Fauldhouse v Glenrothes

Glenrothes opened their 2006 East of Scotland Division One campaign with a disappointing five wicket defeat at Fauldhouse on Saturday.

Batting first, after losing the toss, Glenrothes opened with vice captain Greig Hopcroft and Willie Morrison, the latter drafted in to the side after Ian Dale missed the game after becoming a father on Thursday – congratulations from all at the club. The batsmen found scoring difficult against some good bowling from M Kelly and Zubair with very few bad balls to score off and Zubair, who bowled his allotted 10 overs straight through for only 15 runs including 6 maidens, eventually got the reward his bowling deserved when he bowled Morrison, albeit it was one of his worst balls that defeated the batsman on the second bounce.

South African Tiro Madiseng joined Hopcroft at the crease and they took the score on from 17 to 38 when Hopcroft, who looked in good nick again, was bowled by first change bowler K Black for 31. Brad Combrink got off the mark with a huge six to mid-wicket but went lbw, also to Black, trying to repeat the shot and just four runs later, Madiseng advanced down the pitch to Kelly going for a big hit but only managed to get a faint snick to the keeper and Glenrothes were 60 for four after 22 overs.

Skipper Mike Donaldson lasted one ball before retiring hurt after being struck on the wrist by a mis-directed return from a fielder and was replaced by Malcolm Neil who now joined Cammy Ross at the wicket. The former decided to play in his natural positive way and quickly moved to 22 before he became Kelly’s second victim of the day with the score on 91.

Donaldson returned to continue his innings with Ross against the bowling of the McDonald brothers, who were given the task of bowling the remaining 20 overs between them. Ross was the dominant scorer and helped move the score to 119 until the partnership was ended when he was bowled in the 38 th over by A McDonald playing a rather tired looking stroke. Donaldson and Ally Sim both went cheaply to R McDonald in consecutive overs and although Andy Muir, Brian Morris and Darren Lewis tried to use up the overs, A McDonald finished things off and Glenrothes were eventually 125 all out in the 43 rd over. A McDonald returned the best bowling figures for the hosts with 3 for 17.

Neil and Lewis took the new ball for Glenrothes after tea, and both bowled really well, keeping the score to 27 after 11 overs with a few chances being offered by Fauldhouse openers P Lee and M Hilson. Madiseng, who had replaced Lewis, bowled with good pace in a five over spell on a wicket offering him no help, although he did beat the bat on numerous occasions without getting any luck.

After unsuccessfully trying with the ball himself, Donaldson turned to Combrink and Hopcroft to make a break through and it was the former who did just that as he deflected a return catch off his own bowling from Hilson (42) to Lewis who juggled the ball but held on to it at mid-off. At 76 for 1and with 25 overs gone, Glenrothes needed a few quick wickets to get back in the game and although D Mulligan came in with intention to finish the game early, Hopcroft had other ideas. First he accounted for Mulligan in the 29 th over, with the help of a good catch from Combrink, and then he claimed the prized wickets of the Allan brothers in consecutive balls in the 31 st over and the scoreboard looked a bit healthier from the Glenrothes viewpoint at 97 for 4.

Madiseng and Neil returned to the bowling and although Neil managed to get opener Lee (33) in the 39 th over with the score on 117, that proved to be the last wicket to fall as Fauldhouse closed the game out the following over to finish on 127 for 5. Hopcroft was the pick of the Glenrothes bowling with 3 for 24 from 8 overs.

Glens are on their travels again this Saturday when they go the capital to play Marchmont who were also promoted from Division Two last season. Although they didn’t meet last season due to both games being cancelled due to the weather, the fixture is usually well contested with both sides playing the game in the right spirit.

Click here for Saturdays scorecard