Selkirk cricketers safe in Division Three for another season

It was a strange day at Philiphaugh on Saturday, with the hosts knowing two points from a convoluted scoring system would assure them of safety.

This meant they needed to either take three wickets or score 75 runs, so when three wickets were eventually taken in the 27th over of the Grange innings, the job was somewhat done.

The rest of the match was largely dominated by the Grange youth contingent, with A. Docherty (25) and A. Aniruddhan (20) both adding valuable runs at the end of the innings to enable the visitors to post a modest 135 which is a challenging total at Philiphaugh.

J. Metcalfe top-scored with a patient 63 before lobbing a catch to Fenton at mid on. In a makeshift team, Henderson was instructed to take the wicket keeper’s gloves and took three catches behind the stumps.

A a low catch down the leg side off an inside edge to remove Hancock was the pick of these.

Selkirk opened with Fenton and Paterson, who was celebrating his last day in the forties. There was a friendly birthday interruption to his innings – but, alas, he was out to Aniruddhan in the second over without scoring.

Paterson’s contribution to the fixture didn’t end there as he returned in the umpiring role to give out a furious Fenton when he was on 41, adjudged to have edged behind, thus denying him the chance to finish with the highest Division 3 average.

At drinks, Selkirk were 65 for 6, grateful they had taken four wickets and reaching 75 wasn’t completely necessary.

Aniruddhan (2-24) and Hussey (2-6) will both be happy with their figures from Saturday but the most impressive performance of the match came from D. Davidson, who came on first change and took five wickets, including the dubious removal of Fenton, conceding only 19 runs.

In the end, Selkirk achieved both their bowling and batting targets for the day.

The final report for the season would probably be ‘could have done better’ and they will be hopeful of more consistency (and less rain) next year.