This summer, Cricket Scotland will run a weekly performance pathway review. The principal objective of this is to develop a greater awareness of our various squads, competitions and showcase the future talent we have in Scotland.
The Western Warriors under-14s boys’ team defeated the Eastern Knights in a thrilling contest on Sunday in Livingston.
In the first regional clash of the summer played at that age grade level, the Warriors batted first and their opening batsmen got them off to a solid start.
Owen Gould made 32 with Bahadar Esakhiel making 36 to open things up brightly and, coming in at number four, skipper Nikhil Koteeswaran joined his Clydesdale team mates in the runs to score 36.
With the Knights giving away 53 extras it meant that the Warriors were able to post a healthy looking 199-7 from their 40 overs.
The Knights began their reply on 10-0 due to penalty runs being incurred by the Warriors and Stewart’s Melville batsman Harry Armstrong was the batsman to really take things to the bowlers.
The opener made 73 not out an was well supported by Euan Keatinge of Carlton who made 49 before falling to Koteeswaran.
In the end the Knights fell nine runs short on 190-6 after a valiant effort, the tight bowling of Ferguslie spin duo Uzair Ahmad and Qasim Khan crucial in the middle overs as the Warriors held on.
Warriors under-14 head coach Tim Hart said: “It was a cracking game of cricket which could have gone either way.
“The boys batted well to get us up to 199, but we thought it was maybe a few runs short and we knew we would have to bowl well.
“The boys stuck to their task well with the ball even when their two batsmen were scoring a few runs and it was pleasing to come out on the right end of the result.”
Last Thursday, May 2 saw the Development teams from the Caledonian Highlanders, the Eastern Knights and the Western Warriors descend on Stirling along with the Scottish Universities team to play in a T20 quadrangular event.
In the morning games the Highlanders defeated the Universities and the Knights got the better of the Warriors.
Batting first, Dundee HSFP’s Majid Rasheed made 44 from 28 balls and Callum Garden, their skipper from ion8 Forfarshire, made 35 as they posted 142-5. University of St Andrews Henry Portman took 3-21.
In reply captain Ben Kempley (St Andrews) led the Universities charge and his superb 65 nearly got his side over the line.
However, Rasheed was on fire to take four wickets with vice-captain David Kidd (Stoneywood-Dyce) also taking four wickets as the Highlanders won by three runs with the students finishing on 139-7.
In the Warriors innings against the Knights, Zaighum Ahmad of Poloc led the way with 45 as they posted 115-8 batting first. RH Corstorphine spinner Calum Clarkson took 2-7 with the ball.
The Knights reply was anchored by Mazars Grange’s Tom Foulds with 49 not out seeing them home by six wickets.
In the second round of fixtures, Haroon Tahir of Ferguslie battled hard for 31 not out from number eight in the batting line-up for the Warriors.
However, no team mate got above 17 and it meant they posted 99 all out against the Universities. Calum Everett (Glasgow Caledonian) and Rivers King (Edinburgh) both took two wickets.
In the reply, 40 from the in-form Kempley and 27 from his St Andrews team mate Shujaa Khan saw the student’s home by six wickets.
The Highlanders batted first against the Knights and 51 off 41 balls from Steven Meikle of Falkland got them off to a great start.
Bryce Carnegie made 24 in the middle order, but good Knights bowling led by 4-14 from Carlton all-rounder Arun Pillai saw them finish on 114 all out.
Pillai’s Carlton team mate Ali Shah made 57 not out off 36 ball in reply as the Knights won by 41 runs via DLS. He was supported by Heriot’s Elnathan Meiri who made 14 not out.
The third round of fixtures was rained off.
