Photo: Chris's shot to reach his century on Saturday. Credit Sandy Robertson

In Western Premiership 2, third placed Dumfries 1st XI, Vigilant Dumfries, claimed a 63 run win over visitors East Kilbride to close the gap to second placed Uddingston. The match-winning contribution, awarded the Nith Valley Cleaning Player of the Match, came with a century from opener Chris Bellwood. He was only out for an excellent innings of 127 on the last ball of the penultimate over having already hit twenty off the over. Dumfries reached a competitive total of 265 for 8 as a result with impetus also provided by Max Corbett-Byers with 24 and Ronan Dunbar with 32.

In the second innings Pat Druce took two early wickets and he and Callum Reynolds-Lewis each took three wickets as East Kilbride were all out short of their target for 202.

In Western Championship 2, it was first versus second as Dumfries 2nd XI, Nunholm, played away at leaders East Kilbride 2nds. The Dumfries side were put into bat and the high point of their innings was with a familial 88 run partnership between junior Cory and Drew Dawson which took Nunholm to 112 for 2. However, their dismissals, for scores of 57 and 42 respectively, stalled progress as Nunholm then slipped to 163 all out.

The Nunholm bowlers then took regular wickets, and kept things tight for periods, but struggled with not enough runs to defend. They did claim six wickets before the home side reached their winning target with plenty of overs to spare. Cory was the Barbours Player of the Match for Nunholm with his fifty.

Last week saw club juniors representing Scotland with Munro Cubbon helping to win the U17 Celtic Cup against Ireland with two top scores including a match-winning effort of a score of 92 as opener in the win in game three. Macey Corbett-Byers helped Scotland U16 Girls to defeat Yorkshire U16s in game one of the two T20 matches.

Macey also gained selection for Scotland U16s Girls this week in matches against Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria, and congratulations to Cory Dawson on his first Scotland selection for the Scotland U16 squad against Derbyshire and Cumbria with the Derbyshire match played at Nunholm.

On Saturday, in Western Premiership Two, the Dumfries first team, third placed Vigilant Dumfries, are at second placed Uddingston. In Western Championship Two, Dumfries 2nd XI, Nunholm, in second spot, are at home to Ferguslie 2nds who sit in fifth spot.

It is the turn of Scotland Girls at Nunholm next week on Wednesday as Scotland U18 Girls play Cumbria U18s in the ECB Cup competition in two T20 fixtures starting at 11am.