INVERCLYDE missed out on the chance to move up the table when they had to reluctantly play for the losing draw after a lacklustre all round bowling, fielding and batting performance.

The match started promisingly for the locals.

After winning the toss, they had the Glasgow side at 15 for four, then 56 for five after 20 overs.

In his opening Paul Singh took the first wicket when Crawford mistimed an off drive to be well held by David Thomson at mid-off.

Gareth James then knocked over Talker’s middle stump in the third over and Singh had Qadim caught by Dave Cooke at mid-on.

James took the catch at mid-wicket for Singh’s third wicket.

Karam fell to another Thomson catch off first change bowler Tom Watson, with Inverclyde well placed after 20 overs.

However, slack bowling and fielding allowed the visitors to recover to add almost 100 runs in the second half of the innings.

Smith was bowled by another fine ball from James, and Benny Deake’s sharp work at square leg to run out Sharam had the visitors at 95 for seven, but Mackay scored an unbeaten 30, which included several half chances and mis-hits to help boost the score in the late overs.

Watson collected two further tail end wickets, bowling Shabbir and Gupta and also the final wicket in the 39th over, a good catch at extra cover by debutant Steven Sinclair, but Inverclyde were disappointed to have allowed the visitors to reach the unlikely total of 152.

Watson finished with four for 30, Singh three for 31 and James two for 17.

Having scored 143 batting first in last week’s victory over Stenhousemuir Seconds, this target was well within Inverclyde’s reach, but the normally reliable top order failed on this occasion.

Shabbir and Gupta struck four times in the opening eight overs to leave the locals in trouble at 15 for four.

Douglas Pilkington then joined David Thomson and this pair then batted out the remaining 32 overs, initially with the intent of preventing a batting collapse, then looking for an unlikely victory.

That proved too optimistic as the run rate increased, but they then safely saved the game.

Having seen his top order colleagues sent back to the pavilion, Thomson was determined not to join them, and gave a faultless defensive performance throughout his innings.

Pilkington defended initially then picked up his scoring rate to finish on 53 not out, including five boundaries, while Thomson finished on a solid 25, with his first boundary coming in the 40th over.

The partnership, which included no offered chances, was worth 91 at the end of Inverclyde’s reply.

l Training and coaching for juniors and seniors continues at Gourock Park on Tuesdays from 6 to 8pm.