The 1st team welcomed St Andrews University Staff & Postgraduate CC for the return fixture of our closest result of the season - a last ball defeat by 5 runs in the previous fixture. After leading run-scorer Andy Mudie told the team that he would be emigrating to South Africa at the end of the season, everyone was determined to make sure that the team won one of our remaining fixtures.

Having lost the toss and been asked to bat by St Andrews, Mudie and Joe Burton went about getting Glenrothes off to a steady start. After seeing off the pacey Armstrong and hitting out against Frankland, Burton was unfortunate to be run out in the 9th over with the score on 33.

This brought Ani Apparaju to the crease for a short stay, being bowled by Earnshaw for 1. Nathan Salt then provided good support to Mudie, who passed 50 once again. Salt hit a confident 25 and saw the score through to 81 before going for one shot too many and being caught on the leg side boundary.

There were then brief but fruitful stays at the crease for Paul Culleton (10) and Steven Donaldson (6), who was particularly unlucky to be given out caught behind after the ball became lodged in keeper Mclennan’s grill. James Haslam joined Mudie at the crease with the score on 134 and steadily accumulated until Mudie was bowled agonisingly short of yet another century for 98 by Earnshaw.

This brought young Charlie Burton to the crease, who displayed the great technique he has displayed all season for the 2nd XI and hit more runs off returning opener Armstrong than the rest of the team combined. Haslam was given out LBW for 23 with the score on 186, bringing Chris Marshman to the crease. Marshman looked to add to the total in a typically aggressive fashion hitting 4 before getting caught off the penultimate ball of the innings.

This allowed Iain Georgeson to win the best “leaning on the bat” award from the last ball of the innings. Glenrothes finished on 193 for 7 from their 45 overs, a total that they felt was defendable with some tight bowling.

Marshman decided to open with Jordan Smith and Haslam, who bowled with excellent control, keeping the score to just 24 from the first 8 overs. Salt then replaced Smith and continued with the miserly bowling going for just 10 runs from his first 6 overs. However, a particular note should be given to Haslam, who bowled his 9 overs unchanged for only 18 runs and claimed the important scalp of Mclennan caught by Marshman.

There was then a dual change with Marshman replacing Haslam and Georgeson replacing Salt. They accounted for most of St Andrews middle order, with Georgeson taking 4 for 31 from 8 overs through a mixture of accurate bowling and poor shot selection on the batsmen’s behalf. Marshman finished with 2 for 30 after bowling his 9 overs unchanged. This left the score on 114 for 7 from 36 overs, and Glenrothes, at this point, thought that it would be plain sailing.

Unfortunately, Earnshaw had other ideas. He attacked the returning Salt, hitting him for 39 off two overs despite also seeing partners Taylor and Jess run out. At 159 for 9 from 41, Glenrothes could feel the game slipping from their grasp, and it took the introduction of Mudie and the return of Smith to regain control of the match. Smith did well to only go for 9 from his 5th over whilst Mudie only conceded 6 runs from his first 3. It was to be Mudie who helped Glenrothes past the finish line, bowling Ahmed from the final ball of his 4th over.

Once again, many thanks to the St Andrews team for another excellent game played in the best spirit from both sides. It was especially pleasing to have Andy be part of a winning team after his fantastic form this season. Hopefully, we can finish the season well in our final match of the season next weekend at Largo.

CM