Run Rate Results in Argie Bargie at RBG.
Innellan vs Greenock Sunday 4th June
 

Innellan CC convoyed into a sunny capital city to defend the Royal Botanic Gardens (GBG) Ashes. Determined skipper Marshall boasted a game plan to maximise the playing resources available to him. Alas this was matched only by the tactical awareness of Sven

Goran Eriksson …. more about this later.

Losing the toss Innellan were invited to field. Opening the bowling with the potent mixture of Henry and Smith the Botanics were restricted to 22 runs of the first 10 overs. Robin Henry introducing his new bowling action the “Robbydoo Shuffle” claimed by team-mate  El Sabba to have been perfected on the dance floor of Club Teaze. Both bowlers deserved better returns for such an impressive spell of bowling.

Old boy Sean Els making a guest appearance joined Campbell Johnston for the next spell. The Bok demonstrating that his foray into league cricket has done nothing to dampen his enthusiasm for knocking the heads off batsmen. His excellent spell of 9 runs and the wicket of Watson off 5 overs kept things tight. C J offering variety at the other end. RBG 53 for 1 after 20 overs.

Skipper Marshall and El Sabba then took over bowling duties. Despite an encouraging start both had to face batsmen who had their “eye in” and the run rate began to rise. 98 for 1 after 26.

Wagstaff and Gilles were unable to stem the tide and after a short spell RBG raced on to 130 for 1.

Marshall sensing that the trophy was slipping from his grip like the many easy catches offered to the fielding side turned to his top order bowlers. Accurate and well controlled bowling saw RBG restricted to 173 at the end of the innings with Henry bowling Wheeler who had already passed his half century.

Lunch alfresco gave Marshall and Vice Captain Higgins time to consider how best to approach the batting. Without a number of recognised batsmen available (a growing concern) the skipper decided to keep it in the family and invited Niall Marshall to open. A shrewd tactic designed to build the entire innings around the ability and form of his boy.

Marshall Junior, partnered by his dad, was soon to find out that form like food is a short- lived prize. Obviously still thinking about his 4^th plate of sandwiches at lunch, the young pretender was run out for a duck chasing a single that just wasn’t there.

There being no plan B Innellan’s own Wayne Rooney, Paul Smith (injury prone rather than talented) joined Marshall to start a batting partnership that failed to rise above the level of tedium.

The skipper decided after 6 overs (and with 6 runs scored) that they should “hang around until the 20^th over before hitting out”. As if they had any choice to do anything other than that?

In a spell of batting clearly designed to bore the opposition into submission the two athletes took the score onto 52 off 26 overs. Moans of dissent could be heard from the boundary as Innellan’s remaining batsmen sat frustrated as the required run rate mounted.

Fortunately but all too late Marshall was caught off the bowling of Wheeler. As he returned to the sound of applause (none) Vice Captain and umpire at the time Higgins was seen “high fiving” the opposition’s successful bowler and giving the fielder Watson a firm manly handshake in appreciation of the favour done on behalf of Innellan.

Smith soon fell stumped shortly after being joined by Johnston. Aging superstar C J putting on an excellent 27 before retiring injured.

Grant McKellar and the Bok were left with the near impossible task of scoring in excess of 10 runs per over to win. Both batted with style and determination to finish on 24 and 13 not out respectively, with the total reaching 133 after 40 overs.

Top scorer for Innellan was “extras” totaling 33 which for the uninitiated are free runs accumulated as a result of bowling or fielding errors!!!

At the post match celebrations a deflated skipper Marshall handed the trophy over to RBG captain Watson claiming that he was “looking forward to winning back the Ashes in September”. The big question as speculation mounts in world sport this week is “will he last that long?”

W&G Disgraced.

Innellan vs Inverclyde Sunday 28^th May

Call for Dope to be Tested in Local Cricket Shock!

With the return of Dupre-Smith and Higgins the average weight and age of Innellan Cricket Club was given a welcome boost for the visit to Darroch Park for the match against Inverclyde.

