Selkirk Cricket Club

Long traffic jams on the Edinburgh city by-pass meant the start of Selkirk’s away fixture against Livingston 2 on Saturday had to be delayed.

When play did eventually start at Bankton Mains, it proved to be mostly one-way traffic, with the Livingston 2 batters taking a liking to Selkirk’s bowling to rack up 240-5 in their innings. Both A. Rana (59) and M. Khalid (54*) recorded half-centuries, with opener A. Bilal (33) also in impressive form.

Selkirk’s wicket-takers were Shaun Wilkinson (2-52), David Gardiner (1-32), Daniel Heard (1-48) and Ewan Torrance (1-58).

Having to score at a rate of six an over was always going to be a big ask for an understrength Selkirk team, but thanks to a superb batting display by opener Greg Fenton (71), at the halfway stage they were very much in the game at 110-2.

Disaster then struck, as it so often does, when play resumed following the 20-over drinks break. Fenton was caught off the very first ball of the second session, leading to a lower order batting collapse which saw the visitors bowled out for 148.

The only Selkirk batters to reach double figures were Shaun Wilkinson, who struck a defiant 17 in the final overs, Mikael Badenhorst (13) and Ewan Torrance (11).

Rana (4-22) was Livingston’s top bowler, followed by Singhla (3-11) and Dubey (1-16).

Selkirk must now win both their final Division 3 games against Westquarter and Marchmont 2 (both at home), to have any chance of the avoiding the drop.

Match report and photo by John Smail.

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Although still propping up the table in East League Division 3, Saturday’s victory over third-placed Holy Cross at Philiphaugh gave Selkirk and their supporters a timely morale boost. If the Souters can repeat the feat in their remaining three games against Livingston 2 (away), Westquarter and Marchmont 2 (both home), then it looks odds-on they will be able to avoid the drop.

Bowling has been Selkirk’s strongest suit throughout the season, and so it proved again on Saturday, with the visitors being dismissed for just 47 runs in 26 overs.

Selkirk’s destroyer-in-chief was once again first change bowler David Gardiner, who finished with the remarkable figures of 6-9, in the process taking his wickets tally for the season to 32.

Selkirk’s other wicket-takers were Daniel Heard (2-14), Liam Skeldon (1-13) and Greg Fenton (1-8). C. Patel (11) was the only Holy Cross batsman to reach double figures.

In reply, Selkirk reached 48-2 in just 13 overs, the bulk of their runs coming from Greg Fenton (24) and Ewan Torrance (10*).

Selkirk’s next match is against Livingston 2 at Murieston Valley on Saturday, August 8th, while on the Sunday the long-established Authors XI team pay a visit to Philiphaugh as part of Selkirk’s 175th anniversary celebrations.

Match report and photos by John Smail.

A torrential downpour two-thirds of the way through Selkirk’s Border T20 Cup fixture against Peebles County at Philiphaugh on Wednesday night meant the match had to be abandoned.

The visitors won the toss and asked Selkirk to bat. Openers Greg Fenton (52) and Gregor Borthwick (29) got the home side off to a solid start, with Ewan Torrance (27*) and Rory Banks (7*) continuing their good work.

At the end of 20 overs Selkirk had reached 130-2. The Peebles wicket-takers were Burns (1-25) and Singh (1-27).

In reply, and under ever-darkening skies, Peebles lost four quick wickets – Shaun Wilkinson (3-7) and Liam Skeldon (1-7) doing the damage.

The match was abandoned in the sixth over as the heavens finally opened with Peebles’ total standing at 15-4.

A mention in dispatches goes to Rory Banks for taking a brilliant one-handed catch in the slips to dismiss Burns off the bowling of Wilkinson.

Match report and photo by John Smail.