By Graeme Anderson

The Clackmannan first eleven travelled to Dunfermline Carnegie for their Division 4 clash on Saturday, with Carnegie one place above Clackmannan in the league. With rain forecast for later on Clackmannan decided to bat first having won the toss, before things became more difficult.
The wicket played exactly as it looked, with full deliveries going over the batsman’s heads, and moving a foot either way as the ball passed the bat. Openers Graeme Anderson and Geoff Logan found the going hard, and only 25 runs had been scored in the first 10 overs. Anderson (20) fell in the next over, with Logan (11) Craig Black (8) and Gordon Oliver all returning to the pavilion with only 40 runs on the board by the 19th over.
A lot of concentration was needed from the remaining batsmen to make use of the remaining 31 overs. Alan and Graham Oliver set about this task with magnificent determination, as they put on the highest partnership of the season so far, putting on 111 for the 5th wicket. The two rode their luck at times, crashed into each other mid wicket, but managed to put the bad ball away and ran hard between the wickets.
The partnership was eventually broken with 151 on the board in the 42nd over as Graham Oliver (37) departed. Soon afterwards, brother Alan brought up his first half century for the first eleven and celebrated in style. The remaining batsmen supported Alan Oliver (59) well as the innings closed on 194 for the loss of 7 wickets.
Carnegies response got off to a solid start moving quickly to 22 from the first 5 overs, with the ball flying past the edge of the bat. Clackmannan’s opening pair of Craig Black and Tippu Sultan were enjoying the erratic bounce the pitch produced. Sultan struck with the last ball of the 6th over as he bowled one of the opening batsmen.
The innings was now 8 overs old and Carnegie were sitting on 25 for 2. The score moved on to 31 as Black trapped the remaining opening batsmen LBW, followed a few overs later by another Sultan wicket. This time the ball of the day, his trademark off cutter, bowled at pace had the batsmen leaving the ball alone, nipped back hit the pads and then clattered into off stump.
By the 15th over Carnegie had made their way to 51 with 4 wickets down, as Ashraf replaced Black. Wickets then fell at regular intervals as Ashraf bowled the oppositions number 5 batsmen, who was looking dangerous. The next over from Sultan produced an edge to wicketkeeper Geoff Logan, which was gladly accepted. A fine catch at silly mid on by James Couper gave Ashraf another wicket. And the final over of Sultans spell produced a double wicket maiden leaving him with figures of 10 overs, 1 maiden, 18 runs for 6 wickets. A truly outstanding performance.
Ashraf was unable to claim the remaining wicket from his next over which meant that Matthew Booth was introduced into the attack. A good Yorker on the last ball of the over got the final wicket as Carnegie were all out for 59 from 22 overs.
A good response from the team after the disappointing defeat last week. Next Saturday it’s Largo II at the Arns!