Croma Vigilant Dumfries suffered a second defeat on the bounce in Ayrshire when they lost by 4 wickets to Prestwick despite finding themselves in several promising positions during the match.
Croma Vigilant Dumfries 195/9 v KPM Residential Prestwick 196/6
The visitors once again won the toss and elected to bat. Tom McBride and David Carlton were able to set an early platform with some patient batting seeing off the pace attack with ease.
The openers were able to bat beyond drinks and McBride was able to get the 3rd Croma Vigilant Dumfries half century of the season. With the pitch deteriorating at a quick rate, the Prestwick spinners started to gain a foothold in the game. Carlton was the first man to go after getting dropped twice earlier in the innings for 36 getting caught and bowled by Sachin Chaudhary with the scores at 104-1 after 28 overs.
The experienced Chaudhary got the big wicket of McBride for 61 when he played one on to the stumps. Forsyth straight off his fifty against Ayr last week looked confident getting off the mark with a crashing six over mid-off but got caught out trying to do the same shot again to depart for 8 off the bowling of Mitchell Rao. With the visitors now on 119-3.
It was a feeling of déju vu for the away side after having a solid start in the previous game against Ayr before succumbing to the spin bowling. The wicket having turned incredibly lively played into the spin heavy Prestwick attack. Rao after being very expensive early on, became lethal once he got his eye in on a dream wicket for spinners, going 3-10 in his second spell after going for 27 earlier on.
He took apart the middle order of Beveridge and Bellwood for 8 and 14 respectively completely turning the game on its head with the scores at 146-5.
Boundaries became hard to come by and wickets continued to tumble with Telfer and Corbett-Byers both departing for only one. Niall Alexander tried to continue his good form from the previous week with some quick running with Alan Davidson but got bowled by Patterson for 16 as the potential for a big total slipped away even further.
Davidson and McCutcheon were able to help push the total closer as McCutcheon was able to hit a couple of boundaries but got bowled by the returning opener Rowan. Davidson and Stuart Alexander were able to bat out the overs to finish the Croma Vigilant Dumfries innings on 195-9. Which when they were threatening 250 after 30 overs must come as a serious disappointment.
Croma Vigilant Dumfries needed to get an early breakthrough, with the matchball sponsored by JB Houstons butchers, to put themselves in with a chance of winning and were able to do so when Beveridge struck with the fourth ball of his spell getting the captain Rafiq out for 15 and Prestwick on 27-1.
Prestwick seemed to be more comfortable with the pitch with the lack of spin options for the visitors meant that they had to resort to less frequent bowling options. Opening Batsman Tom McBride came on and bowled 4 overs of off spin for 17 runs, but the Prestwick were able to put on a solid partnership of MacDonald and Jawad with some patient batting.
Chris McCutcheon bowling spin instead of seam bowling was able to break the sixty run partnership by getting Jawad caught by Cameron Telfer with the home side on 82. There was more joy as McCutcheon was able to bowled MacDonald out straight after he got his fifty helping to put some pressure on Prestwick.
The partnership of Chaudhary and Fleet were able to grind out another 40 runs to take the game back into their favour. Chaudhary went off a diving catch by Niall Alexander off the bowling of Beveridge.
Fleet batted very solid pushing the agenda and taking the game away from Croma Vigilant Dumfries, Beveridge was able to get two consolation wickets of Carlyle and Patterson in his final over to give him figures of 4-35 off ten overs but with the lack of spinners being crucial it was the impressive batting of Fleet to win the game off a six with 4 wickets in hand and 6 overs to spare to succumb Croma Vigilant Dumfries to a second straight loss which felt so very similar to last week’s loss at Ayr.
It doesn’t get easier as they have unbeaten Champions Clydesdale visiting Nunholm next Saturday.
Photo:
Croma Vigilant Dumfries v Prestwick – Beveridge picks up 4 wickets
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