Going gets tough for Ayr Cricket Club

Jul 18 2008

AYR CRICKET Club again found life tough as they crashed by seven wickets away to Uddingston.

Put into bat on a damp wicket due to heavy overnight rain, Ayr struggled to 151 all out in the last over with openers Matt Horne and Andi McElnea top scoring with 35 and 32.

With the wicket drying out, batting became much easier during the Uddingston innings and the home team reached their target at 152-3 with 15 overs to spare. Shazad Rafiq was top bowler taking 3-36.

The Cambusdoon XI lost at home to Victoria on Saturday. The visitors batted first scoring 303-8 with Derek Cooper top bowler on 3-62. In reply, the young home team struggled to keep up with the required run rate and were bowled out for 143, David Johnstone top scoring with 33.

On Sunday in the Strathclyde League, they lost at home to Weirs. Batting first, Cambusdoon scored 163-9, Ross Mitchell top scoring with 51. In reply, Weirs reached their total for the loss of six wickets, Shazad Rafiq taking 3-22.

During the week, several juniors took part in the under 15 area competition for Ayrshire and had victories against Glasgow North and Dumfries and Galloway in two of their matches played at Cambusdoon.

This weekend sees Ayr away to Ferguslie and the Cambusdoon XI at home to Bothwell.

Another horror batting display has left MGM Prestwick rooted fourth bottom of the Second Division, only six points ahead of second bottom Weirs.

Despite a gritty 92 not out from Sri Lankan pro Dhanuka Pathirana who batted for 50 overs, Prestwick crumbled to 156 all out at home to Renfrew. The only other players to hit double figures were Alex Bonner (16) and David Carlyle (13). The visitors eased to victory at 158-5 with more than nine overs to spare.

Skipper Fraser Macdonald, who was forced to open the bowling with 2nd X1 skipper Phil Stafford, claimed: “Unavailability of players is killing us. We had five enforced changes and were three bowlers down with Willie Rowan, Gavin Pitt and Mark Morrison all missing.

“At one stage, we were on for making 175 which would have given us a chance but the young lads were hit by some silly dismissals at the end with a stumping and a run-out. Not being able to play the same team two weeks in a row is definitely hurting us.”

The 2nd X1 lost by eight runs at home to Kelburne seconds on Sunday. Kelburne were dismissed for 166 with Calum Rodger taking 5-43 off 15 overs and his brother Fraser 3-14 off five overs.

In reply, Prestwick recovered from 27-5 to 158 all out thanks to a good partnership between Jim Johnstone (66) and Fraser Rodger (36).

The under 15s crushed Ayr in a derby at Cambusdoon last Wednesday. Ross Patterson scored 37 as Prestwick ran up 117-6. Ayr replied at 70-5 with Alan McDonald taking 2-14.

The under 18s were set for a big game on Wednesday evening as they continue their defence of the Frank Smith Trophy with a trip to face Ayr.

Fixtures: Friday: U18s v West of Scotland (h); Saturday: 1st X1 v Falkland (a); 2nd X1 v Active Life Club (h); Sunday: 3rd X1 v Helensburgh (h); Monday: U18s v Clydesdale (a).