By Craig Black

The Clackmannan Cougars travelled through to Scroggie Park to take on the Falkland Falcons 2nd X1 and ended up as the losing side in a classic nail biter that went right to the wire.
Clackmannan won the toss and skipper Craig Black decided to bat first on a lively wicket with the hope that rain would arrive later on in the day, which it didn’t. Davie Watkins (7) and Dan Smith (29) opened proceedings and took the score to 23 in the 11th over before the former edged to slip off the bowling of Watson. Smith and Black settled down quickly afterwards, playing some lovely shots all around the ground to push the score up to 73 after 19 before Smith popped a simple caught and bowled back to Morris. Graeme Anderson (21) and Black continued unfazed and another solid partnership took hold with both looking to push on to a big score. Anderson departed for 21 after drilling a shot straight to point off the bowling of Saffraz and Black followed 5 overs later for 80 when he was stumped off the bowling of Meikle, to leave the score on 159 for 4 after 37overs. A large score looked to be on the cards but 2 quick wickets left Clackmannan having to bat out the overs rather than attack. Alan Oliver (10*) and Rizwan Ashraf (12*) batted well and helped push the score up to 199 for 7 with some excellent running between the wickets.
Rizwan Ashraf and Keith Hefer opened the bowling for Clackmannan and soon had Falkland on the back foot as each clean bowled the one of the openers, Meikle and Gallagher, to leave the home side on 16 for 2. Hepburn and Kondandaram, however, managed to restore stability to the home side innings with an excellent 127 run partnership which Black threw everything at (including the so-called illegal ESCA Readers ball. Whit! I don't think so, someone needs to check the ESCA preseason meeting instructions - Webmaster ) in an effort to break. Ashraf eventually made the break through when Watkins took one of the catches of the season at cow corner, to remove Kondandaram for 61. Hepburn was next to go a few overs later when he skied a low full toss off Alan Oliver to Gordon Oliver at short fine leg. When Lindsay was trapped for 0 by Anderson in the next over, Clackmannan were suddenly right back in with a shout as Falkand were now 156 for 5. 4 runs later and Bell chipped a simple catch to Anderson at mid wicket off Oliver to leave them on 160 for 6. Watson was the next to go after Hefer fielded well in the covers and ran him out for 10 with the score on 176 for 7. Saffraz helped push the score to 193, including a huge six off Hefer which looked to have broken the hearts of the Clackmannan contingent; however Ashraf had other ideas and dismissed him when Taylor took a good catch behind the stumps. Morris was then clean bowled for 10 by Hefer to leave the game on a knife-edge, with 5 to win and 1 wicket remaining. Unfortunately, a couple of misfields helped Falkland home, eventually winning the game with 9 balls to spare.
It was a tough cookie for the Cougars to swallow as they felt a little hard done by with the result. Next week sees the Cougars host MFDAFS at the Arns, and we will be looking to continue with our march for promotion. What goes around comes around and we look forward to hosting Falkland at the Arns later on in the season, hopefully they will bring an additional supply of crickets bats and scorers.