Cricket: Kilmarnock Cricket Club get off to impressive start

Jul 3 2009 by Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

KILMARNOCK had an impressive start to the second half of their season as they gained a winning draw against GHK at Kirkstyle.

Looking to bounce back from a few poor performances, the home side were by far the better team on a day where a couple of key moments stopped them from gaining the full 25 points.

Having won the toss, stand in captain Tom McFadzean decided that he wanted to bat first on a very flat wicket.

Killie made steady progress in the first half of their innings by reaching 110 for one after 25 overs, with Alun Johnstone (38) and Mohammed Alem (55) both looking in fine form once again.

The pair put on 116 for the second wicket before the home-side collapsed from 137 for one to 146 for five.

GHK bowlers Simon Newman (3 for 50) and G Fairhurst (3 for 51) at one point looked like they were taking the game away from Killie but 33 from McFadzean and 31 from Zubeer Pasha steered the hosts to 233 for seven from their allocated overs to gain maximum batting points.

The GHK innings got off to a horrible start as the Killie opening bowlers Zubeer Pasha (2 for 42) and Abass (2 for 28) ripped the top order to pieces.

A small partnership of 24 for the fifth wicket was soon broken by Alun Johnstone (1 for 24) as Killie looked on course for victory having reduced the visitors to 45 for 5.

However I Thomson (36) and P Chilkuri (73) then added 112 for the sixth wicket from 25 overs to take away the chance of Killie bowling GHK out.

Thomson should have been out in the 36th over, caught behind off Pasha, but he refused to walk and the young GHK umpire claimed not to have heard anything leaving the Kilmarnock players bemused.

As the pair fell in the final couple of overs and the GHK tail was exposed it was clear that if the partnership had been broken earlier Killie could have easily bowled them out.

A couple of sharp stumpings from Mark Colman helped Mohammed Alem record figures of 3 for 42 and cap off another impressive all round performance.

This week the 1st XI travel to Shawholm to play a team they comfortably beat in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

The 2nd XI had a less than enjoyable game away at Moorcroft on Saturday. Having been asked to bat first Kirkstyle posted their highest total of the season so far as Juliad (54), Saleem (50) and Paul Ruddock (46) all chipped in to lead them to 238 all out from their 50 overs.

This total should have been closer to the 300 mark as the running between the wickets really let the away-side down.

In response Moorcroft strolled to their target by hitting 240 for 3 from just 40 overs as the Kirkstyle bowlers struggled for rhythm.

Kirkstyle welcome Cavaliers to their ground this Saturday in a bid to capitalise on the positives they have taken from this weekend’s game.

The Under 15s made it four wins out of six, and the most wins in a season for a number of years with a very good victory over a useful looking Drumpellier side.

Drumpellier batted first and scored 90 for 7 when at one point they looked like they would score over 100.

The standout bowlers were Chris Marshman (4 for 25) who bowled with real pace, Vish Patel (2 for 29) and Oliver Raine who only conceded 15 from 5 overs and is the only bowler not to bowl a wide or no ball so far this season.

Mohammed Azeem continued his excellent form with the bat with a sparkling 48 not out, while Marshman hit a quick fire 18. The runs were scored in only 15 overs as the juniors continue their impressive all round displays.

Kilmarnock 233 for 7 (20 pts)

GHK Strathclyde 170 for 8 (6 pts)