NEWS

Ones Clinch Thriller On Off Day

Bit shambolic in getting to our meet in time - you know who you are - but the Ones finally made it through to Renfrew Junior Football Club, sorry Renfrew CC, (there were 1000s of them playing six a side when we arrived) by 1145.

After we completed the two hour tour of the world's largest dressing room and nailed the warm up on a "bumpy" outfield Preston lost the toss and Sajid thought we'd have a bowl. And why not seeing as the deck looked a grassy mystery.

Paddy had an off day after tweaking his back at East training the previous night, going for 21 off 4 - giving away runs through cover, straight and through point.

But Mallen from the other end was having a 2007 kinda day... Doing a bit off the deck and that leftie loop confusing the hell out of the batsmen. A couple of nicks went through gully and the Renfrew boys were nasty on anything loose.

Their openers put on 16 with S Raza (formerly of Weirs) scoring 15 of them. Mommsen taking a decent catch running in at mid off to get Mallen the first scalp of the day. He went on to bowl only 7 scoring shots from 7 overs, taking one for 18.

Pallav came on for Paddy and although some fairly ripped through he was on the expensive side again as the Ones continue to NOT be tight when we should be with the ball in hand. Oppo happily rattled on at 4 plus an over and Pallav was taken off after 6, costing 25.

Javed and Fahim put on 40 odd but with Reeves now looking pretty rapid the former looked a bit jumpy at the crease. Pro bowled with some decent heat and induced a nick to leave Renfrew on 55 for 2 off 11 - decent rate but two down. Well held as ever by Skinny.

Fahim (26 off 94 balls was holding up one end) was joined by their genuinely good pro - Ahmed Said, an elegant right hander who, without looking aggressive, scored at well over a run a ball, looking blatantly comfortable against Ryan's pace - a good bit of cricket all round.

Kev came on for Pallav and although again, another RHC bowler went for more than 3 things started to look shaky for Renfrew. Just over three is much healthier than a little over 4!

Cunners took a blinding catch in the deep to rid the scorers of noting dot balls for Fahim who engineered a patient knock of 26 - something for our batsmen to learn from perhaps? Renfrew now 112 for 3 off about 25. Good scalp for the coach!

Reeves then came to the party taking three in 2 overs to leave Renfrew looking nervous. Second one was their pro who was shocked to see his stumps all over the shop thanks to a genuine pea shooter. The only real devil in the deck all day despite its appearance.

Reeves finished with 4 for 40 off ten, the pro taking him for 13 in one over, taking the edge off his figures.

Suddenly they were 127 for 6. Some cultured slapping off Preston saw them edge up to 150 odd before Craigie "Mine's a 3fer" Adams appeared to take 3 for 7 off four.

As the innings drew to a close Preston and Craigie were unlucky to get some big tap off their last wicket pair and Renfrew finished 196 all out off the last ball of the innings, with K Saeed adding a handy 37 including 28 of 29 in the nasty last wicket partnership.... kinda ruining Craig and P's figures into the process.

Boys disappointed at tea with the last few runs, but pluses were no byes for the Skindog despite the surface - wearing a few in the chest to keep them below 200 and Craigie and Reevo with their 7 for 62 between them.

Some dodgy fielding mind so we thought they were 30-40 over the odds, perhaps thanks to some missed catches and a lack of fight in the latter stages.

Great tea upstairs in the world's largest tea room, above aforementioned massive changing facilities and we were off.

Rob and Preston again looked spot on despite some decent bowling with Amin and the quality Raza who was sharpish from the top end. Rob hit a sublime cut and drive but got a snorter nicking off his bails in the 7th over from Raza.

In wandered Kev who looked like a man on a mission, adding 81 with Preston, taking us comfortably though to drinks, P scoring off the last ball to reach a well struck 50. Proper batting here, decent communication, picking the bad ball, working ones and twos, patiently defending anything decent, particularly from Alam the Renfrew spinner.

