Much Changed 3rds Lose to Carlton

The two teams had fought a very close contest earlier in the season with Glens losing out with 2 balls left, so revenge was very much on skipper Craig Gould's mind.

As with most of the season so far the team that took the field was much changed from the original team selected at the start of the week, with call offs affecting all 4 Glenrothes teams this week.
Gould lost the toss and Carlton skipper Irvine put Glens into bat.

Gav Henderson and Michael Sampson, who was making his first Glens appearance in 4 years, were the opening pair. Henderson struck an early blow in the first 4 with a fine 4, but that was to be his lot as he was clean bowled next over. Brian Morris joined Chopper at the crease and the pair got the scoreboard ticking over despite some good bowling from the Carlton openers. With the score on 30, Morris fell to a fine deliver from 15yo Sibley for 11. Ian Green came and went without troubling the scorers and Joe Burton came in at 5. Glens then lost Sampson when he edged a delivery to the keeper for 26, Chopper was looking in fine form as well.

Alan Hutchison was next up and he and Burton added 13 to the score before Joe was bowled. Glens were now looking in trouble at 56 for 5. Skipper Gould joined Hutchy and the larger than life pair set about the Carlton change bowlers with good effect, Gouldy finding the boundaries and Hutchy ensuring the pair sweated off some excess weight with ones and twos!!

A fine 61 partnership ensued , but this was brought to a halt in the 34th over when Gould was stumped trying to chase a slower delivery. Gould had contributed a fine 32 to help take the Glens score onto 117.

Young Daniel Wood joined Alan and added 2 uns before he was bowled. Club Chairman Eddie Gibbs came in at 9 and his first job was to watch Hutch take th elong walk back to the pavilion when he skied a pull shot and was caught by the young bowler Mcintyre, who was having a very good day with the ball. Eddie's father Roger joined his son at the crease and watched as Eddie hit two fine boundaries.

When Roger got the chance to face a delivery he immediately tried to get the younger Gibbs on strike by taking a quick single, unfortunately it wasn't quick enough and Roger was narrowly ran out for a duck. Newbie Adam Jamieson-Caley was Glens last man and in his first ever game of cricket did not disgrace himself, gamefully defending his wicket. The Glens Innings closed on 130 with Eddie on 10 and Adam no score.

Deep down Skipper Gould knew his team were probably 30 runs short of a winning score and this proved to be the case.

Carlton got off to a flier quickly entering the 20s by the 3rd over with every loose ball being punished fully. After a couple of decent lbw shouts were turned down, Hutchy finally struck and bowled opener McDonald for 7. Carlton continued to pile on the ruins and were at 51 in the 10th over when change bowler Brian Morris claimed the scalp of the Carlton number 3 thanks to a spectactular diving catch at slip by Glens oldest player Roger Gibbs...to say every one was absolutely stunned would be an understatement, but it was truly one of the finest slip catches in many years for Glenrothes.

Carlton number 2 Edwards had built a fine innings and was on 39 when Henderson dived ( fell) full length for a fine caught and bowled.

Morris claimed a second scalp when he, once again, took a catch of his own bowling to remove Mcintyre.

These two wickets brought Aslam and Murray to the crease and the pair steered Carlton to victory without any further loss of wicket, punishing all bad balls. The win came in the 30th over with Aslam on 33 and Murray on 28.

Skipper Gould while not happy with the result was happy with the effort of all his players, though it was obvious that the lack in depth of batting and bowling option were a defining factor.

Special mentions goto Brian Morris for his bowling spell, and newbies Jamieson-Caley and Gibbs senior on their debuts. 4th XI regulars Green, Wood and Burton all contributed well in the field and it was pleasing to see Mike Sampson back and looking in parts as though he has never been away.

Special special thanks go to heavily pregnant (and now due) Kim Gibbs for allowing Eddie to play!

The 3s return to Gilvenbank next week to take on struggling Leith and will hope to do the double over the capital side.