Dumfries Sports Club

Stafforce Recruitment Dumfries lost their final Western Premier match by five wickets away at Clydesdale, who were crowned league winners last week, to finish fifth in the table.

Asked to bat first, Dumfries got off to a great start at 93 for no wicket thanks to a fine innings of 60 from Stuart Corbett-Byers and 25 from Drew Dawson. However a match winning performance by Scotland off-spinner, and Clydesdale skipper, Majid Haq then brought Dumfries down to 156 all out as he bowled an excellent spell to take 8 wickets for just 20 runs off 15 overs.

In reply Clydesdale were 64 for 3 thanks to two wickets from spinner Scott Beveridge and an lbw from Alan Davidson. However opener Haq, again, contributed 48, until run out by a brilliant direct hit from Chris Bellwood, and then Page with 60 not out saw the home side through to a five wicket win. The Nunholm players voted keeper Stuart Corbett-Byers as the Dumfries Lakeland Fluid Power Man of the Match for his top score effort but Haq was definitely the game’s Man of the Match on the day he lifted the league trophy for his side.

Saturday’s Nunholm team versus Titwood

In the parallel match in the Western Premier Reserve League the home side Nunholm gave Clydesdale 2nds, Titwood, a fright with the visitors needing a win to claim the Reserve league title also. That was despite a below par Nunholm total of 87 with Davie Davidson the top scorer with 38. A good bowling and fielding effort in the field by Nunholm then had their opponents 7 wickets down for 66. However the eighth wicket pair edged Titwood over the line with the WEB Engineering Nunholm Man of the Match, Stuart Alexander, taking four of the wickets to fall.

With no league fixtures this weekend it is only sixteen year old Chris McBride of the Dumfries players who still has league commitments, for Durham Cricket Academy in the North-East Premier League, after he shared in a 63 run opening partnership in their match last Saturday.

During the week Dumfries U12s won a well contested match against a Carlisle U11 side with Aiden Goodin and Sean Thornely-Kyle picking up two wickets before the side successfully chased their total of 77 to win.

For information about Dumfries Cricket Club see www.dumfriescricketclub.co.uk, Facebook(/dumfriescricketclub), Twitter(@dumfriescricket) or contact the Club on dumfriescricketclub@gmail.com, 07799 856094.

In the Western Premier League on Saturday, Stafforce Recruitment Dumfries claimed a convincing win as they hosted West of Scotland at Nunholm in their last home league game.

An Alan Davidson boundary on his way to 46 for Stafforce Dumfries

The match was interrupted early by rain after just six overs when Dumfries were 12 for no wicket. After the resumption, and with the match now reduced from 50 to 40 overs a side, the Dumfries openers, Drew Dawson and Alan Davidson, upped the pace to pass eighty at the 20 over mark with Davidson in particular going on to hit six boundaries on a now slow outfield. However the West change bowlers bowled effectively, and both openers were dismissed with the score on 83. Davidson was out for 46 and Dawson for 29.

Marcus Richardson, Robert McBride, and Stuart Corbett-Byers then provided useful partnerships with number five Josh Forsyth as the latter went on to accelerate in the closing overs. Over fifty came in the last five overs as Forsyth went aerial over the slow outfield by hitting six sixes. He was run out with two balls left for an Annandale Insurance Man of the Match top score of 76 in just 49 balls.

The total of 208 for 6 was tweaked to 213 to adjust for the interruption and Pat Druce and Alan Davidson made that target more difficult as each took two wickets to have the visitors 38 for 4. McNulty responded with an innings of 43 but Niall Alexander dismissed the last four wickets to fall as West of Scotland were all out for 127 with five overs left.

That Dumfries win meant West of Scotland were relegated on a day when Clydesdale claimed the league title with their victory at Renfrew who also became the other side to drop into the Western Union First Division. Despite the win Stafforce Dumfries remain in fifth place just behind the two sides above them.

Niall Alexander also opened the bowling during the week for the Scottish Reivers in their 50 over match against the Highlanders in Glasgow taking two wickets in a Reivers loss which meant the Pro50 title went to the Highlanders.

In the Western Premier Reserve League, in their away game against Partick, Nunholm were were well beaten by nine wickets. This Saturday, in the final league matches of the season, Stafforce Dumfries are away at newly crowned league winners Clydesdale in the Western Premier League and Nunholm host Titwood, who also sit top, in the league’s Reserve competition.

