Target of 79 too tall an order for Selkirk cricketers on tour in Derbyshire

Whether that game would proceed was put in doubt by heavy rain through the week but the Souters’ hosts pulled out all the stops to ensure it did.

Selkirk won the toss and elected to bowl, but there was little early reward for the efforts of their bowlers as the pitch proved difficult for scoring.

In the seventh over, the hosts’ opener fell leg before wicket to Greg Fenton for two, bringing ex-Selkirk player John Everitt to the crease and he raced to 20 runs on a day when only three players reached double figures.

Wickets were now falling at regular intervals but the visitors’ number seven stuck it out almost to the end of the 30 overs and added 13 runs to the score, only being outscored by Everitt’s 23 and extras of 16.

With the total at 77, he went out to the catch of the day, taken one-handed by a diving Kieran Toor at midwicket. Chatsworth were all out for 78.

It was a day for sharing bowling duties throughout the team and Blaine Gillie, with two for three, was the pick of the bunch. Michael Jaffray, playing his first game for Selkirk, took two wickets for nine runs and finished off the Chatsworth innings by bowling the hosts’ captain, Billy Khan.

Set a modest target of 79 for victory, Selkirk were quickly disabused of the notion that would be easy.

Their top six batsmen all failed to get to double figures as they struggled to predict the pace and bounce of the pitch. Greg Fenton, out for nine, and Michael Fenton, on six, both lobbed catches to grateful fielders before Harry Murphy and Toor fell LBW in consecutive balls to man of the match Kev Rowney, claiming four for nine.

Selkirk’s man of the match was Bob Wilkinson, top-scoring with 27 runs, no mean feat in the conditions.

Everitt followed his important knock with a direct hit from the outfield to remove Iain Purves when Selkirk were looking likely to reach their target. Daniel Heard showed some resistance with the bat but was clean-bowled to finish off the Selkirk innings.

Selkirk begin their East of Scotland Cricket Association division 2 season this coming Saturday at home to Edinburgh’s seconds at Philiphaugh.

CAPTION

The Selkirk side line up for a team photo before the start of Saturday’s match at Chatsworh. Back row, from left - N. Gentleman (scorer), I. Purves, M. Jaffray, H. Murphy, D. Fenton, K. Toor, B. Gillie, J. Smail (umpire). Front - I. Gardiner, B. Wilkinson, D. Heard, G. Fenton (capt.), M. Fenton. (Photo – Richard Powell)