Falkland 3s Win the Midweek T20 (10 Aug)

Catching up on a backlog of reports....

Glenrothes 2nd XI made the short trip to Scroggie Park in Falkland on Wednesday 10th August to play Falkland 3rd XI in the Breedon Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union (SPCU) Division 2. This was a rearranged fixture after Falkland were unable to raise a team in the original fixture.

Unfortunately the midweek rush from work meant Glenrothes started their batting with missing players and in a rushed manner also, with Ravi Kiran dismissed first ball of the game. But from there young Karthik Coppisetty and the slightly older Iain Georgeson were able to consolidate with good batting. With Coppisetty dismissed for 16 and Georgeson 21, it was then the turn of teenagers Israq Riahan (10) and Mevin Tomy (11) to take over and both started strongly but soon dismissed by young Hamish Wood in their attempts to up the run rate. Glenrothes finished on 116 all out in the final over.

Unfortunately not many other batters were able to take the bowlers on, though Kevin Le Roux did smack a lovely shot into the trees! But the lack of batting runs, was offset by a profligacy of extras as the Falkland bowlers repeatedly bowled a number of no-balls (both over-stepping with the front-foot over the popping crease and the back-foot cutting the side return crease) and wides - though many were also not given!!!

Le Roux opening the bowling for Glenrothes in the second innings, repeated the start of the match trick by dismissing Paton first ball of the innings, and struck soon enough trapping Collins LBW. Young Paul Crawford (10) and Jamie Forbes (15) consolidated well, but Forbes was to retire hurt after top-edging a ball into his eyebrow - well cared for by Glenrothes supporters to get him off to the hospital and glued up, and all pleased to hear he came through it all generally unscathed.

From there, it was to be Connor Langlands who almost matched his season average of 48 at a higher level with Falkland 2nd XI, retiring on 47 after some big hitting. Young Karthik Coppisetty was to strike twice from there, enticing catches behind to Nic Krzyzanowski as keeper, before Falkland were able to reach their winning target for the loss of 5 overs with 8 overs to go.

Glenrothes will have been disappointed with conceding 20 wides through their bowling innings, though some of those were very tough calls compared to the relative leniency shown in the first innings - a recurring theme, definitely something for the SPCU to consider for next season.