THE dark clouds that hung over Tranent & Preston Village’s Polwarth Oval ground on Saturday matched the Selkirk players’ mood after the visitors crashed to a seven-wicket defeat.
ESCA Division 2 title contenders Tranent took a stranglehold on the match from the word go, with Dom Da Silva (2-25) and Gregor Brunton (2-10) proving difficult to get away on the East Lothian Club’s artificial wicket.
Only two Selkirk batsmen – Greg Fenton (11) and his brother Michael (10) – managed to reach double figures, while vice-captain Kenny Paterson was the only visiting batter to show the patience required to stick around as Selkirk were dismissed for 60 runs in the 31st over.
Evergreen Tranent skipper Dougie Russell (3-2) mopped up the Selkirk tail, while the home side’s other wicket-takers were Raj Kamal (2-5) and Chirag Patel (1-15).
Despite the best efforts of opening bowlers Michael Fenton (1-9) and Daniel Heard (1-23), who both turned in whole-hearted displays, Selkirk’s low total meant the odds were always stacked in the home team’s favour.
Some enterprising stroke-play by Tranent’s R. Kulliyamarathingal (31no) steered the East Lothian club to victory in the 21st over. Selkirk’s other wicket-taker was Greg Fenton (1-9).
This Saturday, August 5, Selkirk make the short trip to Shedden Park to face Kelso in an ESCA Division 2 fixture, while on Sunday the Souters welcome an MCC side to Philiphaugh for only the second time in the club’s history.