Glenrothes 1st XI made a winning start in their SPCU Division 1 campaign on Saturday, defeating Breadalbane by three wickets.

With overnight causing disruption to a number of games across the region, the Glens arrived in Aberfeldy and were perhaps surprised to be invited to bowl first having lost the toss.

The Glens were to prove this was perhaps the wrong call, with a run out by Urvish Patel followed a wicket to Bimal Nalupurakkal Balan and two to skipper Qasim Ahmad (with two excellent catches to Patel) reducing Breadalbane to 17 for 4.

An excellent fifth wicket partnership between opener Laing and Endall gave the home side hope, but the partnership of 58 was broken by Kevin Le Roux. Five wickets soon became six, as Sufyan Ahmed got amongst the wickets.

With Laing batting well, he was able to consolidate again, this time with Nayak but after he was bowled for 18 with the score on 107 the wickets continued to fall and Breadalbane bowled out for 116 (Laing left stranded on 49 not out). It was to be Glens skipper to claim the plaudits as he finished with excellent figures of 5 for 21 in his ninth over.

Despite the early loss of a wicket, Glenrothes started strongly and started to dominate the game with opener James Slingsby (19) and Nigam Panwar (31) setting a strong base.

But as with Breadalbane, wickets were to fall in clumps and from 65 for 1 the Glens were soon to fall to 89 for 4. But it was to be Sufyan Ahmed to grasp the game and push Glens on before he was to fall for 31 just three short of the target.

It was fitting that skipper Qasim Ahmad was there to hit the winning runs as Glenrothes were to finish on 117 for the loss of seven wickets and just under 20 overs remaining.

A fantastic start to he league season, though 29 extras (including 22 wides) is without doubt something to work on at training and in games to come!

Many thanks to Breadalbane for their efforts to make play possible in the damp weather.