pacy spell but no further wickets were to fall, although two tough chances were missed in the field as Inverclyde tried to achieve a bonus point but the local batters comfortably reached their target in the 17th over.
Dick finished with 2 for 16, while Haidiri, Safi, Lappin and David Tolan bowled well without success.
With this defeat Inverclyde fall to 8th place in the league and will need a good performance on Saturday at home in their final league match of the season against league leaders Alps to regain seventh spot.
