As local derbies go, Thursday night’s Border T20 Cup match at Philiphaugh between Selkirk and Gala was right up there with the best of them.
The game hung in the balance up until the final over, with the Souters recording a 12-run victory in a contest reduced to 15 overs per side.
Gala won the toss and elected to bowl, and the Souters soon found themselves pegged back at 22-2 by the third over after a run out.
However, the arrival of Ian Gardiner at the crease signalled an upturn in the home team’s fortunes, and he provided the perfect foil for batting partner Greg Fenton.
Fenton, Selkirk’s co-vice-captain, showed his best form of the season to dominate the visitors’ attack, hitting six fours and two sixes to finish on 73 not out.
Gardiner was in equally confident mood, scoring 26* as he and Fenton shared an unbroken partnership of 102. Selkirk’s innings ended on 119/2.
Ajith Sujan (1/25) was the visitors’ sole wicket-taker, while a number of spilled catches in the field did little to help their cause.
In reply, Selkirk skipper Daniel Heard struck third ball to remove opener Aristotle Davenport for a duck – Greg Fenton taking a fine catch on the midwicket boundary.
It was left to Sean Taylor (49*) to anchor the visitors’ innings, with solid contributions also coming from Max Hastings (17) and Seb Loumeau (29).
With 16 needed off the final over, Gala’s hopes of victory went when Ian Gardiner (2/16) took a wicket with his third ball, leaving the visitors on 107/4 at the close.
The home side’s other wicket-takers were Michael Fenton (1/16), Daniel Heard (1/18) and Gregor Borthwick (1/16).
Special mention goes to Selkirk fielder Sathya, who took a screamer of a catch at cover point to dismiss the hard-hitting Loumeau. As they say, ‘catches win matches’.
Thanks go to Ronnie Dumma for all his hard work in ensuring the fixture could go ahead, the wicket he meticulously prepared playing true throughout the contest.
Match report and photo by John Smail.