Scorecard

Match Report The 2nd XI made the short trip to Charlestown, Fife to play Broomhall. The past three meetings between the two clubs have proved to be close matches with some outstanding personal performances in evidence. With the probability of heavy showers throughout the day and a much changed second team side the scene was set for an interesting game. The interest for the Clackmannan side was heightened since one of their number had a puncture in his car, got lost and did not make it to the game. Clackmannan played with ten men and Captain Jeff Thomas, after winning the toss, decided to field on what looked like being an unpredictable day for cricket. Clackmannan opened the attack with young Alistair Band and Ronnie Stokes. In the first over of the day Band took the first wicket. He bowled Chris Hoffling(0) with a superb delivery striking the top of off-stump. This brought Stuart Glasgow to the crease, however in his next over, fourteen year old Band struck again. Glasgow(0) mistimed the ball from Band which flew to Jeff Thomas who took a blinder of a catch at his feet. Broomhall were 2 wickets down for 6 runs in the 3rd over. Dick joined keeper, Garry Seath and they set about creating a partnership which played a vital role in steadying Broomhall’s ship and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Keen to break the partnership Thomas made several changes to the bowling. By this point the heads of the Clackmannan side had begun to go down, but a piece of excellent fielding from Gordon McNee gave the side a lift. His accurate flick to wicketkeeper Greig Taylor ran out Seath for a well crafted 27. The Broomhall skipper, Liam Doherty now came to the crease to partner, Dick. The South African did not accompany his captain long as Graham Bayes got a ball to shoot through and trap Dick LBW for 23 runs. A well deserved wicket for Bayes who had bowled with his usual consistently. Next Ian Barron joined the fray, however four balls into young Band’s return to the attack he was LBW for zero. Broomhall 65 for 5 in 20 overs. Band’s next victim in his next over was David Goodchild (0) again caught by Thomas. M Ali then joined his skipper and they began to strike the ball to all parts of the ground. Ali eventually fell to Bayes caught by John Brown at deep mid-off for 24. Leg spinner D Hunt then joined the fray and found it difficult to read Bayes deliveries. However, next over it was the skipper who fell to a beautiful ball from Bayes bowled for 35. Doherty had played a gallant innings which made sure they had a defendable score. In the same over Michael Goodchild was run out without facing. A suicidal run to Dan Smith who collected the ball cleanly and threw to Taylor who removed the bails. Auranzeb Alamgir took the last wicket D Hunt bowled middle stump for 4 runs.. All the bowlers bowled well but special mention to Alistair Band who took 4 for 23 and Graham Bayes who took 3 for 46. Not an easy total to overcome on the prevailing weather conditions. , Young wicket-keeper Greig Taylor and skipper Jeff Thomas opened the batting for Clackmannan. First to depart was the youngster bowled by Ali for 1. Ian Davies joined his captain but in the 7th over skipper Thomas was bowled by Doherty for 5. Clackmannan 11 runs for 2 wickets. Graham Bayes was next to the crease, no doubt conscious that in the same game last year he had unfortunately been run out on 98. He and Davies played sensibly taking the score to 22 before Davies was a judged to be LBW for a fighting 10. 40 runs on the board for the 3rd wicket and 22 overs gone. Twelve year old Dan Smith followed his captain’s instructions to play a supporting role to Bayes. Smith stayed at the crease for ten overs and while he only scored 2 runs his gritty and determined innings was just what was required. At that point, the bowler of the day, Alistair Band came into bat; sensible batting from Band gave Bayes the chance to continue on the scoring way. Band was off the glove caught by Seath off Glasgow for 2. For Clackmannan another wicket down, but the score had moved on to 76. Junior Auranzeb Alamgir(1)was run out for the second week in a row after surviving for two overs. John Brown joined Bayes and the score moved on to 81 when Brown was trapped LBW by leg spinner Hunt for 0 runs. Graham Bayes now playing beautifully and Ronnie Stokes took the score up to 99 before Stokes was caught at slip of Ali for 0. The last batsmen Gordon McNee came to the crease with the game in the balance, Bayes, by now was in control of the game hitting boundaries galore of his last six scoring shots five of them crossed the boundary. With four runs needed, the first ball of the 38th over was bowled and batsmen took a risky single, luckily for the Clackmannan side, the bowler slipped and they got home for the run. Two runs to get, the next ball Bayes hit clean over square leg for four runs. Clackmannan 131 for 8 37.2 overs and 20 points for the win. Yet another close game between these two sides, but undoubtedly
The man of the match was Graham Bayes. Bayes missed out on his century against Broomhall at the Arns last year but this was his day, overdue but fully deserved.
Next week the 2nd XI play hosts to Carlton 3rd XI at Doune on Saturday 28th May.