Scorecard

Match Report Clackmannan 2nd XI travelled to Fauldhouse in a bottom of the table clash. On an cloudy and cool day, Alison Ramsay the CCCC 2nd XI skipper won the toss and decided to field. Young Alistair Band opened the bowling and started very well. He was unlucky not to find the edge in a good opening spell. Opening from the other end, Alison Ramsay found it difficult to hold line and length consistently on an undulating pitch. The opening bowlers restricted the home side to only 33 after 10 overs on a very fast and some what uneven outfield. Ramsay then changed things around, bringing on Graeme Bayes and Dan Smith. The two new bowlers bowled steadily but didn’t receive much in the way of help from the fielders, who struggled to get their bodies behind the ball. The lack of commitment in the field proved to be Clackmannan’s downfall. Another bowling changed was needed as Smith completed his allowed spell, fellow junior Blair Campbell joined the attack and bowled tidily with his first over finishing as a maiden. It wasn’t however until the Ronnie Stokes came onto to bowl that Clackmannan picked up their first wicket. With the score on 136 M. Kelly played a lofted drive right down the throat of Bayes at mid-off. J. McClovale joined B Black at the crease and the experienced pair took the score to 180 before McClovale was bowled by Band at the end of his second spell. A well deserved wicket for Band after a gritty performance. R. Doonan joined Black at the crease and played aggressively from the outset. At this point Smith was reintroduced to the attack and quickly claimed the prize wicket of Black for 81, caught on the boundary by Greig Taylor. Doonan then attempted to charge Bayes one time too many and was stumped by Jeff Thomas for 19. The Fauldhouse youngsters continued to play well with F Mahon (23*) and S. Cochrane (1*) batting until the end of the 45 overs.Clackmannan openers Jeff Thomas and Alistair Band began the task of amassing the 239 runs required within 45 overs. Things took a turn for the worse when Band had to retire injured after pulling his groin attempting a quick single. Jeff Thomas continued to play his usual steady innings. Graeme Bayes, who replaced Band at the wicket, struggled against some tight bowling before he was caught at slip off the bowling of Cochrane for 0. Blair Campbell supported Thomas well and added 2 to the board before being caught at slip from the bowling of Clapperton. Thomas departed not long after Campbell having scored a respectable 22. Ronnie Stokes was a couple of balls before being bowled round his legs by a ball that surprised both batsman and bowler! Alison Ramsay, having seen the demise of 2 batting partners followed not long after, attempting to pull the ball before it had reached her, bowled for 4. Greig Taylor joined Gordon McNee at the crease. After some sensible shots from McNee he too mistimed a pull shot, skied the ball and was caught by keeper McClovale for 4. Taylor was next to depart having scored a solid 6 runs, including a well timed pull which went for 4. However, he was bowled next ball attempting to replicate his previous shot! Dan Smith nicked his first ball to the wicketkeeper but, maintained his honest approach to the game by walking, after the umpire hadn’t heard the ball hit the bat. It is nice to see a young player who has the courage to walk in this situation showing him to be a credit to himself and the club. Ross Hepburn in his second game for the seniors walked to the crease to face the hat-trick ball but was not overawed and defended it well. Thirteen year old Harry Sheppard was the last man in and he got off the mark with a well judged run down to fine leg. However, he was dismissed soon after, bowled by McIllduff for one run leaving Hepburn stranded at he non-strikers end on 0. Clackmannan County all out for 52 runs, a disappointing day for the young side. Next Saturdays game is against Broomhall at Doune and starts at 1.30pm.