In the Western Premier League on Saturday, Stafforce Dumfries beat Drumpellier at home and moved into the top half of the table after posting an imposing total of 261 for 7. Josh Forsyth top scored with a hard hitting 76 aided by 57 not out from Scott Beveridge as the pair revitalised the innings from 5 down for 128.

The Stafforce Dumfries team on Saturday

A century opening stand put Drumpellier on the right track but a match-changing five wicket burst from the ETP Electrical Man of the Match Chris McCutcheon set them back to 153 for 6. However the lower order hit out and although the home side win looked safe during the final few overs their efforts still took the visitors to 252 for 7 off the fifty overs, ten runs short, on a day of runs at Nunholm.

With the other day’s results Clydesdale are the West Champions-Elect for 2015 as they require a mere one point, or one wicket, from the remaining two matches.

Stafforce Dumfries lost out in the Murgitroyd Scottish Twenty20 Semi-Final in Glasgow on Sunday. The host club Poloc set a total of 128 for 6 after Dumfries fought back from a half way score of 66 for no wicket. Dumfries then lost two early wickets but were challenging at 67 for 3 at the half way stage. However they ended up needing sixteen off the last over and lost the one remaining wicket to a catch on the boundary. The Stafforce Recruitment Man of the Match for Dumfries was Scott Beveridge for his all-round contribution including a brilliant run out. Having beaten Watsonians in the other semi-final, Forfarshire were later crowned the T20 Scottish Champions after a convincing win over Poloc in the final.

In the Western Premier Reserve League, Nunholm were away at Langloan, Drumpellier 2nds, and they dismissed the home side for 180 with APD Ltd. Dumfries Man of the Match Stuart Alexander and Gurupal Singh taking three wickets each. However Nunholm were defeated as they could only manage fifty three in the second innings.

Dumfries juniors won yet another close game away against Galloway U12s by nine runs with Tom Currie the Player of the Match for Dumfries, and sixteen year old Chris McBride continued his appearances for Durham Academy in the North East Premier League last Saturday. McBride shared a fifty run partnership with Scotland A, and Durham 2^nd XI, player Dylan Budge with Budge scoring the bulk of the runs on his way to a not out ton.

On Saturday, in the Western Premier League, Stafforce Dumfries take on West of Scotland at home at Nunholm, with Wests fighting relegation having moving to last spot with two sides to go down. Dumfries 2nds, Nunholm, are away at Partick in the Premier Reserve League.

In the Western Premier League on Saturday, Stafforce Recruitment Dumfries lost their away match at third placed Ferguslie by 38 runs. Batting first the home side scored 215 for 9 with Ferguslie’s Zimbabwean professional, Dabengwa, the top scorer with 81. Niall Alexander took three wickets, and Chris Bellwood and Drew Dawson each took two, but the Ryedale Remedials Man of the Match for Dumfries was Stuart Alexander for his probing opening spell which was rewarded with just one wicket.

In the Dumfries reply, opener Drew Dawson scored 30 and a good sixth wicket partnership between Chris McBride (28) and Stuart Corbett-Byers (30) took Dumfries to 146 for 5. However both were dismissed soon afterwards and Dumfries then fell short with a final tally of 177.

Gei was Man of the Match for Nunholm

In the Western Premier Reserve league, Nunholm had their opportunities against Ferguslie 2nds, Meikleriggs, but lost by 45 runs. A crucial last wicket partnership took the visitors from 101 for 9 up to 150 all out. The FM Associates Nunholm Man of the Match, Gurupal Singh, and Jerry Goodin both took three wickets and Chris McCutcheon and Aidan Collingwood took two each.

Then, despite an innings of 32 from opener Patrick Corkery, and twenties from Goodin (22) and McCutcheon (20 not out) the home side were all out for 105 with 12 overs still remaining.

Junior Cricket: Dumfries juniors won another last over finish against Galloway U12s by just three runs at Nunholm last week and an U17 side also competed well to win their match at Moffat by 39 runs.

