Scottish cricket: Three clubs seize the play-offs day

Published on Monday 14 September 2009 22:43

WHAT do Michael Clarke and Barry Ferguson have in common? Both sport forearm tattoos bearing the Latin poet Horace's aphorism "Carpe Diem." Seize the day. Make the most of your big opportunities. They may not appear again.

Forfarshire, Kelburne and Penicuik all did just that in Saturday's play-offs.

Forfarshire's duel with Heriot's saw the Forthill side grasp the nettle to force their way back to the Premier League. And it was their proven campaigners who did it, notwithstanding the absence of Australia pro Kelsey Pickering. Veteran opener Graeme Garden (71), Saltire pro Ryan Watson (60) and Craig Wallace (39) delivered when it mattered most to post 258 for five.

It proved an agonising 14 runs too many for the Goldenacre team, who have now dropped out of the top flight for the first time in their history, despite a valiant, unavailing 83 from keeper Gavin McIntyre, whose father, club president Ronnie, is already rueing potential lost sponsorship.

Resurgent Kelburne similarly seized the day by posting a big score with their major players stepping up to the pressure plate.

Stalwart skipper Scott Hamilton (60), talismanic pro David Harper (58) and opener Andy Robin (32) combined to grab the first innings initiative with 241, which proved 55 runs too many for gallant East League challengers Fauldhouse, whose time may soon come again.

Kelburne, absent from the SNCL for six long years, will now make a joyous return in their 150th anniversary season. The Paisley derby with Ferguslie will also be contested again, this time around in Division 2.

Penicuik also grabbed their belated lifeline. A disappointing Division 1 campaign saw them enter Saturday's last-chance saloon as unfancied underdogs against aspiring Dumfries, but, for once, the Nunholm batting failed to ignite. A total of 152 for seven was never going to be enough for the Doonhamers, missing key bowlers Stu Alexander and Jim Patterson, as the Kirkhill side raced to their target for the loss of three wickets.

Once more the top order nailed it, pro Mo Ramzan and Freddie Coleman passing 50 for the first wicket, and Anjum Aslam weighing in with a quickfire 39, as a mere 33 overs saw them confidently seize the day.

Greenock salvage pride

KEITH Young's beaming smile spoke volumes. Belated autumn sunshine and the herculean efforts of the organiser and his Poloc groundstaff ensured Sunday's Murgitroyd Scottish Twenty20 finals day went ahead. In an enthralling 18/18 final, Greenock salvaged some silverware from a poor season, defending 127 against feisty Corstorphine to win by 13 runs.

Fine spin bowling from Iqbal and Judd, and Lockhart-Krause's sharp leg-side stumping of the dangerous Mommsen were pivotal. Earlier, the Glenpark side had compounded a miserable weekend for Dumfries by somehow managing to defend a lowly 89 in the semis, Weeraratna's miserly last over conceding just one run.

Next up the free-scoring duo of Mommsen (79) and McLaren (40) secured Corstorphine's slot in the final, comprehensively eclipsing Dunfermline by eight wickets.

Murray was Dons legend

SCOTTISH cricket is hugely the poorer for the passing of Aberdeenshire stalwart George Murray, aged 75. Affable all-rounder Murray was a schoolboy cricketer who made the Aberdeenshire 1st XI aged just 18, and stayed to become a linchpin of a hugely successful side for the next two decades, including two spells as a shrewd captain of a team featuring such Mannofield legends as pinch-hitting international opener David Brown, and one of Scotland's finest fast bowlers, Frank Robertson.

Unlucky perhaps not to be capped, Murray took up the challenging reins of club coach in 1968, and oversaw a prodigious conveyor belt of young talent through to the early 1980s. A flotilla of Scottish internationals – Dallas and Jerry Moir, Dale de Neef, George Angus, and David Johnston – all owe much to Murray's insightful tutelage. How fitting that in this his final summer Murray could savour yet another triumph as his beloved club captured the double.