Royal London ECB under 15 County Cup
Scotland v Durham CCC at Myreside on Thursday 17th July 2018 [Scorecard]
Scotland recorded an important win against undefeated Durham at Myreside. The visitors elected to bat but failed to post much of a total on a challenging surface.
Batsmen got in with painstaking application only to then succumb to threatening bowling from both the Scots seam & spin attack. Unsworth, the Durham captain flourished for 30 runs until he fell to left armer Charlie Peet. Charlie turned in figures of 2 for 16 in 10 overs while Aayush Dasmahapatra’s legspin proved too difficult for the visiting batsmen as hew snared 4 wickets for only 11 runs.
The modest run chase was not without difficulties as like their opponents Scots batsmen got in and got out! Skipper David Sturgess scored a watchful 21, Aayush Dasmahapatra 26 And Sam Elstone an attractive 36 but wicket fell at steady intervals until Charlie Peet came together with Lyle Robertson and the pair finished the match with a 24 run stand overtaking Durham’s 159 for the loss of 6 wickets.
Generally, the home side fielded well but too many soft dismissals from the batters and too many wides from the bowlers leaves the boys with work to do.
Royal London ECB under 15 County Cup
Scotland v Northumberland CCC at Myreside on Monday 23rd July 2018 [Scorecard]
Scotland’s winning run continued with a comfortable victory over Northumberland. The visitors batted first and failed to set a challenging total. They were all out for a pedestrian 128 in 46 overs. Having lost early wickets their progress was slow as they tried set a platform but wickets fell at regular intervals.
Lewis Robinson did most damage by returning figures of 5 for 29 from 9 overs, while Jamie Cairns left arm spin in the middle overs yielded only 7 runs from 10 overs. At the top of the innings Murray Johnson bowled both opening batsmen. Only captain Johnson registered a significant run tally with 34 not out.
Scotland’s run chase was not without alarms when they conceded two early wickets but an attractive 56 not out form Danial Salmond saw the host through with the loss of 4 wickets in 30 overs. His timed drives entertained those watching the match.
Again, the Scots fielding was good with regulation catches taken safely. Although there was no scoreboard pressure on the batsmen in the run chase & the target was achieved in 30 overs a bit of work on rotation of the strike will be required if faced with higher targets.
Royal London ECB under 15 County Cup
Scotland v Cumbria CCC at Prestwick Oval on Friday 27th July 2018 [Scorecard]
Scotland held their nerve in the field to win a tight match at Prestwick. In front of a sizable crowd the home side defended an under par 217 runs to defeat Cumbria.
Always behind the asking run rate Cumbria had gone into the end phase of the game with wickets in hand. Due to sound field placings they were never able to score at a rate which would have delivered victory & in resorting to lusty lofty blows the Cumbria middle order succumbed to some excellent catches in the outfield. In particular Daniel Salmond took at excellent catch falling forward at dep mid-wicket & the tenth wicket fell to a superb diving catch in cow corner from, man of the match Sam Elstone.
Earlier the home side had squandered a promising situation at 176 fore 4 by suffering four farcical run outs and the innings subsided to 217 all out. Sam Elstone was out in the final over for a stylish 96.
There were useful contributions of 52 from David Sturgess and 31 from Charlie Peet. Pick of the away bowling was spinner B Connor with 2 for 30 off his 10 overs.
For the victors spin prevailed with Rafay Khan returning 3 for 31 & Lyle Robertson 2 for 18.
The Scots now sit on top of Group 1B
