THE sun looks set to shine on a huge weekend of cricket for Greenock as the Glenpark side gear up for the Cricket Scotland Challenge Cup final.
Greenock travel to Larbert on Sunday to take on Edinburgh CC in the final of the tournament – but before a ball is bowled at The Tryst, there’s the important business of league points to be contested as Greenock host Renfrew, on Saturday in the league.
Renfrew will present a stiff challenge when they come to Glenpark: they currently lie second top of Western Premiership Two going into the final few weeks of the season, and will be going all out for a win in the hope of overhauling leaders West of Scotland and snatching the league title.
It’s also an opportunity for players to get some valuable match practice 24 hours before facing Edinburgh, though a significant number of regular Greenock first teamers aren’t available on Saturday, with Aryan and Sam Sanghera both missing alongside Harry Briggs, Chirag Pandher, Shailesh Prabhu, Fahim Dinarkheil and Mu Ahmadzai.
Bolstering the squad for his first appearance of the season will be former first XI captain Jonathan Hempsey, who led the team to the First Division title in 2016 and who will bring some valuable experience to the team, while Sehmat Pandher and Greg McDougall will be important bowlers for Greenock.
Among the second XI players being called up to face Renfrew are Kurakulasuriya Leema, who top scored with an innings of 69 for Glenpark against Bute County last weekend and whose slow left-arm bowling will also be called upon.
Renfrew's match last Saturday was apparently abandoned not long after the tea interval; visitors East Kilbride had set a very challenging 272 for 5, with Renfrew 28 for 2 when the game was prematurely halted.
The Greenock team to play Renfrew at Glenpark on Saturday with a 12 noon start will be C.J. Henry (capt), P.J. Bryceland, C. Calder, J.P.C. Hempsey, W. Jenkins, K. Leema, G.J. McDougall, U. Mansoor, S.S. Pandher, C. Prabhu, H. Safi. Scorer: B Roberts.
Greenock expect to have a much stronger team available for their cup final on Sunday at Stenhousemuir CC's home ground against an Edinburgh side who were only established in 2000.
Their first XI play in the East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) Division One and are currently second top, with nine wins from 11 league matches, just three percentage points behind leaders Penicuik.
Muhammad Khubaib and Daud Ahmed are their two top performers with the bat while Khubaib and Hazrat Bilal lead the way with wicket successes.
All the regular Greenock first XI players who are unavailable on Saturday are in Sunday’s team for the final, and if they play to their potential, they have every chance of bringing the trophy back to Glenpark.
The Greenock team to play Edinburgh CC at The Tryst on Sunday with a 12noon start will be: A. Sanghera (capt), Mu Ahmadzai, H.R. Briggs, C. Calder, F. Dinarkheil, C.J. Henry, W. Jenkins, G.J. McDougall, C.S. Pandher, S.S. Pandher, S.S. Sanghera. 12th man: SS Prabhu. Scorer: B. Roberts.
* Meanwhile, Greenock's second XI, Glenpark, are out to maintain their place at the top of Western Championship Three when they travel across the Clyde to Millburn Park in Alexandria to play Vale of Leven on Saturday.
The team shows a number of enforced changes due to the impact of the unavailability of a number of players who have been called up to the club's first XI for their match at home to Renfrew.
Team captain Eddie Ahmad will be keen to ensure that the side which does take to the field at Millburn Park puts in a sound performance which is able to maintain the team’s top of the table position.
The Glenpark team for Saturday will be M. Ahmad (capt), Ma Ahmadzai, M. Anwar, H. Chetri, Z. Dilsoz, Y. Hayat, R. Kumar, E. Norris, P. Robertson, R. Safi, S. Safi.
Meanwhile, Greenock's third XI, Hilllend, secured a comfortable win over Milngavie 3 at Glenpark on Tuesday evening.
Batting first, the Hillend XI scored 112 for 9 from their alloted overs, and in reply Milngavie 3 were bowled out for 74.
The win hoisted the Hillend XI up to third top spot in the Midweek League Division Three table, having won four out of seven completed matches.
Greenock Cricket Club is sponsored by Cleaning Supplies 4U.
