Inverclyde Now Logo CRICKET — Impressive Win Brings Inverclyde’s Season To A Close

27 August, 2018 | Local

Hughenden 107 all out

Inverclyde 111 for one

INVERCLYDE capped a fine end to the season at Gourock Park on Saturday as they comfortably overcame second-top Hughenden in a nine-wicket victory.

Inverclyde has been being undefeated since mid-July, vice captain Gareth James returned to the side to open the bowling along with Tom Watson and this pair pegged back the visitors with a very accurate and economical spell. The first wicket fell in the 10th over with the score only on 20 when Watson bowled Khan for 14.

Dave Mudie replaced James and, after a wayward first over, confounded the Hughenden batsmen with his unique style of medium pace bowling over his next five overs, during which he clean-bowled four of the opposition batsmen; the visiting captain Dabell, Murbe, Gilani and Blackwood.

Inverclyde were well placed after 25 overs with Hughenden at 65 for 6 but Shankar and Redmond provided some resistance until Redmond was run out by Dave Cooke’s direct hit from mid-off. Khan benefited from two decisions going in the batman’s favour from Chris Dick’s bowling as he helped take Hughenden past 100 but the innings ended at 107 all out in the 38th over when Douglas Pilkington stumped Khan as Billy Hair’s wider ball beat the bat outside off-stump.

After a season of strong batting performances, it was the turn of the bowlers to put in a good shift with Mudie taking 4 for 13 from 6 overs, Watson 1 for 16 in 10 overs (after eight being scored from his first over), Hair 1 for 7, James 0 for 16, Sam Hargie 0 for 17, and Dick 0 for 33.

Inverclyde captain Dave Cooke continued with his recent good form as he put on 30 with David Thomson in the opening partnership until Thomson was bowled by Shankar’s full in-swinger in the 8th over at 30 for 1. Stuart Callison joined Cooke and this pair showed no mercy as they steadily approached the target. They offered no chances over the next 20 overs in an unbroken partnership and Cooke hit the winning boundary in the 28th over to finish on 40 not out, with Callison out-scoring the captain in the second half of the innings to finish on 35 not out.

With three wins and two draws in their final six matches to finish in fifth place in the league, it was a sound end to the season for the Inverclyde side, during which time four Juniors made the step up to play their first of hopefully many games for the senior team.

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