Glenrothes XI v Murrayfield DAFS (h)

After last weekends disappointing defeat to Holy Cross, Glenrothes Cricket Club’s 1stXI got back to winning ways and maintained their top spot with what turned out to be a hard earned four wicket victory against Edinburgh side Murrayfield Dafs at the Town Park on Saturday.

Glenrothes won yet another toss and decided to field first on another hot, sunny afternoon for cricket.

With opening bowlers Iain Georgeson and Malcolm Neil unavailable, Mufs openers A Kulkarni and G Rai faced the new ball pairing of Darren Bremner and late replacement Darren Lewis. The batsmen made a cautious start but they managed to see off the home sides duo’s opening spells and after 12 overs the score was 19 without loss.

South African oversees amateur Tiro Madiseng and new recruit Mike Boyd were introduced into the bowling attack and in only his third over, Boyd, the former Cupar player, picked up his maiden wicket for his new club to dismiss Rai with Mike Sampson taking the catch at mid-on – 33 for 1. Madiseng and Boyd continued to keep things tight and although they didn’t pick up any wickets, Glens reached the drinks break happy that they had contained their visitors to 56 for 1 after 25 overs.

Glens skipper Mike Donaldson decided to slow things down immediately after the break, bringing on himself and spinner Ian Dale and in his second over, Donaldson made the crucial breakthrough to dismiss Kulkarni for 33 with the score on 63.

The home side then enjoyed a purple patch with Donaldson picking up three further wickets, which included two dismissals involving wicket-keeper Cammy Ross, back in action after a broken toe, in which he made a lightning stumping and the other a catch of a fine edge. Dale also got in on the action with one that bamboozled the batsmen and bowled him despite a despairing effort to keep it out.

At 82 for 6 after 39 overs, Glenrothes were intent on finishing the innings off quickly, especially after last weeks game when the opposition’s tail wagged in similar circumstances.

Bremner and Madiseng, who had been held back for the final on-slaught, came up with goods this time as Bremner claimed a wicket in each of the three overs he bowled, aided by two catches in the covers by Donaldson, and then Madiseng finished with the 10 th and final wicket when he clean bowled S Rangaswamy for a breezy 21.

Mufs finished on 112 all out in the 48 th over with Bremner 3 for 16 and Donaldson 4 for 20 the main wicket takers.

Glenrothes changed their opening pair with Mike Sampson partnering Tiro Madiseng but the solid start they wanted was not to be when Mufs’ Keith Lawrence had first Madiseng well caught at short leg for 4 and then Sampson, after escaping the ball before when he was dropped, caught for 10 trying to repeat the shot.

Ben Honeyman (21) and Ian Dale (9) added 23 for the third wicket but that man Lawrence got his side right in the game by dismissing both batsmen in consecutive overs and the game was well balanced with Glenrothes 45 for 4 although only 12 overs of the allotted 50 had gone.

Vice captain Greig Hopcroft and Darren Lewis managed a few boundaries to ease some of the pressure but it was game on when the latter was bowled off bat and then pad for 10 with the score on 65.

Hopcroft, who had now been joined by Donaldson at the crease, decided to mix attack with defence and he continued from where he left off last week with some powerful blows including two big sixes from consecutive balls. The pair brought up the hundred and took Glenrothes to the brink of victory until the partnership of 42 was ended with the score on 107 when Donaldson (13) was caught from the bowling of Mel Clench.

The winning runs duly came in the 29 th over when Hopcroft (40 not out from 58 balls with 5 fours and three sixes) fittingly finished the game with another boundary. Ally Sim was the other batsmen unbeaten on 4. Keith Lawrence was the top man with the ball for a spirited Mufs side with 4 for 36.

Saturday sees the beginning of the second half of the season with Fauldhouse, who defeated Glenrothes in the first game of the season, the visitors to the Town Park.

Click here for Saturdays scorecard