Uddingston cricketers suffer their worst-ever league loss

Jun 19 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

TUNNOCK Uddingston Cricket Club suffered their heaviest-ever Scottish National Cricket League Premier Division defeat on Saturday as Greenock ran out winners by 139 runs.

This defeat puts the Bothwell Castle Policies side down into fifth place, 10 points behind the new league-leaders.

The Glenpark club’s 348-4 total was the highest team total ever posted in SNCL Premier Division history and the fifth best in all divisions.

Facing such a mammoth total, Uddingston looked to overseas professional Ed Cowan, but he was dismissed for a miserly 35 by Tim McIntosh and although Scott Dalgleish and Amir Gul added half-centuries, the Villagers stuttered to a 209-9 total.

Captain Ricky Bawa lost the toss and Greenock elected to take first use of a flat and dry wicket.

Progress was steady but not spectacular, with the first wicket falling to Mark Townson in the 14th over, with the score on 46.

But professional McIntosh was joined by Richard Berrington at the crease and in a record-breaking second wicket partnership of 252 took the score to 298-2 in the 45th over.

McIntosh was then clean-bowled by Paul Hoffmann, but hit 155, including five sixes, and Berrington recorded 118 off just 100 balls before being stumped by Brian Clark off Gavin Bradley’s bowling.

At 303-3 Greenock looked good, and their remaining batsmen piled the pressure on Uddingston.

Faced with a giant task, Bawa’s men went for everything and for a time it was going well, before Cowan was brilliantly held at deep extra cover for 35 out of a total of 57 at the time.

Dalgleish grabbed 55 and Gul recorded 51 not out, but with the remaining batsmen trying to slog their team out of a hopeless situation, wickets fell at regular intervals.

• Before the biggest crowd seen at Bothwell Castle Policies in years, three teams battled for the Tunnock Trophy in Twenty20 cricket-style matches on Sunday.

A star-studded Asian Select, led by Ricky Bawa, lost to the Scottish Saltires with three balls to spare in the opening match.

Paul Hoffmann then led Uddingston Knights to an emphatic victory over Saltires in the final, taking five for eight in just four overs, as Scotland were held to a score of 118, which the home side passed with two overs left.

The popular annual Tunnock’s Seven-a-Side Trophy will be competed for on Sundays, June 20 and July 6.

The competition gives non-cricketers an opportunity to try the game... and there’s still time for a team to take part.

Contact Jim Lockhart on 01698 329176 for details.