Your body and mind
ERCC comes up big following promotion to the second league
By Afzal Shaikh – 27th April 2019
In their first match after promotion to WDCU Division 2, East Renfrewshire opened their campaign with a 4 wicket win in rain-hit, low scoring match against Williamsfield (Stirling County CC).
After winning the toss, ERCC put the host to bat on a lush green hard wicket a decision well paid-off when Williamsfield openers struggled facing controlled ERCC seam and spin opening bowling attack.
Off-spinner Riaz Ali got through the defense on last ball of his first over sending Ian Wilkinson (1) back to pavilion.
Fellow opening ball partner and paceman Nauman Javaid joined the party dismissing Shirish Shetty (3) brilliantly caught behind by Zarak Ahad.
Making excellent use of the pitch condition, Nauman went on to celebrate parting Christopher Morton (4) and Moray Sharp (0), in quick succession.
Skipper and opener Fergus Martin seemed clueless standing at one end watching his side topple, he later diminished for 3 caught by Nayyar Umeed off Riaz’s superb swing bowling.
Lois Wilkinson, Vamsi Machana and Michael Phillip were sent to the dug out without troubling the scorer as Williamfield were 17 for 8 after 10 overs.
Tail enders Jonathan Bowes and Alasdair Morton showed some resilience lower in the order for a decent 30-run partnership just before Alasdair (6) was bowled by Imtanan Raza.
Riaz completed his 4-17 (7.2) with W Weir (7) wicket, ending Williamfield’s miser 58 in 26.2 overs. Nauman finished with 3-12, Waqas Hussain and Imtanan picked 1 apiece.
Jonathan was the only batsman for Williamfield to reach double figures and remained unbeaten at 17.
ERCC opened their innings with a cautious approach scoring at nearly 3 an over lost last season’s top scorer Ali Qazi (9) leg before off Ian Wilkinson in the sixth over.
His opening partner and captain Shazad Malik (4) succumbed after a quick 18-run partnership with wicketkeeper batsman Zarak Ahad’s quickfire 22 off 13 balls with 2 boundaries.
ERCC looked in a bit of bother with their top-order dismissed and a collapse middle order leaving Nayyar Umeed, Tariq Shabbir and Waqas Hussain out cheaply.
However, all-rounders Imtanan Raza (2) and Zubair Mohammad (4) both carried their bat forward and the side home in 14.5 overs.
Jonathan Bowes and Christopher Morton shared two wickets each in between them, while Ian and Lois Wilkinson finished with one respectively.
In the next match, ERCC will host Torrance House.
ERCC’s second team ‘Glasgow South’ home game was washed out due to rain and wet outfield.