Carlton capture the 2008 Murgitroyd Twenty20 Cup
Grange Loan was looking in wonderful condition as it hosted the 2008 Murgitroyd Cup Final which had to be postponed last August due to torrential rain. Fortunately although overhead conditions at the start were overcast there was no sign of rain.
Gowtham Rai the new Dunfermline skipper won the toss and elected to bat which was about the only thing that went right for the Knights. Cedric English opened the attack for the home side and in his first over he clean bowled Rai, and his partner Mo Afzal did a repeat act with his first over and Dunfermline were in trouble at 6 for 2. Afzal then in his second over he captured the prize wicket of Vassu Reddy, 12 for 3.
Roger Barnes who had come in at four with the aid of David Hinds took the score to 19 before English clean bowled Hinds and five runs later David Miller departed in similar fashion. It was left to Barnes and Yasir Arfat to get the Knights out of trouble and with some hard hitting including one six which was caught on the boundary by Scottish Cricket CEO Roddy Smith they took the score to 60 before Barnes was trapped in front by Tom Clarke having made 27 which included two sixes. Yasir Arfat continued to take the attack to Carlton and he top scored for Dunfermline with 36.
The Knights finished with 92 on the board with nine wickets down.
If the Knights were to capture the inaugural final they would need quick wickets. They got them as the top three Carlton batsmen with 186 international caps to their credit were back in the clubhouse with only 13 runs on the board. Skipper Jamie Kerr and Fraser Watts falling to catches behind and Cedric English clean bowled by Yasir Arfat.
There scent of victory was short lived as veteran Bryn Lockie and Stevie Gilmour fresh from a winter down under saw the home side to victory with just under four overs to spare. Gilmour finishing on 44 not out from 35 deliveries and Lockie playing the anchor role with 23 to his credit.
Scottish Cricket Chairman Keith Oliver presented the trophy to a happy Jamie Kerr in front of a jubilant home support
