First Division Cricket: SMRH close in on title

By DAVID KELSO
Published on 20/08/2012 01:15

SMRH skipper Mark Burgess is refusing to count his chickens after his side took another giant leap towards the Eastern First ­Division championship.

Burgess and his team swept aside the challenge of neighbours Corstorphine to go within a fingertip of glory, but he was keen to stress: “We are taking nothing for granted.

“Lots of weird things have happened this season and it would be foolish to assume anything.

“We are of course delighted to be where we are. We have at least put ourselves in a very strong position.

“The time to celebrate will be when it is not mathematically possible to be caught – and that will be the case if we beat Falkland in our next match.”

Burgess picked out former Scotland star Cedric English and overseas batting “machine” Brayden Tracey as the men who have mattered most in this season’s run.

And the pair underlined their value by hitting 49 and 57 respectively to propel SMRH to 218 for six before skittling their opponents for 120.

For SMRH, read Renfrew in the Western Zone.

They also virtually made sure of the title with a comfortable success against Prestwick at Henry Thow Oval.

Shahid Abbasi led the charge with four cheap wickets, while veteran all-rounder Imran Adrees chipped in with three dismissals.