In the Western Premier next Saturday, mid-table Stafforce Dumfries play at home against Drumpellier who sit two places below them in the league, and Nunholm play away at Langloan, Drumpellier 2nds, in the Premier Reserve League. On Sunday, Dumfries compete at the postponed Murgitroyd Scottish Twenty20 Finals day in Glasgow where they take on Poloc, on their home turf, in the morning semi-final.

Dumfries opening bowler Niall Alexander was in action last week with the Scotland Development XI on their trip to Yorkshire. There the Scotland side played a 2-day fixture against the county’s Yorkshire Academy team. The young side, which consisted of a number of Scotland’s up-and-coming cricketers, registered an impressive win against Yorkshire’s next crop of Joe Roots and gained some valuable multi-day cricket experience.

Scotland Reivers bowler Niall Alexander took wickets for the Scotland Development XI ©Donald MacLeod

The Scots set a good total of 296 all out on the first day with Budge 115 not out and Sole hitting 92. Then the opening pair of Alexander and Neill reduced the Yorkshire side to 35 for 5 with Alexander taking two wickets. He then came back to send the stumps flying with the ninth wicket as the home side were dismissed for just 119.

Chris McBride was to the fore again for Cumbria U17s with a score of 37 and a couple of wickets as they won their Royal London Championship Division with their performance against Leicestershire U17s after a first innings total of 264 surpassed that of the home side of 170 all out.

In the Western Premier League on Saturday, the Stafforce Recruitment Dumfries fixture at East Kilbride was cancelled with the ground not playable. All the scheduled fixtures in the league ended up as abandoned due to rain so the league positions remain unchanged.

In the Western Premier Reserve League, Dumfries 2nds, Nunholm, beat East Kilbride 2nds, Torrance House, at home by 71 runs to move up into third place. Nunholm scored 156 for 8 with Davie Davidson the top scorer with 41, aided by contributions of 29 by Adam Elliott, 25 from Cammie Telfer and James Cox’s 17 not out. Torrance House were then all out for 85 with the J&E Shepherd Man of the Match, Stuart Alexander, and Chris McCutcheon and Jerry Goodin all taking three wickets apiece.

The Dumfries Sunday XI won their contest at Kinmount by five wickets chasing 87 with two batsmen dominating each innings; Ben Flack with 48 not out for the home side and the Brian Boyes Electrical Dumfries Man of the Match, Gordon Lyburn, who scored 41 not out.

Holiday Junior Cricket: Dumfries Cricket Club’s Junior Coaching takes place at Dumfries Sports Club on Mondays over the holidays, 6:15-8, for boys and girls, P4 to S1. Beginners are welcome. For details contact Trefor Williams (01387 256455), or the club on dumfriescricketclub@gmail.com, 07799 856094, or see www.dumfriescricketclub.co.uk, Facebook(/dumfriescricketclub), or Twitter(@dumfriescricket).

In the Western Premier League this Saturday, mid-table Stafforce Dumfries are back in action at third placed Ferguslie and, also sitting in third, Nunholm play Meikleriggs at home in the Reserve League. On Sunday, Dumfries compete at the Murgitroyd Scottish Twenty20 Finals day in Glasgow where they take on Poloc, on their home turf, in the morning semi-final.

Dumfries Cricket Club is raising funds for the Nepal Earthquake.

The club is joining cricket clubs across Scotland in a fundraising drive for Nepal this weekend.

Players at Saturday’s match at Nunholm will be asked to donate an extra £1 for their mid-match tea this weekend for the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal as part of “Teas for Nepal”.

“Teas for Nepal” – Josh for the 1sts and Andy for the 2nds start off the Nepal Earthquake donations at Dumfries Cricket Club.

The Nepalese cricket team arrived in Scotland this week to play the Scottish men’s national team in two ICC World Cricket League matches. To mark this occasion, Cricket Scotland has asked local clubs, including Dumfries Cricket Club, to help raise funds for a fellow cricketing nation.

As well as asking members and spectators to put a ‘pound in the teapot’, Dumfries Cricket Club will also be selling raffle tickets to raise money for the appeal.

Joanna Lumley batting for the Nepal Earthquake appeal by Scottish Cricket

Scottish cricket has attracted celebrity support due to its commitment to help efforts in Nepal. Joanna Lumley, who spearheaded the campaign for the Nepalese Gurkhas’ entitlement to UK citizenship, has praised the ‘golden-hearted’ cricket players of Scotland.

