Scorecard

After overnight rain the game was played on the artificial wicket. SMRH batted first and got off to a steady start. the first wicket fell in the sixth over Andrew Keith neatly stumped by George Pullan off Paul Nash. SMRH batted sensibly blocking the good ball and hitting the bad, which paid off for the team with only two of the top seven batsmen failing to make doulbe figures. The Clackmannan Bowlers stuck to their task but an absence of quick bowlers gave captain Mike Nash problems in providing variety in the bowling attack. Best of the bowlers was Zahid Rasul 1 for 31 in 12 overs. This was all the more commendable since he was playing in his first league game ever. Graham Oliver bowled well, the youngster's ability to pin down batsmen with his spin bowling at senior level must be one of the reasons for his selection at under 12 Scotland level. Paul Nash bowled well and with a bit more luck in the catching department could have had a few more wickets. A solid performance from SMRH scoring 164 for 7 in 47 overs. Top scorer for the visitors Rory Thompson with 45. The extra 2 overs brought ten runs would this be crucial in the final result?

The Clackmannnan innings started with old stagers Neil Tranter and Mike Nash at the crease facing SMRH's opening quick bowlers. The first wicket fell in the eleventh over when Mike was caught behind off Napier for 7. The score book confirmed that the run rate for both innings at the eleventh over was only one run different in favour of the visitors. The visiting bowlers kept up an accurate attack leaving Neil Tranter and George Pullan to pick off runs where they could.The comparison of run rate by the twentieth over was still only one run adrift but Clackmannan had lost one more wicket, both Pullan and Tranter were gone. Ian Davies was batting well and pushed the score along until he was stumped of Ernie Wilkins for 17. Ernie was to play a crucial part in the final result, not for the first time in his long career. His intelligent and accurate bowling slowed the Clackmannan run rate, so that by the time Bob Ramsay was caught mistiming a slower ball in the 35 th over the Clackmannan run rate had dropped to 13 behind. Paul Nash and Alan Oliver did their best to repair the damage but the accuracy of the SMRH attack made this a difficult proposition. Alan went for 5, bowled by Ernie using the oldsters massive experience. Zahid Rasul came to the crease and saw out the final three overs, while he batted with urgency, by this time the die was cast. At the end of the 43 rd over Clackmannan had made 127 for 6. SMRH due to their greater run rate achieved the winning draw. However since Clackmannan had made more than 75% of the visitors score they gained an extra 2 points. The final points tally SMRH 15 Clackmannan 8. At a time when wins are needed to keep the team in division six this gallant effort was unfortunately not enough. Every match from now is important to the teams survival in this division.