Dumfries succumb to West's Skipper

Your Move Dumfries travelled to play West of Scotland in the Western Premier League on Saturday and were on the wrong end of a Captain's performance from the West's skipper.

The home side chose to bat first and the young Dumfries opening attack of James Hobman and Callum Reynolds-Lewis were not able to shift openers Hislop and Cole. It required the nous of first change bowler Alan Davidson to remove both but only after a fifty opening partnership.

Chris Brockwell was bowling in tandem with Davidson and he removed the number three without him troubling the scorers. However despite Dumfries keeping the middle overs scoring in check double figure contributions were coming from the home side's middle order.

Captain Chris McCutcheon took another wicket lbw and Tommy McGrath provided a run out but the West's Captain Fennah was progressing to the top score of the day. He was assisted by Spensley who was caught by keeper Williams off McGrath for 27 and the latter contributed in the field again taking a catch off Brockwell to remove Fennah for 43.

However the scoring rate had accelerated in the closing overs as McNulty hit 21 not out and West of Scotland finished on a useful 223 for 7 after the fifty overs.

In reply it was opener Scott Beveridge that was standing firm after opening bowlers McNulty and Smith took two early wickets. That was further compounded by first change Fennah who also made inroads.

Cox managed a third wicket partnership with Beveridge and Alan Davidson added sixteen before adding to Fennah's five innings victims when be was caught and bowled. Fennah also had Beveridge caught for the top score of 36 as the Dumfries response succumbed.

Youngster James Hobman took confidence from a not out score in the teens as Dutia took the final three wickets to fall as Dumfries could only reach 117 all out in the 36th over for an straight forward win for a strong West of Scotland side.

Dumfries play Greenock at home on Saturday in their next Western Premier League match. The Solway Print Dumfries Player of the Match was Alan Davidson for an impactful and economical spell of bowling.

West of Scotland 223 for 7 (50 overs)
J Fennah 43, A Hislop 37, A Davidson 2 for 21, C Brockwell 2 for 34
Your Move Dumfries 117 all out (36 overs)
S Beveridge 36, J Fennah 5 for 23, C Dutia 3 for 20W
West of Scotland won by 106 runs

Online Scorecard: www.cricketstats.org.uk/wdcu/2021/1/0510.html

The Performance of the Week however was from Dumfries player Chris McBride, now playing with Newcastle Cricket Club, who hit a century in the Scotland Pro Series on Sunday against the Caledonian Highlanders. He scored 120 for the Cricket Scotland Performance Academy side, which included 11 boundaries, to make him the third top run scorer so far in Scotland's top level of domestic cricket.