She also has a Dumfries and Nunholm connection through her involvement with the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust for whom the Club hosted a charity cricket match in 2012.

Joanna Lumley said: “These are going to be gripping matches by any standards: the hill men of Nepal against the hill men of Scotland, a pitch looming between, bails in place, the stumps trembling in anticipation of the battle of the warriors.

“And I, as a daughter of Nepal by adoption and three-quarters Scottish by birth, shall be shouting myself hoarse from far away, uncaring about who wins but overwhelmed by these golden-hearted contests which will raise such a huge sum for those in greatest need. A thousand thanks to you all: shabash! and well done!”

Tony Brian, chair of Cricket Scotland, said: “Nepal is still recovering from the devastating earthquake that struck earlier this year.

“We thought that the Nepalese team’s arrival in Scotland would be a good opportunity to raise money and help a fellow cricketing nation.

A spokesman from Dumfries Cricket Club said: “Nepal might be a long way from Nunholm but we were all horrified by the devastation the earthquake caused earlier this year.

“The Nepalese are very passionate about their cricket and their best national team, matches can draw crowds of up to 15,000, and many follow their side online. So they will definitely be following the matches at Ayr this week and this distant support from Scottish Cricket will register with them.

“If ever there were a weekend to give cricket a try, this is it. Visit your local club and put an extra pound in the pot to help us support the recovery efforts in Nepal.”

For those who can’t attend a match at their local club this weekend, donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/Cricket-Scotland .

In the Western Premier League on Saturday, Stafforce Recruitment Dumfries were well beaten in their away match at Ayr. Ayr totalled 257 for 5 with their South African professional Lenert Van Wyk dominating the innings with a score of 125 after Ayr were 2 wickets down for 12 runs. Opening bowler Niall Alexander took two of those five wickets, Pat Druce and Chris Bellwood took one each, and Ronan Dunbar contributed another run out.

In reply Dumfries could only muster 85 all out after early wickets fell, with Van Wyk and fellow South African Heynrych Nel each taking three wickets for the home side. The Cairndale Hotel Dumfries Man of the Match, Josh Forsyth, was the top scorer with twenty seven.

Fraser took three middle order wickets for Nunholm

In the corresponding Western Premier Reserve League match, Nunholm had an equally convincing home win over Ayr 2nds, Cambusdoon. The visitors were dismissed for 80 thanks to four wickets from Chris McCutcheon and three each for Stuart Alexander and Fraser Strachan.

The Star Refrigeration Nunholm Man of the Match, James Cox, then top scored with 37. Davie Davidson was 33 not out when Cammie Telfer hit the winning boundary for an eight wicket win in the twentieth over.

Meanwhile Dumfries’s Chris McBride was the second top scorer with 87 opening the batting in Cumbria U17’s innings against their visitors, Scotland u17s, in an ECB Championship two day match which was dominated by the Cumbria side.

Holiday Junior Cricket: Dumfries Cricket Club’s Junior Coaching takes place at Dumfries Sports Club on Mondays over the holidays, 6:15-8, for boys and girls, P4 to S1. Beginners are welcome. For details contact Trefor Williams (01387 256455), or the club on dumfriescricketclub@gmail.com, 07799 856094, or see www.dumfriescricketclub.co.uk, Facebook(dumfriescricketclub) or Twitter(dumfriescricket).

A Summer Holiday Cricket Camp, for boys and girls aged 7 to 12, takes place at Nunholm on 5/6th August (Wed/Thu) again with beginners welcome. For details please use the above contacts.

This Saturday in the Western Premier League, Dumfries play at home against Renfrew and Nunholm are away against Deanpark in the Reserve league.

On Saturday at Nunholm, Stafforce Dumfries dented second placed Kelburne’s title hopes with a comfortable five wicket win in the Western Premier League. Elsewhere only leaders Clydesdale were able to finish their game, winning a low scoring encounter at Drumpellier.

Batting first, Kelburne reached a final total of 162 all out thanks to resistance by the tail enders after the visitors were languishing at 82 for 7. Opening bowler Niall Alexander had removed the top three and took four wickets for Dumfries. Alan Davidson accounted for the middle order and also finished with four wickets.

