Scorecard

Match Report Clackmannan County first eleven travel led to Edinburgh to play Stewart's Melville Royal High 2 on an overcast day which matched the ones end of season mood. Batting first the Clackmannan side opened with captain Scott Malcolmson and young Graham Oliver. Malcolmson was dismissed in the fifth over for thirteen with the score on 21. Graham Oliver was caught off the bowling of Mitchell three overs later for eight. The score had reached 35 in the tenth over when Ross Murray edged a ball to the keeper to retire from the fray with two runs to his name. Alan Oliver who had replaced his brother at the crease opened his account in good style scoring a four. His partner at the other end Neil Ramsay closed his account with a four, then spooned a catch to cover, the bats fault apparently, Ramsay caught Knight, bowled Mitchell 5. Zahid Hussain joined Oliver and these two attempted to stabilise the innings taking the score to 60 in the 19th over before Hussain was caught by Ferguson off Butcher for 4. Gordon McNee joined Oliver and his experience soon showed as the pair took the score to 88. Unfortunately for Clackmannan both Oliver and McNee succumbed to the SMRH attack on this score. Firstly Oliver caught Kane bowled Knight for a well tempered 25, then "McNee" bowled Butcher for 18. Kash Ali and Matthew Booth changed the Clackmannan approach to the game going for the big hit. Ali's innings bringing fear and trembling to the stumps as they suffered one near miss after the other until eventually being cast asunder by a ball from Knight. Ali bowled Knight for 6. Booth showed his appreciation as a coach for batting in phases by getting off the mark with a six hit, his hard hitting cameo innings producing 14 runs before he was caught by Rennie off Mitchell. Twelve year old Dan Smith was removed without scoring leaving Ronnie Stokes not out on no score. The Clackmannan total 109 all out in 43.1 overs and, not for the first time this season, giving their bowlers a huge mountain to climb given the small size of the outfield. The Clackmannan bowling attack opened with Neil Ramsay and Alan Oliver as captain Malcolmson showed the team who was boss. The experience of the SMRH opening batsmen Farquharson and Foubister initially kept in check but by the time Oliver was replaced Matthew Booth in the 8th over the score had moved to 40 and Clackmannan were in trouble. Booth eventually had Faquharson well caught by Graham Oliver at cover for 41 with the score on 76. Booth was replaced by Graham Oliver but it was Zahid Hussain who took the next wicket, Foubister bowled for 28 with the score on 93. With the scores tied captain Malcolmson, selflessly brought himself on to bowl, the winning run being scored off his first ball, a bye. SMRH 110 for 2 wickets 22.1 overs. Clackmannan play Marchmont at Doune next week, the best prospect being that the side will recover the scorebook and bag they left at Marchmont earlier in the season.