Published: Monday, 18th May, 2009 12:30pm

Grange cruise to victory

by Roger Graham

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GREENOCK 201 for 9wkts; GRANGE 202 for 5wkts.

HALF CENTURY: Shailesh Prabhu steers Chalmers through backward point for his half century.

LAST year"s champions, Grange, arrived at runners-up Greenock"s Glenpark ground in what was billed as match-of-the-day in the Premier Division.

Unfortunately both sides were understrength, Greenock losing three and Grange two players to the international side. Grange also had two players missing through illness.

The home side"s losses were arguably more severe than the visitors, all three - Craig Wright, Cameron Borgas and Dewald Nel - being all-rounders in the club game.

At the end of an afternoon which alternated between the Baltic and something akin to Ice Station Zebra, punctuated by incongruous moments of spring-like warmth, it was the visitors who deservedly emerged with the spoils.

The site-screens at Glenpark billowed like galleons in full sail as play got under way. Mercifully there was just one brief downpour which caused a minor delay.

Over the piece a middle order collapse by the hosts, allied to some profligate bowling and a horrendous tally of extras, proved to be their downfall.

Having won the toss, Greenock skipper Richie Berrington opted to bat first and the hosts raced off to a bright start beneath the sombre, scudding clouds.

The first wicket fell in the ninth over when young Keenan Bowers was caught at deep fine leg off Grange professional Wise, an opening bowler who could almost eyeball a giraffe.

By that time the total was 47, Shailesh Prabhu batting with assurance and now being joined by Richie Berrington.

The scored moved along as briskly as the clouds and Prabhu"s 50 came up with a glancing two off Chalmers in the 19th over, 81 being on the board.

When Prabhu holed out at point to a tired looking shot off Holmes, Greenock were well set for a big total at 104 for two in the 24th over.

Gregor Maiden, who had been keeping wicket, then took off the gloves and, in his second over, he had Moneeb Iqbal dismissed, caught behind by Coles. That began the decline of the home innings.

Sean Weeraratna was caught at point, Rowan holed out to cover and when Berrington finally fell, attempting to smash Chalmers through midwicket, it was 166 for six in the 43rd over.

Dougie Wylie came and went and Greenock were struggling at 167 for seven.

Ryan Begley and Johnathan Hempsey produced sufficient sting in the tail to carry the score to a respectable 201 when the interval arrived.

The question was whether Greenock would have enough bowling to finish the job, for it looked likely that they would have to bowl out the visitors if they were going to win.

As it transpired Taylor and Maiden took advantage of some wayward bowling from Weeraratna and took the total to 83 without loss after 16 overs.

Dougie Wylie was belatedly brought on in the next over for the Scotland bowler and, in the second over of what was a good display, he met with success when he bowled Maiden with the total 96.

Coles then fell to the same bowler, the score being 114. Greenock needed to keep taking wickets, but it was Grange who again took a firm grip of the reins with another eye on the possibility of the arrival of meteorological rains.

The commanding Taylor was finally removed by the returning Rowan, who had bowled well, but at 182 for three in the 36th over, it seemed an unlikely start to a home revival.

However, hopes were raised when Sean Weeraratna, back in the fray, had the stubborn Moffat caught by Rowan, then Holmes was scooped up by a superb Berrington slip catch to leave the visitors on 185 for five at the end of the 37th over.

There was to be no fairy-tale home ending, however, as Grange dug in again and saw out the victory without further loss, Patel striking the second of two fours off Johnathan Hempsey in the 41st over to bring the match to an end and leave Greenock at the foot of the table.

Meanwhile, down south, Greenock skipper Craig Wright had been starring for his country in a lost cause against Warwickshire. He grabbed both the county side"s openers in a spell which netted him two for 28, before hitting 28, batting at number eight.

Greenock professional Cameron Borgas scored 35, batting at number four, as Scotland chased the home total of 242, eventually being all out 56 runs short of the target.

GREENOCK

S.S. Prabhu c Patel b Holmes......................53

K. Bowers c Thomas b Wise.........................10

R.D. Berrington c Thomas b Chalmers.........56

M. Iqbal c Coles b Maiden...............................2

S.D. Weeraratna c Maiden b Thomas.............9

W. Rowan c Wise b Chalmers.......................12

R.G. Begley b Holmes...................................14

R.D.G. Wylie b Maiden....................................0

C.J.C. Hempsey c Maiden b Chalmers...........1

J.R.C. Hempsey not out................................15

K.F. Begley not out..........................................1

Extras 28

Total (9wkts) 201

Bowling: A. Wise 10-3-28-1; S. Chalmers 10-2-29-3; M. Thomas 10-0-49-1; G. Holmes 10-0-49-1; G.I. Maiden 10-0-35-2.

FOW: 1/47 Bowers; 2/104 Prabhu; 3/115 Iqbal; 4/128 Weeraratna; 5/161 Rowan; 6/166 Berrington; 7/167 Wylie; 8/168 C. Hempsey; 9/194 R. Begley.

GRANGE

S. Taylor c Bowers b Rowan.........................78

G.I. Maiden b Wylie.......................................31

RC. Coles c C. Hempsey b Wylie....................6

S.A.G. Moffat c Weeraratna b Rowan...........31

S. Chalmers not out........................................2

G. Holmes c Berrington b Weeraratna........... 0

S. Patel not out..............................................10

Extras 44

Total (5wkts) 202

Bowling: S.D. Weeraratna 10-0-53-1; W. Rowan 9-0-27-2; J.P.C. Hempsey 7.2-0-48-0; R.D.G. Wylie 10-2-27-2; M. Iqbal 6-0-48-0.

FOW: 1/1/96 Maiden; 2/114 Coles; 3/182 Taylor; 4/184 Moffat; 5/189 Holmes.