One of Scotland's genuine cricket characters S Majeed (oppo skipper) had tweaked his back so they might have looked one bowler short as Kev and particularly P were harsh with Shah and Amin, who went at 5 an over. We looked like we were cruising but their pro came on to really ramp up the pressure. He got Kev lbw to leave us 112 for 2 off 30.

Craigie "Mine's a Not out thanks" Adams nicked a couple through the vacant slip area before getting trapped himself for 4 (suddenly we were 118 for 3).

No drama you might think but in fairness to their pro he was bowling very well and was suddenly well supported by the returning Raza. But the oppo scorer pointed out they'd be short of death bowlers if these two bowled out in an attempt to win the game.

Preston was calmness personified throughout, moving serenely to around 65 as others were perishing. He was lethal on anything short with some great flat pulls front of square and through backward point.

Cunners didn't look like he fancied it from the off, having to not play his natural game and gave an easy catch to Alam off Said again to leave him with 3 fer from 8 for very few.

Raza made Reeves look pretty scratchy also - pinning him on the back foot a lot. 6th delivery of his 9th and Reeves finally managed to nick it to their keeper to leave us 145 for 5... with our "tail" woefully out of match practice.

Pallav - not having the best of days hit a soft shot towards cover, called a single and it was never on running himself out for 2.

In fairness Lambie was ill but we needed 50 odd off 11 and he took 11 balls to get Preston the strike. Poor chap was becoming a hate figure for the visitors' scorer I can assure you. 49 needed off 8. Then 44 off 7 and ultimately 39 off 4 - yeah - fair play to Raza and Said for keeping it so tight.

Lambie suddenly sparked into life after some ball by ball stress out in the middle from Renfrew's fielders and Preston out with his textbook. Lambie scored a further 9 off about 9 balls but then ran himself out trying to get P the strike. P meanwhile had moved to high 70's and then decided to take the bull by the horns.

Pro's final over went for 14... and P was smashing him to all parts. With Raza bowled out (10 overs, 3 maidens, 2 for 22) and Said going for an undeserved 36 off his ten... It was down to Alam, Amin and Shah to share the last few.

Skinny hit a four and got off strike but was nearly run out (a direct hit from 6 yards and it would have been over for him). Preston picked ball 47.1 to hit for a huge six over square leg - no slog here - pure leg glance timing. a four, then another six... and a sneaky single to keep strike. 21 off three overs. More of the same and 11 off 2.

Preston brought up his hundred with another six over midwicket, and then hit another massive six for good measure to rap things up! Unbelievable work from the skipper... who, Kev, Rob and Skinny aside, was not really assisted by our other batsman... who looked a bit out of sorts on what was a better than OK deck.

Preston went from 80 to 107 in ten balls, smashing Renfrew to all parts - but no Luke Wright here - all proper cricket shots. Fair play to him... And well done Skinny for a rapid fire combination of hit 2 balls for 5 and then stay off strike with some decent running... and indeed to Lambie for putting some bat on ball eventually, and running well.

Hugely nervous win, 39 needed off 4 but getting there off 3! Another 10 points for RHC but better opposition to come and we won despite bowling fairly poorly on a small ground... and not being patient enough with the bat - trying to force things when shots were clearly not on... and a lot of back foot play when perhaps the front peg might have stood us in better stead.

Special word to a couple of solid Weirs umpires... Messrs Young and Skelton who didn't succumb to some serious appealing from Renfrew. Game played in good spirits and David O'May wins the prize for most entertaining oppo scorer as the finish got tight.

Some words said after the game in our dressing room. We need to buck up. A win is a win but let's not win ugly again. Dunfermline to come on Saturday - at home. So let's not bowl them 13 extras and gift them 2.1 free overs to score from.

MOM - Preston Mommsen - obviously, well done Skip - we owe you one. Shot of the day... Rob More's first boundary.
Catch of the day - Cunners off Kevmeister.

Great work on the new Mclaren CheesIpod on the way home though... as news of the 2s and 3s results filtered through...