1s defeated at Stirling

Your Move Dumfries played their penultimate match of the Western Premier League season at Stirling on Saturday. There they were on the wrong end of a century by the league's second top run scorer, Stirling's McMullen.

Stirling County opted to bat and bank on their top order batting strength. Jesse Smit succeeded in blunting that by dismissing opener Dunford lbw but only after he had hit six boundaries. Then followed a near one hundred and forty run partnership between Amir Shahzad and Western Warriors' Brandon McMullen. Shahzad survived an early drop to go on and score 72 and help set up the home side for big total as they set a run rate of six an over. He was caught sweeping off the bowling of Robert McBride and a deflected run out at the bowler's end removed the prolific Sahare.

However McMullen was set for a big score and he got an excellent century and more. He was eventually out for 127 caught off a skied catch off the bowling of Alan Davidson as Stirling headed for three hundred. Tommy McGrath claimed two wickets in the closing overs for Dumfries as Stirling finished on an imposing 305 for 6.

A perfect start was needed by Dumfries and they did not achieve that losing three wickets before reaching thirty. Robert McBride responded with an aggressive innings, supported by Adam Malik, as together they neared a century partnership. However McBride was caught at long-on for a run a ball 67 for the HSBC Dumfries Player of the Match Award. That was off McMullen and he also took a wicket next ball and finished with three wickets. Adam Malik remained and with a succession of partners got the side up towards two hundred, including four 4s in five balls which brought him past his fifty. When the last wicket fell on 196 he was on his top score for this Premier season with 64 not out.

The win gives Stirling the opportunity to avoid relegation in their final game. Despite defeats in the second half of the season Dumfries remain in seventh place and are assured of remaining in the Premier next season. On Saturday they play bottom side Kelburne and with the chance to move up past Ayr and finish sixth.

West Premier League
Dumfries lost to Stirling County by 109 runs
Stirling County 305 for 6 (50 overs)
B McMullen 127, A Shazad 72; A Davidson 1 for 54, J Smit 1 for 38, T McGrath 2 for 34, R McBride 1 for 30
C Brockwell 10 overs 0 for 60, C McCutcheon 8 overs 0 for 59, C Bellwood 3 overs 0 for 26
Dumfries 196 all out (46.4 overs)
R McBride 67, Adam Malik 64no
M Sahare 3 for 25, B McMullen 3 for 19

Online scorecard: wdculive.com/match/137111-6111979/scorecard
Online match video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqwCrFpb1_Q