LOSS IN FALKIRK GUARANTEES NAIL-BITING END TO SEASON

FOLLOWING Saturday’s 44-run defeat by Westquarter & Redding at Bailliefields, Selkirk’s players now find themselves in a relegation dogfight, as they battle to preserve their East League Division 2 status.

The result drops the Souters to eighth place in the table, meaning that at least one win from their remaining two matches will be needed for them to have a chance of avoiding the drop.

Selkirk skipper Greg Fenton won the toss, asking the home team to bat first on a firm wicket that had been covered to protect it from the week’s heavy showers.  

It looked the right decision, for at the 20-over drinks break, following a brief stoppage for rain, Selkirk unquestionably held the upper hand.

At this stage the home side had been restricted to a score of 75-5, thanks to accurate bowling by Michael Fenton (2-17) and Kenny Paterson (1-26), plus some well-taken catches (the pick of the bunch being Gregor Robbie’s diving effort at deep extra cover).

However, from this point on Westquarter upped the tempo, with aggressive knocks from South African batsman Rory McArthur (27), ex-captain Umar Salik (31) and all-rounder Imran Muzhur (40no) taking the home team to a respectable 162-7.

Selkirk’s other wicket-takers were Greg Fenton (1-47), Blaine Gillie (2-19) and Bob Wilkinson (1-13).

Requiring a run rate of 4.075 an over to overtake the Westquarter total, Selkirk looked on course at 34-1 after eight overs.

The loss of skipper Greg Fenton (15), smartly caught at square leg by Salik, proved a turning point, as the next four batsman managed just 19 runs between them.

Only Michael Fenton (pictured below) stood firm – despite having earlier sustained a painful hand injury while wicket-keeping – with his 43-run innings including seven boundaries.

All of the Westquarter bowlers turned in solid performances, the pick of the bunch being Mazur (3-19), Adam Akram (3-17) and Sid Mankar (2-36). 

This Saturday, August 19, Selkirk face a tough examination away to Division 2 leaders Clackmannan County in Alloa, where the Souters will be desperate to secure as many batting and bowling points as possible.