Gala maintained their position at the top of the Border League with a five-wicket win over Hawick at Meigle Park on Saturday.
On asking the Teries to bat, Gala were on top from the start with Scott Paterson and Kris Mein dominating the visiting top order, only William Rodger making any kind of meaningful contribution.
Mein made the first breakthroughs, bowling Greg Baill
ie and inducing an edge from Lahiru Fernando which Duncan Millar took behind the stumps. Scott Paterson was then rewarded for consistently beating the bat when Declan Solley also edged behind to Millar.
Josh Irvine took a great one-handed catch in the slips, low to his left, as Ali Weir drove firmly at Paterson and Andy Lawrie, who replaced Mein, was soon in on the act, having Phil Mactaggart caught at mid-off by Mein. When Allan Moffat steered Paterson to Irvine at third slip Hawick had slumped to 26 for six.
Andrew Johnston joined Rodger and the pair took the score to 41 before Millar caught Rodger to give Paterson his fourth wicket. Johnston and Keith Davies then batted sensibly, with Johnston taking the role of the aggressor, adding 30 runs for the eighth wicket before the returning Mein trapped Davies lbw.
Johnston eventually fell for 35, gloving a Neil Crooks delivery with Millar taking his fourth catch down the leg side. Gregor Mein wrapped up the Hawick innings, bowling Solley as the Teries ended on 98. Josh Irvine and Graeme Ormiston gave the home side a solid start with a partnership of 41 before Ormiston edged Neil Storey to Fernando behind the stumps. Irvine continued his fine form with 32 before he departed with the score on 44 as Moffat took a good catch in the slips.
Kris Mein and Alan Niven took the score to 74 before Davies struck with his first ball, bowling Niven.
Gala carelessly lost two further wickets in reaching the total - Mein was needlessly run out and Crooks pulled Rodger to Davies at square leg, but David Hancock and Andy Lawrie saw Gala home.
Hawick
D. Solley, c Millar b Paterson..........5
G. Baillie, b K Mein.........................3
L. Fernando, c Millar b K Mein........1
W. Rodger, c Millar b Paterson......20
A. Weir, c Irvine b Paterson.............2
P. Mactaggart, c K Mein b Lawrie....2
A. Moffat, c Irvine b Paterson..........0
A. Johnston, c Millar b Crooks......35
K. Davies, lbw b Mein.....................7
N. Storey, not out............................9
P. Solley, b G Mein........................7
Extras..............................................7
Total for 10....................................98
Gala
J. Irvine, c Moffat b Storey.............32
G. Ormiston, c Fernando b Storey...8
A. Niven, b Davies...........................8
K. Mein, run out............................24
N. Crooks, c Davies b Rodger........14
D. Hancock, not out.........................5
A.
