Dumfries Sports Club

APD Dumfries lost out in a low scoring thriller by three wickets in the Premiership Grand Final in Edinburgh on Saturday for their opponents Watsonians to become Scottish Champions.

The match featured a tremendous fight-back by Dumfries to get into a position to possibly win and an outstanding innings of seventy not out from Scotland bat Ewan Chalmers to stop them.

Dumfries were asked to bat first and had a disastrous start immediately losing a wicket to a run-out and being four for two wickets and then five down for just twenty six. However Stuart Corbett-Byers played a skipper’s innings with a battling 32 as he and Alan Davidson recovered to reach sixty. Then Davie Davidson produced a belligerent 38 not out for the Benfield Dumfries Man of the Match award. His partnership with Pat Druce pushed the total up to 125, with the side all out off the last ball.

Watsonians bowled well keeping the batsmen under pressure and left arm opener Mike Legget did the early damage taking three wickets.

Even with that low total Dumfries managed to have Watsonians in trouble. Druce and Chris McCutcheon also took two early wickets and when Druce then clattered the stumps they were 21 for 3.

However number four and Scotland player Ewan Chalmers was now batting and he moved his side towards the fifty. Spinner Scott Beveridge came on and in his second over Druce took a catch at gully. Two overs later he took a further two wickets including removing former Scotland captain Wright to send shivers through the waiting batsmen.

Now it was 59 for 6 with 67 runs still to get and Dumfries threatening to pull off the most remarkable victory.

In a tense period of the game, Chalmers, with number eight Peter Legget, put together a partnership. The pair went on to add sixty runs with Legget surviving a difficult edged chance behind off Beveridge with over forty needed. His crucial innings of 22 ended lbw to Goodin with five still required.

There was still a Dumfries sting in the tail as Chalmers finally gave a chance and was dropped twice behind in one McCutcheon over with no more runs yet added.

At the end Chalmers was undefeated with a special innings of seventy to get his side home with three wickets left, and was a class apart on the day.

After the game a disappointed Dumfries Captain Corbett-Byers had the consolation of being presented with the Western Premier Trophy with APD Dumfries the League Champions of 2012.

Scorecard Photos

APD Dumfries won the CSL Western Premier league title at Benfield Park Nunholm in their final league game on Saturday after a decisive win over title rivals West of Scotland by a margin of 62 runs.

Dumfries were asked to bat in bowler friendly conditions and it required a crucial century partnership between Josh Geary and Tom McBride to fight back from a position of 34 for 3 after 17 overs. Geary went on to top score with a superb innings of 67 and Scotland U19 bat Tom McBride hit 35. That set the platform for a final overs onslaught that added eighty in the last ten overs to reach a challenging total of 196 for 7.

West were knocked back by opening bowlers Chris McCutcheon and Pat Druce to be two wickets down for just three runs. Alan Davidson took the third wicket when West were on 54 for 2 and remarkably he then went on to take a wicket in each of five consecutive overs to finish with a total of six wickets. That sank West’s title hopes and earned him the Solway Offset Man of the Match award.

He, and the other bowlers, were backed up by a series of fine catches with both Drew Dawson and Scott Beveridge taking exceptional efforts to put the side on the right track and when Lockhart was out caught by McCutcheon in the deep for 29, West were in dire straits at 93 for 7.

West of Scotland were finally all out for 134 to complete a comprehensive win by virtue of another team effort which was characteristic of the side’s efforts throughout the league season. That win in the club’s ‘biggest ever game’ meant that the side has won three consecutive league titles in three years.

This Saturday, APD Dumfries play Watsonians, winners of the Eastern Premier, in the Cricket Scotland Premiership Final in Edinburgh for the accolade of the top club side in Scotland.

Also last Saturday, CWE Nunholm lost away at leaders Partick in the Reserve league.

A good batting effort by Nunholm reached 158 for 7 with Building Tec Man of the Match Richardson top scoring with 59. However that target was successfully passed with the loss of seven wickets.

On Sunday, in their Scottish Cup semi-final, Dumfries Women got close to Glasgow Accies’ total of 77 for 6 but lost by thirteen runs, six down for 64. Rachel Howard was the Parkdale Garage Player of the Match taking two wickets.