Selkirk cricketers win 30-over friendly against Milngavie by 81 runs

Michael Fenton presenting Milngavie skipper Jim Brodie with a Selkirk 150th anniversary plaque and club tie prior to Saturday’s friendly (Photo: John Smail)

Openers Michael Fenton and Ian Gardiner stood up well to the visiting bowlers, leaving them to rue some early missed chances.

Selkirk reached 57 from their first 10 overs, skipper-for-the day Fenton crashing a straight four over the bowler’s head to reach his 50, but he fell three balls later to Nirbhay Kumar.

Jim Brodie then removed Gardiner for 24, leaving Selkirk on 81 for two at drinks.

When play resumed, Rory Banks was dropped in the deep off the bowling of Brodie, and that was to prove a costly mistake. Kieran Toor played patiently at the other end while Banks rattled up his half-century in 33 balls.

The free-scoring Banks soon began to run out of overs in which to reach his second century of the season.

Harry Murphy added ten runs in a brief cameo appearance, but Banks was the star of the show, reaching 91 at the close of the innings, leaving the tourists needing 196 for victory.

Milngavie openers Peter Dennis and Steve Busby looked capable of setting the right pace, before Daniel Heard struck in his fourth over, Dennis lobbing the ball to mid-off, where Murphy was on his toes to pouch a diving catch.

Michael Fenton removed the other opener in the next over, but a high run rate meant Milngavie were still in touch. Their new batsmen then raised some concerns when both hit top bowler Heard for six.

In his next over, Heard almost had his revenge, but Chandresh Sindal was dropped in the deep going for a repeat of his six from the previous over.

At drinks, Milngavie were still in the game but needed to up the pace. With Banks and John Henderson now bowling, the visitors began to take risks. Banks struck first, removing Sindal, then Henderson trapped Alfred Islam leg before wicket.

Selkirk shared out the bowling, with all but one of their eight bowlers ending up amongst the wickets, the highlight being a quicker ball from spinner Toor, tearing through Donald Morrison’s defence to hit the stumps.

The teenager then took his second, and Milngavie’s final, wicket, leaving the visitors 81 runs short of their target after 29 overs.