A Chastening Defeat for the 2nd XI

Glenrothes XI welcomed Dundee HSFP XI to the Ramsay Oval at Gilvenbank Park on Saturday for a 30 over friendly.

With summer holidays and other absences hitting the home side hard, it as a very inexperienced team but we were extremely grateful to the visitors for matching the youth-based approach to the game and playing the match in great spirits.

DHSFP batted first and early wickets to Gulawrang Matanai and Subhan Shirzad saw the match well positioned at 24 for 2, but Montgomery coming in at 4 batted well to steady the innings.

With a double breakthrough coming from Rayaan Shahid and Joe Myles just before the half way mark (DHSFP 62 for 4), Montgomery found an excellent partner in Szwekowski. A number of missed chances (from the fielders and umpire) meant the two batters were able to keep the runs going, before Montgomery was to retire for an excellent 50.

A further wicket to 12 year old Wee Joe was just reward for keeping the ball pitched up, then Big Joe chipped in with a wicket also. But from there, Ekanayake came in and looked to hit every ball from the junior players with glee for boundaries - retiring quickly on 31. Young Szwekowski was to steer the rest of the innings home, finishing on an excellent 42 not out from a total of 183 all out.

The second innings was to get off to great start.... for the visitors. Shirzad was caught napping twice in the first over - running out his opening partner Matanai from not listening to the call for an easy single then an ugly swipe on his first ball to be bowled by Saeed.

The young bowling attack for the visitors was impressive, and the home batters struggled to cope as wickets would fall regularly - a combination of pressure from good bowling and batters not playing straight. Wahab Tawheedi was to show some defiance with his 10 and Big Joe stranded on 7 not out with the last wicket falling with the score on 35 in the 21st over.

A very impressive performance from the Dundee HSFP XI and one that showed the home players just how much they need to develop their game to compete. Thanks to DHSFP for their willingness to get the game played and match the standards as best they could.