One-man destruction job rockets Gala to cricketing success

The Sri Lankan top- scored with 64 in Gala’s competitive total of 160 before ripping through Edinburgh Accies’ batting line-up to claim an incredible nine wickets and dismiss the capital visitors for just 55.

Gala were missing a number of players for the visit of previously unbeaten Accies, with Ash Rhode stepping up as captain, reports Kenny Paterson.

Unsurprisingly, the depleted Braw Lads found things hard going, with only three players making double figures, but they battled to 160, thanks to support for Tharanga from Rhode (20) and youngsters Robbie Paterson and Liam Skeldon. Top bowler for Accies was Soyebmahammad Khanusiya (4 for 17).

In reply, Accies lost captain and opening batsman Andrew Cosh (9) to Tharanga, and what followed was an incredible spell where the all-rounder finished with figures of nine wickets for just 15 runs from less than nine overs.

Robbie Irvine took the other wicket to complete a fantastic win for Gala in less than 18 overs.

Gala

S. Ponneri ct F. Muhammad b Z. Hamedee 4

F. Rutherford ct F. Muhammad b A. Ali 15

J. Crooks b Z. Hamedee 4

G. Ormiston ct A. Cosh b J. Snitch 8

A. Rhode lbw b S. Khanusiya 20

D. Tharanga b F. Muhammad 64

R. Irvine lbw S. Khanusiya 1

R. Patterson b S. Khanusiya 0

S. Paterson b S. Khanusiya 2

R. Paterson b A. Ali 5

L. Skeldon not out 1

Extras – 36

Total – 160 for ten wickets

Z. Hamedee 9-3-33-2; S. Raparia 1-0-6-0; J. Snitch 10-2-30-1; A. Ali 10-0-31-2; F. Muhammad 9.2-2-33-1; S. Khanusiya 10-3-17-4.

Edinburgh Accies

A. Cosh lbw D. Tharanga 9

F. Muhammad lbw D. Tharanga 6

O. Altaf ct G. Ormiston b D. Tharanga 0

S. Khanusiya b D. Tharanga 2

A. Ali b D. Tharanga 7

R. Javed ct F. Rutherford b D. Tharanga 15

J. Snitch lbw D. Tharanga 0

P. Kuppusamy ct A. Rhode b R. Irvine 6

Z. Hamedee b D. Tharanga 0

V. Ramesh not out 0

S. Raparia ct & b D. Tharanga 1

Extras – 9

Total – 55 for ten wickets

S. Paterson 6-0-21-0; D. Tharanga 8.5-4-15-9; R. Irvine 3-0-18-1.

Elsewhere, Gala 2nds got back to winning ways in Division Seven with an excellent showing at Stewart’s Melville Fourths

Choosing to bowl first at Inverleith, Gala bowled out their hosts for 98 thanks, in part, to some fantastic fielding – including a superb one-handed running catch by Kieran Toor and excellent run out by Max Hastings.

Caitlin Ormiston continued her fine season with the ball, taking four for 32, and her overall total of wickets for season now stands at 14.

Sam McAneny also shone, taking two wickets for just two runs, with Ajith Sajun (1 for 19), Jamie Bell (1 for 22) and Maisie Maceira (1 for 16) also putting in excellent shifts.

In reply, Gala were in trouble at 10 for 2 but Hastings (45 not out) led the way with a composed batting performance, well supported by Bell (19), who played some outstanding shots, as well as Stuart Skeldon (14) and Sajun (6 not out), as the visitors won by six wickets.

Hayat (2 for 25) and Holland (1 for 16) were top bowlers for Stewart’s Melville.

Stewart’s Melville Fourths

E. S. Robertson b C. Ormiston 28

C. Holland ct K. Singtoor b M. Maceira 0

J. Thomas b J. Bell 0

MP Patton b C. Ormiston 11

D. Scott ct & b A. Sajun 6

AC Christy ct K. Paterson b C. Ormiston 4

R. Anderson run out 21

F. Mill b C. Ormiston 1

DG Higgins ct & b S. McAneny 7

I. Lowry b S. McAneny 0

R. Hayat not out 2

Extras – 18

Total – 98 for ten wickets

J. Bell 5-0-22-1; M. Maceira 5-0-16-1; C. Ormiston 8-0-32-4; A. Sajun 8-0-19-1; S. McAneny 2.1-0-2-2; J. Boyle 2-0-5-0.

Gala

M. Hastings not out 45

J. Boyle b F. Mill 1

K. Paterson b R. Hayat 4

J. Bell ct ES Robertson b C. Holland 19

S. Skeldon lbw R. Hayat 14

A. Sajun not out 6

Extras – 10

Total – 99 for four wickets

F. Mill 4-0-19-1; R. Hayat 8-0-25-2; C. Holland 4-1-16-1; AC Christy 4-0-16-0; J. Thomas 4-0-16-0; R. Anderson 1-0-3-0.