Clackmannan County Cricket Club

By Greig Taylor

For the first time this season, Clackmannan County first team finished a game at the Arns although the result was not the one intended for the home side. Musselburgh won the toss and elected to bat. Musselburgh started off in good fashion, racing to 48 for no loss in the 11th over, with the openers defending the good ball and dispatching the bad ball. Tucker constructed a well made 48 before top-edging Noor Jhangir. Number 4 batsmen, Delly, scored a handy 47 before he departed to a good catch by Ken Hutchison at mid-wicket off Craig Black. The run rate was slowing up, mainly due to the tight bowling by Jhangir, Black and Tippu Sultan, and Musselburgh looked unlikely to pass the 200 mark. However, young batsman, Tufal had other ideas and took the attack to the home bowlers scoring a magnificent 41 not out and thus allowing his side to surpass the elusive total that they were so desperately looking for. Musselburgh ended on 212 for 7 after their 50 overs and a score that many of the stalwarts, including the grounds-man, thought was 40 runs short of a good score. Some good performances with the ball, Black (1 for 27) and Sultan (2 for 32), aided by some good fielding made sure that the batsmen had a gettable target.
With the sun baking the pitch, the Clackmannan side thought this target was well within their reach as the pitch was just getting better for batting. Clackmannan opened with Graeme Anderson and Geoff Logan, the latter being out for a duck in the 2nd over. This rocked the home side and a partnership was needed by the skipper and number 3 batsmen, Craig Black. The two began to feel comfortable at the crease until Black hit a ball back at the bowler, who seemed to catch it, drop it, lunge for it and then drop it again and in normal circumstances the batsman would not have been out. However, Black placed his bat under his arm and walked off. Anderson and his new partner, Ken Hutchison seemed to negotiate their way to 48 until Hutchison was caught at point as the fielder clung onto a ball that was slapped straight at him. A foot either side and the fielder had no chance. Tippu Sultan came to the crease and left 3 balls later after a ball nipped through his defence and knocked over the off stump. Noor Jhangir (20) then joined his captain and despatched a few balls in a brisk knock. Greig Taylor entered the fray and immediately set out to stay as long as possible, since 33 overs were still to be bowled. Unfortunately, the end of the home side run chase came when the captain played a shot and the ball took a leading edge as the slower pace did for the batsmen. A solid knock of 34 for the captain was the only figure of note in the home side innings. Taylor along with Graham Fraser, Riswan Ashraf and Matthew Booth saw the side to 97 until last man out, Booth, chipped the ball back to the bowler Bitardurni, for his third wicket in the same over. Taylor remained on 11 not out with Clackmannan finishing on 97. All in all a poor batting performance by the home side led to their demise. I think it can be said that Clackmannan were outplayed in every section of the game as Musselburgh showed a good team spirit, combined with individual performances that assured them of a well earned 20 points.Clackmannan travel to Edinburgh next week, to play Holy Cross in a match where the County side will try to get into their winning ways.

Match Report
Clackmannan County 1st XI v Musselburgh 1st XI
Click here to view scorecard
Date 24/5/2008	Venue The Arns	Result CCCC lost	Weather dry, windy
By Greig Taylor For the first time this season, Clackmannan County first team finished a game at the Arns although the result was not the one intended for the home side. Musselburgh won the toss and elected to bat. Musselburgh started off in good fashion, racing to 48 for no loss in the 11th over, with the openers defending the good ball and dispatching the bad ball. Tucker constructed a well made 48 before top-edging Noor Jhangir. Number 4 batsmen, Delly, scored a handy 47 before he departed to a good catch by Ken Hutchison at mid-wicket off Craig Black. The run rate was slowing up, mainly due to the tight bowling by Jhangir, Black and Tippu Sultan, and Musselburgh looked unlikely to pass the 200 mark. However, young batsman, Tufal had other ideas and took the attack to the home bowlers scoring a magnificent 41 not out and thus allowing his side to surpass the elusive total that they were so desperately looking for. Musselburgh ended on 212 for 7 after their 50 overs and a score that many of the stalwarts, including the grounds-man, thought was 40 runs short of a good score. Some good performances with the ball, Black (1 for 27) and Sultan (2 for 32), aided by some good fielding made sure that the batsmen had a gettable target. With the sun baking the pitch, the Clackmannan side thought this target was well within their reach as the pitch was just getting better for batting. Clackmannan opened with Graeme Anderson and Geoff Logan, the latter being out for a duck in the 2nd over. This rocked the home side and a partnership was needed by the skipper and number 3 batsmen, Craig Black. The two began to feel comfortable at the crease until Black hit a ball back at the bowler, who seemed to catch it, drop it, lunge for it and then drop it again and in normal circumstances the batsman would not have been out. However, Black placed his bat under his arm and walked off. Anderson and his new partner, Ken Hutchison seemed to negotiate their way to 48 until Hutchison was caught at point as the fielder clung onto a ball that was slapped straight at him. A foot either side and the fielder had no chance. Tippu Sultan came to the crease and left 3 balls later after a ball nipped through his defence and knocked over the off stump. Noor Jhangir (20) then joined his captain and despatched a few balls in a brisk knock. Greig Taylor entered the fray and immediately set out to stay as long as possible, since 33 overs were still to be bowled. Unfortunately, the end of the home side run chase came when the captain played a shot and the ball took a leading edge as the slower pace did for the batsmen. A solid knock of 34 for the captain was the only figure of note in the home side innings. Taylor along with Graham Fraser, Riswan Ashraf and Matthew Booth saw the side to 97 until last man out, Booth, chipped the ball back to the bowler Bitardurni, for his third wicket in the same over. Taylor remained on 11 not out with Clackmannan finishing on 97. All in all a poor batting performance by the home side led to their demise. I think it can be said that Clackmannan were outplayed in every section of the game as Musselburgh showed a good team spirit, combined with individual performances that assured them of a well earned 20 points.Clackmannan travel to Edinburgh next week, to play Holy Cross in a match where the County side will try to get into their winning ways.