Gladiators
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Sun 05 Sep 2021
Glenrothes Cricket Club
Gladiators
1/0
1/0
Falkland Falcons Kwiks
Sun-soaked Softball with the Falcons

Sun-soaked Softball with the Falcons

Nic Krzyzanowski5 Sep 2021 - 16:39
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https://www.glenrothescc.co.uk

Honours even with some great cricket

We were delighted to welcome Falkland Falcons to Gilvenbank Park on Sunday 5 September for a couple of Kwik cricket games.

GAME ONE...

Gladiators skipper Jack won the toss and, after a request from Joe to do a pitch inspection first before deciding what to do was declined, decided to bat! Jack was straight out to bat with Joe and both batted well with some well run singles and a fantastic boundary four over extra cover by Joe. But opening bowler Andrew was delighted to bowl Joe also in the first over!

Good bowling by first change bowlers Owen and Skye kept Archie and Scott relatively quiet (though a good boundary hit by Scott showed his determination), but Archie was run out also to leave Gladiators 26 for 2 from 4 overs.

Euan and Murray batted much the same as the first two batting pairs - a great boundary to Murray but Euan unlucky to be bowled by Caitlyn, Gladiators 37 for 3.

So it was up to Dylin and Samuel as last pair to boost the score, and after each hitting a boundary in the 7th over, Dylin was to be run-out. Final over was bowled by wee Ruraidh and was best of the innings, including a ball which pitched and turned massively to bowl Dylin - to most people's delight, including Dylin, to be fair ;-) Gladiators finishing on 50 for 5 wickets from their 8 overs.

Joe bowled an excellent opening over with just two runs scored, and then Ruraidh lit up the game for a second time with a fantastic pull shot for four in the second over. But bowler Euan was to get his revenge, bowling Skye three balls later and Falcons on 14 for 1 from 2 overs.

Skipper Jack then took a wicket with his first ball, as Caitlyn hit the ball up for a well judged catch by Joe at extra cover. Jack's miserly bowling was then backed up by a great over of leg-spin bowling by Samuel - Falcons only adding five runs over the two overs to be 19 for 2 from 4 overs.

Owen and (guest Gladiator) Sam struggled against the usual tight bowling by Scott, with Sam bowled off the fifth ball. But Falcons were able to up their score in the sixth over, though kamikaze running by Owen saw him run out to keep the game balanced with Falcons 33 for 4.

Keir and Andrew as last pair batted very strongly and looked to be pushing Falcons for victory. But Keir was to be dismissed twice - first Jack doing well to run him out from keeper, and then in the last over Archie bowled him. Falcons finishing on 52 for 6.

With each wicket taken whilst bowling counting for 5 bonus runs to add on the batting scores, final scores were Gladiators 80 for 5 versus 77 for 6 Falcons - a win by 3 runs to the Gladiators.

GAME TWO...

After a break for juice and crisps, Falcons were given the right to choose what to do in the second game and decided to bat first.

An excellent opening two overs by Gladiators bowlers Joe (maiden over) and Samuel kept Ruraidh and Skye quiet, Falcons just 4 runs on the board after 2 overs.

It was to be Owen and Keir to up the rate though, with 17 coming off the third over and 16 runs off the fourth over - both trading great boundary shots. But Owen was let the excitement get to him, as first he was run out and then off the last ball of their pair both being bowled and demolishing his own stumps with his bat. Falcons 37 for 2 at the half way stage.

It was to be Dylin, guesting for Falkland in the second game, to step up in the next pair - hitting well against the normally profligate Scott for 16 runs from 4 balls including two big sixes over square leg. But Sam, back with the Gladiators, was to constrain him and Caitlyn in the next over conceding just 6 runs and see Falcons on 60 for 7.

Final pair Andrew and Iona batted well, including turning what should have been a dot ball in to three runs thanks to calamitous over throws and good running. But one example of good running can soon be reversed, this time Andrew (like Owen earlier) looking to run a single even when the ball had went straight to the keeper to be run out. Archie was then to take a neat caught and bowled in the last over, and see Falcons finish on 78 for 4.

Opening the batting for the Gladiators was Archie and Jack, and it was the former to play a highlight reel shot with a reverse sweep for one off the first ball - though the success of that shot saw him trying to repeat again for a couple of balls without connecting. Jack in the meantime showed his increasing bat confidence to stroke singles of each balls he faced. Having been bowled by Skye in the second over, Archie was to ditch the reverse sweep shot and immediately hit his next ball for a big six over mid-wicket. Gladiators 15 for 1.

Euan and Murray were next batters in, though struggled to get anything away in an excellent over by Iona. Ruraidh wasn't able to bowl like the first game unfortunately, wides helping the scoreboard push up for the Gladiators to 28 for 1 after 4 overs.

Joe and Scott scored 17 runs off the 5th over bowled by Andrew, and with Joe hitting a good four in the next over and then he and Scott looking to run for singles whenever they could, the Gladiators were able to push on to 57 for 1 from 6 overs.

Last batting pair, the two Sam's, faced an excellent seventh over from Owen who only conceded one run but also saw Sam (not Samuel) run out - just losing control of his bat as he was diving in to the crease. But good running in the last over, coupled with loose bowling by Dylin saw the Gladiators just sneak ahead with one ball to go. But as we keep saying to the young cricketers, always concentrate on the next ball as it's always a one ball game for each and everyone. And so it was to prove as Samuel was unlucky to hit a catch to Owen, Gladiators finishing on 70 for 3.

With the five bonus runs for each wicket added on, final scores were Falcons 93 for 4 v 90 for 3 Gladiators - a win by three runs for the Falcons this time!

GAME SUMMARY...

So it was one game apiece which was an excellent result for all. A great day to be out with the sun shining and everyone having a great time. Many thanks to Falcons for getting in touch to offer the game at short notice, definitely worthwhile.

Match details

Match date

Sun 05 Sep 2021

Kickoff

10:30
Team overview
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