In their first venture into the WDCU Sunday League Division Two, comprising six clubs, Galloway almost pulled off a miraculous victory when defending a modest total at the Gatehouse of Fleet cricket ground on Sunday. The visitors Clydesdale had several nervy moments before clinching a one-wicket win.
Galloway, kindly sponsored by Sino Campus of Borgue, were captained by Andy Naylor who chose to bat first on another warm afternoon. A solid opening pairing of Howie Bradley, who was top scorer with 18, and Mark Platts (five) each lasted 34 balls.
Runs continued to be accumulated gradually once they were dismissed, though batting was never easy on a pitch which offered turn for the youthful Clydesdale spinners. Callum Sinclair scored six, Johnny Adams three and Andrew Marsay two, before Logan Thorburn unluckily went for a duck to a sharply turning off break.
Kelly Rees happily scored her first run in male competitive cricket then succumbed to the opening bowler Patil. At 53-7 a one-sided early finish looked likely. Andy Naylor and Paul Lindsay featured in a stand of 29, the biggest of the match, and despite twins Kestrel and Autumn Platts not getting off the mark Galloway had a respectable total on the board at tea.
Curiously the Clydesdale openers also faced the same number of deliveries as each other (22) for less reward. Howie Bradley trapped Rashid LBW for six, and in the final over of his first spell Mark Platts bowled Karthigayan for 11 and had Vajrala LBW for no score.
Although Manzoor hit three boundaries in a Marsay over to take Clydesdale to 50-3 the change bowlers began to exert control, and two quick wickets from Paul Lindsay, both bowled, made the score 52-5.
When Manzoor had reached 36 and reduced the target to 16, Autumn Platts was given an over, and obligingly removed him with her first delivery in senior cricket when he was stumped by Naylor, who stood up to the stumps throughout the innings. Autumn’s accuracy and good length bode well for future summers.
Sensing a win might not be impossible, the skipper brought Mark Platts back into the attack for his final two overs, and he held a low return catch to dismiss the younger Venkatasen. Either side of that Andrew Marsay hit the stumps twice to remove the senior Rashid and Venkatasen. At 74-9 it was game on.
Bradley and Lindsay made Clydesdale work for the remaining runs, and a few airborne shots including the winning one dropped agonisingly just out of the fielder’s reach. To generate such a close finish was a great team effort from Galloway.
Player of the match for Galloway was Mark Platts for a battling innings and eight superbly accurate overs.
Galloway Sunday XI 84 (31.2 overs) H Bradley 18, A Naylor 16, P Lindsay 13
Clydesdale 85-9 (30.4 overs) M Platts 3-13, A Marsay 2-21, P Lindsay 2-21, H Bradley 1-22, A Platts 1-3