Selkirk’s efforts to stay in the top end of Division 3 took a dunt with a 40-run loss against lowly opposition Boroughmuir in Edinburgh on Saturday. The hosts have struggled in the league this year, but managed to complete the double over the Souters this season, easily outscoring them with the bat on both occasions. Whilst the first fixture featured a majestic century from Gajander Singh, on Saturday the result owed more to fielding failures than any outstanding performances.
Selkirk lost the toss and took the field in the midday sunshine on a dry, hard surface where any mistakes would be costly. The scene was set with four dropped catches in the first eight overs. These missed opportunities would reach double figures by the end of the Boroughmuir innings.
All of the top six batsmen benefitted from missed catches at some point, and most before they had really got going. The hosts couldn’t be blamed for taking advantage, and 61 runs were added by batsmen who had been dropped in single figures.
For the hosts, Sharez Khan was in belligerent mood with the bat and, dropped in the 30s, he took advantage to top-score with 55. Khan was the main act in an excellent 95-run partnership with Irfan Mohammed (35), and they ensured the target would be above anything achieved by the Souters on the road this year.
For their part, Selkirk had small tight spells of bowling, particularly from Greg Fenton (2-19) which slowed progress, but flaws in the field spoiled the figures. Ironically, a highlight of the day was a superb catch taken by Blaine Gillie running round at full-pelt on the boundary at cow corner. The final over was typical of the game, with the batter dropped on the second ball going on to hit a four off the last.
It was a quiet, reflective tea break as Selkirk’s players contemplated their target of 208 to win, and tried to push aside the niggle of regrets from the first innings. They were mindful, though, that Selkirk have been putting up a fight with the bat in recent weeks, led by the openers Greg Fenton and Kenny Paterson.
Fenton (16) set out his stall with three consecutive fours in the first over, while Paterson (38) looked much more circumspect, surveying opening bowlers in turn. The pitch was hard but the bounce was not always consistent, and this did for Fenton in the sixth over as the ball didn’t get up as expected and a drive was lobbed off the toe of his bat to Singh at mid-off.
Harry Murphy (27) came in and was generally wisely picking the right balls to play, but as the partnership edged towards 50 he had a rush of blood to the head, swiping and missing a ball heading for the the stumps.
The Selkirk batters continued to fight but the run rate was climbing with the loss of regular wickets. Gajander Singh (2-22) compensated for a below par performance with the bat by becoming the pick of the Boroughmuir bowlers.
Just when the visitors thought they had seen him off without conceding any wicket he took two in his last over, the penultimate one of the innings. Having taken a catch earlier, Singh then completed his all-round performance in the field with a throw to the stumps to run out Gregor Borthwick on the last ball of the innings. Selkirk were ultimately 40 runs short of their target, but can take some solace from their top score (168-8) on the road this season.
Selkirk head to Buccleuch Park for a midweek T20 fixture on Wednesday against Hawick & Wilton – this is significant fixture for both clubs, played in memory of a great servant of both clubs, Ronnie Simpson. Next Saturday, Selkirk make a welcome return to Philiphaugh for a league fixture against Leith FAB.
Match report by Neil Gentleman.