Glenrothes welcomed a touring Tyne & Wear select XI to Gilvenbank Park on Thursday, for a 35 over friendly.

A negotiated toss saw the visitors bat first, and they got off to a fine start as Rohan and Thorpe batted with ease through the early overs. Rotating the strike and hitting any bad balls to the boundary, it was a surprise to all as Thorpe (16 - runs not age) lobbed up a catch for guest Muhammad Shoaib at mid-on off the bowling of Kevin Le Roux.

The Aussie Ben Litchfield was next to the crease, and he looked to continue his fine tour (two centuries already) and soon found his batting groove. With the first wicket lost after 39 runs after 7 overs, the same was to happen for the second wicket as this time Rohan was bowled by Mayank Sautiyal for an excellent 36 .

A double breakthrough then came just past the 100 mark as Anas Tanveer first claimed the danger man Litchfield (40) caught and bowled, and then bowled Zakhil shortly after - 108 for 4 from 20 overs.

Wigham and Mukal batted well through the mid-innings overs, resting control back to the touring team. Though as they neared their 50 run partnership, the returning Sautiyal was to shift the game back Glens way, bowling Wigham for 31, same for the unfortunate Law first ball and then Mukhal caught for 27 - on his way to claiming four for 31 from his seven overs.

It was left to Pearson and Ahad to see out the final three overs, adding 19 runs as Tyne & Wear XI finished on 184 for 7 from their 35 overs.

Muhammad Tayyiub and Sufyan Ahmed opened the second innings for Glens, facing a well controlled opening spell from Law and Zakhic.

With Ahmed showing his intent to hit out early, it was Law to claim bragging rights as he bowled Ahmed for 15 in the third over. Ben Anderson was next in, showing confidence in stepping up against bowling far higher in standard than typically faced in SPCU Division 3 - a couple of nice shots upped his confidence, perhaps explaining the extravagant drive against a straight ball from Zakhic.

Zakhic was to get his second shortly after as Urvish Patel hit a caught and bowled back to him - Glens 52 for 3 in the 14th over.

This brought guest player Muhammad Shoaib to the crease, though he was to lose his fellow Muhammad as Tayyiub (after striking a big six over mid-wicket) was to head back to the pivvy for 17 as wily veteran Thorpe teased him with a catch.

Mayank Sautiyal brought same calm for a while in partnership with Shoaib, though Thorpe again made the breakthrough bowling Sautiyal for 16 - Glens 91 for 5 in the 19th over.

Anyone's game at this point, so it was up to Qasim Ahmad to play a skipper's innings which has often been missing this season - so he will have been pleased to find some batting form as he soon started nudging singles and hitting any bad balls to the boundary.

Ahmad was not able to go on to the big score he would have wanted, bowled for 31 by the impressive Thorpe. This brought Ben Krzyzanowski to the crease, with Shoaib looking very composed at the other end and Glens requiring 53 from 9 overs for the win.

Shoaib was to bat well, mainly picking off singles and hitting the occasional boundary, though his reassuring chats to young Krzyzanowski were just as powerful. Krzyzanowski had a slightly nervy innings, though a couple of well struck boundaries over mid-on helped push the scoreboard on.

It was fitting though that Shoaib would steer Glens to the win, as he finished on 53 not out as Glens reached their winning target six down with just over fours to go.

An excellent game of cricket which had threatened to be washed out with the gathering storm clouds, though the positivity shown by both teams was spot on throughout. Good feedback on the teas too, so all in can't complain!