Exciting win for County juniors

Jun 10 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Wednesday

STIRLING County’s U13 team reached the Scottish quarter-finals of the MCC “Spirit of Cricket” Under 13 National Club Championship last Friday when they survived a last over drama to record an exciting win over Kinross.

Kinross batted first and scored a commendable 100 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Best of the Stirling bowlers were Ross Macgarvie who took one wicket for only five runs and leg-spinner Sedant Seth who clean bowled the two Kinross top scorers to finish with two for 17 runs in his four overs.

Stirling in reply were behind the required run-rate with 44 runs scored after 10 overs but with only two wickets down they increased the pace.

Skipper Hamish Cordner who had batted steadily for 11 runs was bowled to make way for Lewis Gilbride to join Jake Jamieson who was now scoring freely.

With four overs left Jake was out bowled, his 20 runs had helped the Stirling total to reach 75.

Fraser Goss returned to the bowling for Kinross to take two quick wickets there was also a run-out to leave Stirling pair Lewis Gilbride and nine year-old Neil Sutcliffe requiring 13 runs in the final over.

The first ball was hit for four by Lewis who then scored a single leaving young Neil to face Goss, Neil, quite unfazed by the mounting drama, stroked a single to bring Lewis back to face the last two balls.

The pressure was now also on Kinross and especially on bowler Goss who bowled a wide that eluded the wicket-keeper and reached the boundary to yield five runs, a no-ball brought the scores level leaving Lewis to calmly hit the winning run with one ball to spare.

The delighted team coach Chris Morton said “This was a remarkable victory by Stirling, we have five players still at primary school in the team and they all played their part in getting us to the quarter finals”.