​Back-to back losses for Selkirk cricketers

With 17 wickets falling for 133 runs at Philiphaugh, a highest individual score of 21 and only five batsmen making it to double figures, it was definitely a day for bowlers.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bowl, making immediate inroads into the home side’s top order with Kapil Rana removing Iain Purves in the second over.

Greg Fenton (18) and Michael Fenton (13) then steadied the ship, not being overly troubled by the East Lothian side's opening bowlers.

Their bowler Dominic Da Silva (4-29) was late arriving but not late enough for home supporters’ liking.

He was immediately brought on to bowl and tasted success in his second over, Greg Fenton lobbing the ball to mid-on. Bob Wilkinson (7) played defensively to Da Silva but raised spirits with a boundary to midwicket as Selkirk crept into the 40s.

It proved to be one of only two boundaries for the hosts, with Selkirk losing three top-order batsmen with the score on 45.

Rory Banks, playing his first game of the year, departed without scoring, and there were almost as many extras as there were runs from the lower order.

With no partnerships of any note, Selkirk were all out for 66 runs with 10 overs remaining.

League leaders Tranent were understandably confident of a quick victory, and Selkirk needed to take all their chances if they were to stand a chance of salvaging the match.

Openers Ragesh Kullyamarathingal (21) and Rajesh Choudhary (14) both looked in confident form, but Michael Fenton (4-29) was presenting problems. Kullyamarathingal and Choudhary both missed balls on the stumps and were given out leg before wicket.

At that stage, their openers had quickly racked up 37 runs so they had plenty of time and wickets to finish the job.

Selkirk bowlers Michael and Greg Fenton (3-13) made the visitors sweat a bit but their side’s meagre total was insufficient to make the result any closer as Shakeel Bappidi (12) took the score past 67 with a single to backward square leg.

Selkirk have another home fixture this coming Saturday, Kelso being their visitors. A victory for either side will see one go above the other as the two sides sit joint-fourth in the East of Scotland Cricket Association’s division two.

Kelso have a Scottish cup tie on Sunday, so there is an early start of 11am for Saturday’s fixture.