Border T20 Cup final at Meigle Park
The solar eclipse took place the day before Gala and Selkirk met in the final of the 2026 Border T20 Cup at Meigle Park on Thursday night, and it was the home side who eventually outshone the cup holders to win by 35 runs.
Having won the toss, Gala took first use of the wicket and got off to a flying start, openers Sean Taylor and Benji Potgieter plundering 44 runs from the first five overs.
Selkirk’s cause wasn’t helped by a series of spilled catches, allowing Potgieter to go on and compile a well-struck innings of 70 runs before being caught on the boundary by David Gardiner off the bowling of Blaine Gillie.
Taylor (23), John Imray (36) and Darius Maritz (17) all made important contributions to the home total, with Gala’s innings ending on 164-5. Selkirk’s wicket-takers were Blaine Gillie (2-25), David Gardiner (1-22) and Rory Banks (1-42).
In reply, Selkirk faced a mammoth task if they were to keep up with the required run rate of 8.2 an over, and at the halfway stage were 59-2.
Undaunted, vice-captain Greg Fenton single-handedly kept the runs flowing, producing a magnificent array of shots to all parts of the ground.
Even the fast-fading light didn’t put the brake on the 32-year-old’s scoring, with the talented opener carrying his bat in a fabulous 80-run innings from 58 balls faced that included no fewer than five sixes.
Selkirk eventually reached 129-6 in their allotted overs, with the last few balls being bowled in almost complete darkness. Gala’s wicket-takers were Jamie Crooks (2-17), Darius Maritz (1-18), Iqbal Qasim (1-20) and Benji Potgieter (1-36).
Match report and photo by John Smail.