The Freak Result versus Freuchie

Glenrothes 2nd XI welcomed Freuchie 2nd XI to Gilvenbank Park on Saturday 4 September for their penultimate Breedon Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union (SPCU) Division 2 fixture in 2021.

With Glenrothes invited to bat first, it was veteran David Snook opening with youngster Joshua McEwan. Unfortunately for McEwan he was soon dismissed as he stepped across a full toss from Kieron Fowler thinking it would be a no-ball, only to be bowled - never assume, just hit it!

This brought fellow Gladiator Karthik Coppisetty to the crease, and he showed his increasing confidence at this level to bat well with Snook. But with just 21 on the board, the second wicket was to fall with Snook (14) walking after edging one behind to keeper Callum Glasgow off the bowling of Andy Creswell.

This was to mark the start of absolute carnage amongst the home batters, but not off the good sort - with the young Freuchie bowling attack showing great determination to blow them away.

First it was to be Ryan McLaughlin to take a memorable hat-trick as three batters looked to launch him long only to hit the ball up for easy catches. Then Michael Sheerin was to get Freuchie's sixth wicket from a similar ploy - Melvin Tomy trying to smack him out of the ground only to get a thick edge to lob a catch to Ross Mearns at gully.

Karthik Coppisetty was to follow shortly after in the exact same fashion for 11 (Mearns taking the catch at gully off the bowling of Michael Bissett this time), and then Bisset bowled the last two batters to see the innings close on 39 all out. Not sure the batters could quite believe how easily they all got themselves out!

It was to be John Booth and Ross Mearns to open the batting for Freuchie, with Snook and home skipper Brian Morris bowling tightly against them. With a couple of very close calls turned down by the umpires then exacerbated by a number of dropped catches also, it was proving to be one of those days to forget for Glenrothes.

Whilst Booth (5*) was finding it tough to get any shots away, Mearns (30*) was willing to free his arms and hit a number of lusty shots to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and it was fitting that he was to hit the winning the boundary in the 17th over.

A day to forget for Glenrothes, but one which many lessons will be learnt. But what a day for the young Freuchie bowling attack, they should be rightly chuffed with their efforts.