Scottish cricket: Big hits and big money at Poloc

Published on Monday 10 August 2009 22:48

IT IS Scottish T20 time again, with the National Finals Day showdown, now rescheduled for Sunday, 23 August at Poloc's picturesque Shawholm. The prestigious Murgitroyd-sponsored tournament is the richest in our domestic game, with £1,000 going to the winners, and £500 each to the other three regional winners.

RH Corstorphine will be the East's representatives, having wrested the Masterton Trophy from holders Carlton by a mere five runs in a Grange Loan thriller, thanks largely to skipper Kevin McLaren's inspirational 48 and some fine Matt Holstein left-arm spin. Greenock will be there from the West, having snatched the Rowan Cup last Thursday from holders Clydesdale by just three runs.

Dumfries are again the Borders qualifiers, squeezing home with just one ball to spare chasing old adversaries Gala's creditable 124 on Sunday, while in the Caledonia section Dunfermline still patiently await an opponent from treble-seeking Aberdeenshire or Arbroath.

Everyone's riding the T20 wave. Ashes fever notwithstanding, the warm after-glow of June's scintillating World T20 extravaganza continues to radiate. An ephemeral slogfest, railed the troglodyte "purists," Frankenstein's Monster, Mickey Mouse cricket. Not so. This was high-octane, brilliantly athletic, utterly enthralling stuff. And ingeniously innovative.

Witness Scotland's parks ever since, and spot the wee – and not so wee! – imitators of dashing Dilshan's "Dilscoop," going down on one knee and using the pace on the ball to flick it directly over the keeper's head. Clock the impromptu impersonators of Jayawardene's ingenious reverse sweep with the back of the bat, pyrotechnic Pietersen's freakish "flamingo" shot on one leg through mid-wicket, and joyous Jayasuriya's slogsweep. We also saw some spellbinding T20 bowling inventiveness – Gul's prodigious reverse-swing yorkers, mercurial Afridi's flight, and Ajmal's baffling "doosra."

Scottish interest has been further boosted by Cricket Scotland's announcement of a three-team regional T20 competition next month, featuring East, West and Caledonia, with an extended regional One-Day and T20 Championship pencilled in for 2010.

Sure, many traditionalists still prefer the slow-burn of a hard-fought five-day Test. But its newer, brasher, frenetic second cousin T20 has rapidly secured its rightful place on the cricket calendar.

Not just a constant monotonous stream of big hits – but a genuinely subtle battle of increasingly imaginative wits. It's here to stay. Not least in Scotland.

Penicuik on the way up

A good week for Penicuik. Saturday's vital win against Stenny, allied to another Ferguslie defeat at Arbroath and Stoneywood's surprise home capitulation to Drumpellier, has suddenly engendered fresh hope.

The Kirkhill men, foot of Division 1 when play began, had by dusk unexpectedly leapfrogged both their two main challengers for the drop. Third-bottom slot looks now infinitely healthier, and gives added impetus to this week's crucial clash at Stoneywood.

Another reason to cheer for the Midlothian outfit is their Scotland Under-19 starlet Freddie Coleman's deserved elevation to a Scotland senior squad for the first time – one of four uncapped players with Zeeshan Bashir, Ryan Flannigan and Willie Rowan being the others – selected for the European A Championships beginning in Amstelveen, Holland today.

Champions in waiting

IT IS the defining mark of potential champions. The capacity to dig yourself out of a serious hole when the pressure's most on. The Dons definitely have it. Cup finalists Aberdeenshire may well reflect on Saturday, 8 August, as the D-Day of their Premiership assault. Make no mistake. Chasing Grange's challenging 224 Aberdeenshire were staring down the barrel, 30 runs adrift and eight wickets down.

Then unsung hero Kenny Reid's unbeaten 38 in only 32 balls allied to 16 from ex-Saltires veteran Kevin Thomson saw the Mannofield men stagger over the line with just one ball to spare.