The souters welcomed the Edinburgh University staff cricket team to Philiphaugh on Saturday looking for a third straight league victory but a batting capitulation spoiled the mood in Selkirk. With this win the university staff team scored back to back victories against border clubs having defeated Hawick and Wilton last week.
Selkirk lost the toss and the visitors chose to bat. Bowling was mostly tight and the Edinburgh side struggled to get going. However Stuart Geard (26) and Abhijit Padhiary (30) both batted well and their efforts ensured that they reached three figures as the visitors were ultimately bowled out for 104 runs.
With the ball Bob Wilkinson was the lead wicket taker with three for the loss of just six runs. He removed the only other batter to finish with double figures, Shaun Thorpe (12) who drilled a straight drive into the hands of Greg Fenton. It was a reprieve for the ex-captain who earlier had dropped the easiest of catches popped back to him by Padhiary off of his own bowling.
A target of 105 was the challenge. Against a side conceding an average of 152 runs per game this appeared distinctly doable but the souters fell way short. No Selkirk batter reached double figures and the visitors could be forgiven for their joyful whoops in the field as player after player trudged back to the pavilion.
Having all failed with the bat Bilal Shah (3-13), Sithija Abey (3-6) and Zanker Sevak (4-11) all improved their Saturday afternoon work by sharing all of the wickets. The game was concluded just after drinks when Iain Gardiner scooped the ball to Shaun Thorpe at mid off.
Selkirk travel to Edinburgh next Saturday for a game against Boroughmuir who are ironically also looking to do the border double having dispatched Hawick and Wilton at the weekend.