Clackmannan County Cricket Club

By Greig Taylor

After a tight finish the week previous, Clackmannan County 2nd XI were looking for a more convincing win this week mainly due to the fact we didn’t have a scoreboard for skipper Nick Bryant-Nicholls to hide behind. NBN won the toss and chose to bowl first, on a firm track with an even layer of grass on the surface.
Clackmannan couldn’t have asked for a better start when the Old Contemptibles opener nibbled at a ball from Blair Campbell but the chance was grassed at first slip. Was this a sign of things to come? Matt Booth, opening from the other end, kept things very tight in his opening spell. The OC boys were playing their shots, and disappointingly for Clackmannan were these chances were just evading the fielders. After plugging away for several overs, NBN brought himself on and made a breakthrough in his second over. At the 20 over stage, OC were sitting at 75-1, and looking to set a big total with wickets in hand at the end stage of the game. However, Clackmannan, not resting on their laurels, suddenly took a couple of wickets, and to which panic set in amongst the visitors. With NBN snipping another two wickets, duly aided by Rich Passe and Ally Band, each sharing one, OC were suddenly sitting at 115 for 5 off 30. The OC tail wagged around, but the fall of regular wickets never allowed them to take advantage of such a solid start. Blair Campbell and Matty Booth, were brought back on and had some fun against tail enders who were looking more to survive than take the attack to the home side, and this showed as OC were bowled out for 160 in 41 overs. A good spirited performance by Clackmannan with the ball, but too many chances were dropped in the field which allowed OC to reach a very defendable total.
One thing any Clackmannan cricketers know is that if you get yourself in at the Arns, runs are easy to score and this is exactly what the regular opening partnership of Richard Passe and Ken Hutchison set out to do. Glad to say, from a home point of view, that they did this and in doing so, moved the score along to 56-1 when Passe was caught trying to go over the top for 27. Dan Smith joined Hutchison at the crease, who by now was playing very nicely, caressing the ball to the boundary more so than bludgeoning it. With drinks being taken at 22 overs, Clackmannan were sitting very pretty at 89-1, but as we know, we never like to make things easy for ourselves and the OC skipper made sure it was going to be an interesting finish as he removed four batsmen in four balls, a sublime effort by any bowler. He removed Hutchison (43), Muktar Ahmed (0), Blair Campbell (0) and last week’s hero Ally Band (0). At the other end, Smith (11) chipped a full toss to midwicket to add to the misery. Suddenly in the space of two overs, Clacks were on the back foot and needed some sensible cricket from the lower order to see through the win that was so richly deserved. At 89 – 6, wicket-keeper Greig Taylor and skipper NBN were at the crease together, and with oodles of overs remaining decided to consolidate and play out the opening bowlers. Not only did they do this, they had also progressed the score along to 130 before Taylor departed for 8. Scott Malcolmson joined his skipper at the crease, and through sheer grit and determination, along with some inspiring running between the wickets the pair knocked off the remaining 30 runs required for a superb victory. NBN finished on 37 not out & Macolmson on 20 not out.
A nervy game of cricket, to say the least, ended in such jubilations as the crowd which had gathered at the Arns (that would be the 1st team then?) combined in rapturous applause for the victorious home side. Next week, Clackmannan play Imaans Edinburgh 3, the team that joined them in promotion last year.

Match Report
Clackmannan County 2nd XI V Old Contemptibles
Click here to view scorecard
Date 15/5/2010	Venue The Arns	Result Win	Weather Sunny
By Greig Taylor After a tight finish the week previous, Clackmannan County 2nd XI were looking for a more convincing win this week mainly due to the fact we didn’t have a scoreboard for skipper Nick Bryant-Nicholls to hide behind. NBN won the toss and chose to bowl first, on a firm track with an even layer of grass on the surface. Clackmannan couldn’t have asked for a better start when the Old Contemptibles opener nibbled at a ball from Blair Campbell but the chance was grassed at first slip. Was this a sign of things to come? Matt Booth, opening from the other end, kept things very tight in his opening spell. The OC boys were playing their shots, and disappointingly for Clackmannan were these chances were just evading the fielders. After plugging away for several overs, NBN brought himself on and made a breakthrough in his second over. At the 20 over stage, OC were sitting at 75-1, and looking to set a big total with wickets in hand at the end stage of the game. However, Clackmannan, not resting on their laurels, suddenly took a couple of wickets, and to which panic set in amongst the visitors. With NBN snipping another two wickets, duly aided by Rich Passe and Ally Band, each sharing one, OC were suddenly sitting at 115 for 5 off 30. The OC tail wagged around, but the fall of regular wickets never allowed them to take advantage of such a solid start. Blair Campbell and Matty Booth, were brought back on and had some fun against tail enders who were looking more to survive than take the attack to the home side, and this showed as OC were bowled out for 160 in 41 overs. A good spirited performance by Clackmannan with the ball, but too many chances were dropped in the field which allowed OC to reach a very defendable total. One thing any Clackmannan cricketers know is that if you get yourself in at the Arns, runs are easy to score and this is exactly what the regular opening partnership of Richard Passe and Ken Hutchison set out to do. Glad to say, from a home point of view, that they did this and in doing so, moved the score along to 56-1 when Passe was caught trying to go over the top for 27. Dan Smith joined Hutchison at the crease, who by now was playing very nicely, caressing the ball to the boundary more so than bludgeoning it. With drinks being taken at 22 overs, Clackmannan were sitting very pretty at 89-1, but as we know, we never like to make things easy for ourselves and the OC skipper made sure it was going to be an interesting finish as he removed four batsmen in four balls, a sublime effort by any bowler. He removed Hutchison (43), Muktar Ahmed (0), Blair Campbell (0) and last week’s hero Ally Band (0). At the other end, Smith (11) chipped a full toss to midwicket to add to the misery. Suddenly in the space of two overs, Clacks were on the back foot and needed some sensible cricket from the lower order to see through the win that was so richly deserved. At 89 – 6, wicket-keeper Greig Taylor and skipper NBN were at the crease together, and with oodles of overs remaining decided to consolidate and play out the opening bowlers. Not only did they do this, they had also progressed the score along to 130 before Taylor departed for 8. Scott Malcolmson joined his skipper at the crease, and through sheer grit and determination, along with some inspiring running between the wickets the pair knocked off the remaining 30 runs required for a superb victory. NBN finished on 37 not out & Macolmson on 20 not out. A nervy game of cricket, to say the least, ended in such jubilations as the crowd which had gathered at the Arns (that would be the 1st team then?) combined in rapturous applause for the victorious home side. Next week, Clackmannan play Imaans Edinburgh 3, the team that joined them in promotion last year.