The heavy rain had made this a toss worth losing as it looked to be a sticky one to bat on.  As luck would have it Innellan skipper Marshall won the toss for the first time that anybody could remember and elected to bat first.  A decision that was met by groans of disbelief from the away dressing room, as well as calls for an EGM to debate a vote of no confidence in the “Useless Tosser’s” tactics.

McKissock and Singh opened with a display of reserved batting knocking up a respectable 11 runs off the first four overs.  With tight bowling and a surface that was difficult for batting this was the only sensible approach.

However, casting sense to the four winds Singh took a blind swipe at a ball on centre stump and returned to the pavilion for 7.

This brought to the crease the newly returned Dupre-Smith who showed that he had lost none of the old skills as he was bowled for 1.  It now seemed that the decision to bat first was not too clever.   A decision that Robin Henry did nothing to contradict. Literally nothing as took the long walk back with the sound of Daffy Duck ringing in his ears.

McKissock was still chipping away at the other end and when Marshall (Jnr) joined him and they took the total to 37 before McKissock departed for 22.

The rot continued with Johnston and Gilles proving unequal to the task and left only with the consolation that they had both scored a run more than Henry.  63 for 5.

Enter Higgins to the arena.  A man so out of form that nobody realised he was still turning up for games. 

Oh how times change as he stroked his blade with an aplomb that only Zorro, the original Gay Blade, could hope to compete with.  Refusing no quick singles crashing fours to all boundaries he helped himself to a total of runs that was equal to his last 35 innings combined seeing out the innings with a total of 14.  A case for compulsory dope testing surely.

Marshall finished with 40, like Higgins, not out. The total 93.

An excellent tea partooken of, Innellan set about the job of defending what looked like a light total.

Singh bowled tightly in his first over and was rewarded when Higgins took a sharp catch close in at Higgy Hollow.  Tight bowling by Skipper Marshall and further wickets by Singh and El Sabba reduced Inverclyde to 12 for 3.

At this stage a reeling Inverclyde brought in their captain Scott Campbell.  A dangerous man in any circumstances he hit his first ball crashing to the boundary.  After a deftly taken single he stood back to admire his third scoring shot stopping to wonder whether it would be a six or would bounce once for a four.

Only at the last moment did he see the figure of Marshall sprinting 30 yards round the boundary to launch himself at it full length before catching it with one hand about twelve inches off the ground. Please note this refers to “sprinting” and “Marshall”, it was of course Marshall (Jnr) not our skipper!!

Catches win matches in cricket; this one assassinated Inverclyde as disbelieving faces dropped like Robbie Doo’s playpiece.  Inverclyde  34 for 4.  The tail of Inverclyde stuck manfully to the task but the writing was on the wall and they struggled through to 43 all out.  All the Innellan bowling was good with newcomers Wagstaff and El Sabba showing great potential but the 4 for 8 taken by Dupre-Smith and the 4 overs, 2 maidens for 3 wickets bowled by McKissock (including a spectacular catch behind the stumps by Gilles off Kissy’s bowling) softened the pain in his aching shoulder on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… as they must know to their cost in Ingrams Bar.

Given the age, fitness and various levels of sobriety of this Innellan squad, defending a low score of 93 comfortably was as unexpected as club treasurer Higgins buying a round of drinks for the team (which he did!).

Innellan visit the Capital City to face Royal Botanic Gardens on Sunday 4^th June. With the RBG Ashes to be defended and retained, “Useless” is determined to field his strongest team  ………. the usual bribes will be welcomed!!

W&G Disgraced.

A STING IN THE TAIL!
Innellan vs Greenock 21^st May 

Innellan took their first overseas trip of the season to Glenpark to play Greenock last Sunday on the back of a victory over Vale of Leven the previous week.

The boundary wall and narrow entrance gate hide this treasure of a ground from the view of the passer by. Once entered the vista is splendid, a manicured outfield and square watched over by the pavilion.

