Glens Lose out in Controversial Game

Finally skipper Craig Gould won the toss and elected to bat, seeing as Geoff Sampson was going to arrive late and Ben Cameron was a no show.

Opening pair of Andy McAulay and Mark Braid looked in fine form early on before McAulay played all over a low delivery and was out for 12 in the 6th over. Braid followed for the same score 3 overs later being trapped LBW.

This meant that the new pairing in the middle was Brett Wardle and stylish youngster Libin Thomas. Both batsmen picked their shots and amid some lovely boundaries and risky quick singles the score mounted up.

Both players reached their 50s around the 26th over and they continued to pile on the runs until "sick-note" Wardle attempted one quick single to many and pulled his hamstring. He bravely saw out the over smashing a final monster 6 before retiring hurt, for a magnificient 80, having been refused a runner!

Andy Muir joined Thomas in the centre and after a brief cameo Muir was clean bowled for 6 and out came Thornton Golf Club Captain Geoff Sampson. Geoff used his experience to assist young Libin and by the last over Libin was on 91 with the strike. Unfortunately Libin was only able to add 1 run to his tally and Sampson fell trying to get the youngster back on strike, leaving Brian Morris to face the final 2 deliveries. Glens finished on a fine 218 and felt this would be more than enough to secure victory.

The Dunnikier reply got off to a rapid start despite some accurate bowling from McAulay and Morris, with the batsmen employing the swing hard and close your eyes approach. T Naseem retired hurt while on 11 and this brought R Yousaf to the crease in what was to be an influential partnership with Z Naseem.

Sampson replaced McAulay from the hotel end and Thomas came on for Morris at the bottom end. Elder statesman Sampson appeared to have Yousaf trapped LBW early on, but despite the batsman taking "shoulder arms" 2 inches away from the stumps the umpire decided that the ball would not have hit the stumps!! Very strange!!

The incumbent batsman took the score to 157 by the 27th over ably assisted by the umpires who decided that if the bowler beat the bat either leg or off side then it was a wide. Sampson claimed the wicket of Yousaf when Morris took a smart diving catch at gully.

Skipper Gould, despite having 7 stitches in his groin, replaced Thomas from the bottom end and bowling off 2 paces helped Sampson slow the rate. Gould eventually accounted for the dangerous Naseem who had somehow amassed 75 runs when Chris Yarwood took a catch behind the stumps. McAulay came back on from the top and got rid of M Naseem for 29 thanks to a smart take on the boundary by Muir.

The Dunnikier total was creeping nearer and nearer the target when Morris and Muir took over the bowling duties for the remaining overs.

Morris took 2 wickets, an easy caught and bowled and his bowling partner claimed his second catch. Muir chipped in with 2 wickets of his own, bowling the swinging Illias and then having Morris repay the compliment with another superb diving catch at gully.

The Glens target was breached with the last ball of the penultimate over and a very disappointing defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. Special mention goes to Brett Wardle and Libin Thomas for a batting masterclass, and Ally King for his efforts in the field.

The failure of Glenrothes to break the second wicket partnership (debatable umpiring decisions aside) was the catalyst for this defeat. Although with Glens only having 10 men plus the duo of Wardle and Gould who were walking wounded, it's hardly surprising gaps were found by the batsmen.

Skipper Gould heads off on holiday for the next two weeks and Vice Captain McAulay has the task of lifting spirits and trying for some much needed wins, starting at Dalgety Bay next Saturday.