By Alastair Band

After last week’s disappointing defeat, Clackmannan travelled to Calvary Park to face Marchmont. Due to heavy traffic on the Edinburgh bypass , the game started late at 1.45pm. Marchmont won the toss and chose to field on a pitch which looked bowler friendly.
Graeme Anderson and Ken Hutchison opened the batting for the County and notched a partnership of 77 before Anderson (27) was bowled in the 20th over trying to increase the scoring rate.  This brought to the crease “Boom Boom” Alamgir who surprised the team by defending his first 7 balls.  This wasn’t to last as his first scoring shot was a hooked away for 4. At the other end Hutchison brought up his fifty in the 24th over with a well timed cut shot. This partnership was broken when Auranzeb Alamgir was caught playing an indeterminate shot off  Clayton and was gone for 41, the score was 143-2 off 29 overs.   The run rate stayed at a very healthy rate. Next to go was Hutchison for an extremely well played 70 who was bowled by Clayton. Dave Watkins and Rik Odendal continued to push the score along with some big hitting and some well run twos. Watkins scored a well put together 48 however after his wicket fell, wickets began to tumble, even so, a healthy total of 248-9 was achieved, which set a very testing total for the home side to get.
After tea, Clackmannan opened the bowling with new pair Alastair Band and Aurenzeb Alamgir. Zeb picked up the first two wickets from balls which were not his best, to say the least. This left the home side 7-2 and looking very unlikely to get near the County’s score. Alamgir was first to be replaced by Graeme Anderson who bowled well in his first few overs. Band was replaced by Blair Campbell, who bowled well and looked sharp. Anderson broke the partnership, with a pitched up ball that hit the top of off stump. The next two batsmen continued to push the score along without going at an alarming rate. It was only when spin was introduced and the field pushed back that the score increased slightly. When sixteen year old Blair Campbell returned to bowl at the other end for his second spell, the normally calm and retiring Blair got fairly pumped up and he and the batsman were having a running commentary for a few overs, before Campbell sent him packing LBW, plus a few words shortly after. Renwick then brought up his ton for Marchmont, even though he could have been out twice before reaching his ton. He was finally out when attempting a quick single, Band running in from short third man swooped on the ball and threw the stumps down to finally finish off Marchmont’s hopes of victory. Band was brought back onto bowl and in his first over  picked up the two wickets of Venkat and Morris.  The game was finished off shortly thereafter by Nick Bryant-Nichols when he had Ramesh out LBW.
Clackmannan won a hard fought game by 58 runs. Highlights of the day was Hutchison’s 70 and Watkins 48 and with the ball; Band’s 2-21  and Anderson 1-28.
Next Week Clackmannan play host to Corstorphine in a top of the table game in Division 7 at the Arns on Saturday which could well pave the way as to who wins the league this year.