McKissock and Marshall jnr. were restored to the opening berths. The pair began well against McDougall and McMichael who both asked questions with their combination of pace at one end and spin at the other, despite their tender years.

The change of bowling saw Paterson, at the age of 12, have the breakthrough with the score 44, removing Marshall’s off bail on 17. Singh joined the frey and the score advanced to 55 when McKissock played all over the top of one and returned to the pavilion for 27.

MacKellar was next in and he and Singh added 22 before the latter gave an easy caught and bowled to Berrington for 17. El Sabaa came to the wicket and looked uncomfortable, Berrington seeing his plight eased his discomfort and bowled him without troubling the scorers, Innellan 79 for 4 after 25 overs.

MacKellar was joined by Clark and the scoreboard was again in motion, studied defence by the Jambo and some flair by the Killie man took the score to 94. There is a saying in cricket – ‘never run on a miss-field’, Clarky did and his unfortunate partner was run out, so far out of his ground in fact that he didn’t figure in the TV replays.

Clark and Johnston continued, Johnstone off the mark with a 4 and there followed a series of ones and twos until the 34^th over when McDougall had his reward bowling Johnston all ends up,119 on the tins. Wagstaff joined Clark (despite Dupre-Smith’s best efforts to land him in Inverclyde RH – aka practice). The partnership lasted little time and Clark departed on 33 caught by Begley off the bowling of McMichael. With overs running out Wagstaff and Gilles kept the score going, but the wily Robertson brought the innings to a close with Wagstaff caught off the last ball of the innings for 9, Gilles 6 not out and Innellan 135 for 8 in total off the 40 overs.

After a fine tea the men from the tail o’ the bank opened with the Greenock stalwart of many years Roger Hardy, and rising talent McDonald – spin and pace from the Innellan duo of Clark and Henry. I t may have been Little and Large bowling but there was no comedy about their opening overs though,3 maidens in the opening six capped by Clark’s removal of McDonald, 11 for 1. Singh and Johnston came on as first change and had immediate success, Singh enjoys fields and summer and had the pleasure of having Hardy caught behind on 8, in his next over he had M Robertson caught by Henry and Gerrard dealt with similarly by McKissock, Greenock 30 for 4. Innellan Captain Billy Marshall rang the changes quickly to involve all his players, as had the hosts, and brought on El Sabaa and Wagstaff.

El Sabaa in his first over removed Jess, who was visibly distracted by some astute sledging by Clark, for a duck He bowled brilliantly and had further success with the wickets of Begley, also scoreless, and McMichael returning figures of 3 for 13 in 4 overs. At this point the home side were rocking at 50 for 7. Great experience came to the wicket in the form of P Robertson, a veteran of many a campaign who from the start knew exactly what was required to rest Innellan’s grip from the game. He had furthered the home sides cause to 69 when Singh removed his partner McDowell who had played well in holding up one end for 14 overs while those around him perished. McDougall hit the boundary rope before Johnston Castled him,89 for 9, enter Richie Berrington a Greenock 1^st and Scotland Under 19, would the tail wag? He proved to be the perfect partner for Robertson, allowing the senior player to carve out a wonderfully crafted innings with a mixture of fine stroke play and guile. The hundred strong crowd began to suspect the game was not yet over as he reached the boundary 7 times; faces at the windows of the pavilion in the descending gloom. Berrington had not been idle, a series of singles rotating the strike and a crashing 4 had Innellan on the back foot.

But then the defining moment, Singh to Berrington, who slapped one down mid on’s throat (R Henry), who promptly spilled the catch, (no worries Robin, its not every day you get to drop a Scotland player!). Robertson delivered the coup de grace, fittingly with a boundary to give the home side victory by 1 wicket with a match saving 57 not out and Grenock 136 for 9 with 3 overs to spare.

Greenock President Jim Lepick said later “this game had it all, youth and experience, excitement, played in great spirit and a thrilling finale!”.