Stafforce Dumfries Man of the Match Marcus Richardson

For Dumfries opening bat Drew Dawson contributed 27 and then Marcus Richardson, batting at three, batted positively for his score of 65. His was the third wicket to fall with fifty runs yet to get but Chris Bellwood with a composed score of 43 and Chris McBride with 16 not out saw the Nunholm side home with twelve overs to spare for the loss of five wickets.

Richardson was the Carlisle Refrigeration Dumfries Man of the Match for his match winning innings which included ten boundaries. Stafforce Dumfries remain in fifth place in the Premier league just behind Ferguslie.

In the Western Premier Reserve League, Nunholm lost at Whitehaugh after the home side scored 204 all out with the Barbours Nunholm Man of the Match, Peter Johnstone, taking three wickets. Nunholm reached 92 all out in reply as Milliken took six wickets for Whitehaugh, and on Sunday, four wickets from the Farries, Kirk & McVean Man of the Match, Dave Strachan, were not enough to prevent a three wicket loss in the friendly at Hillhead.

Holiday Junior Cricket: Dumfries Cricket Club’s Junior Coaching takes place at Dumfries Sports Club on Mondays over the holidays, 6:15-8, for boys and girls, P4 to S1. For details contact Trefor Williams (01387 256455), or the club on dumfriescricketclub@gmail.com, 07799 856094, or see www.dumfriescricketclub.co.uk, Facebook(dumfriescricketclub) or Twitter(dumfriescricket).

A Summer Holiday Cricket Camp, for boys and girls aged 7 to 12, takes place at Nunholm on 5/6th August (Wed/Thu) with beginners welcome. For details please use the above contacts.

This Saturday, Dumfries play away at last year’s West Champions, Ayr, who sit two places below them in the Western Premier League, and Nunholm host Ayr 2nds in the Reserve league.

On Sunday at the Murgitroyd Twenty20 Borders Finals day, Stafforce Dumfries beat Kelso in the semi-final and then defeated Gala to win the final at Selkirk. Dumfries now progress, as one of four teams, through to the National T20 Finals day in Glasgow in August.

In the match at Kelso the home side batted first and were restricted to a total of 83 for 7 in their twenty overs. The Solway Insulation Services Man of the Match Alan Davidson scooped a five wicket haul taking five wickets for just four runs in his allotted four overs. Dumfries then passed that for an eight wicket win and with overs to spare. The McBride brothers shared the winning partnership as Chris top scored with 31 not out and skipper Robert hit 23 not out. Chris Bellwood contributed another twenty five.

Josh shared the fifty partnership in the T20 final © SVZ Photography UK

The Nunholm side then travelled to Selkirk for the final against Gala who had just beaten Selkirk in the other semi-final. This time Dumfries batted first and set a total of 116. Chris Bellwood scored 36 for the Lever Photography Man of the Match award and Josh Forsyth hit 29 which included three sixes. Scott Beveridge took three wickets as Gala reached 62 all out in reply for a 54 run Dumfries victory. Two wickets each also went to Alan Davidson, Niall Alexander and Pat Druce.

Holiday Junior Cricket: Dumfries Cricket Club’s Junior Coaching takes place at Dumfries Sports Club on Mondays over the holidays, 6:15-8, for boys and girls, P4 to S1. For details contact Trefor Williams (01387 256455), or the club on dumfriescricketclub@gmail.com, 07799 856094, or see www.dumfriescricketclub.co.uk, Facebook (dumfriescricketclub) or Twitter (@dumfriescricket).

A Summer Holiday Cricket Camp, for boys and girls aged 7 to 12, takes place at Nunholm on 5/6th August (Wed/Thu) with beginners welcome. For details please use the above contacts.

Meanwhile on Saturday in the Western Premier League, the Stafforce Dumfries match at Uddingston was cancelled due to rain as was the Nunholm fixture at home in the Reserve League.

This Saturday, Stafforce Dumfries play at home against a Kelburne side in second place in the Western Premier and vying for the top spot, and Nunholm are away at Whitehaugh.

In the Western Premier league on Saturday, Stafforce Dumfries set a competitive total of 238 for 7 in their three wicket loss against league leaders Clydesdale at Nunholm.

SIX: Josh hits another of his 10 sixes.

An excellent 120 run partnership in just 13 overs between Josh Forsyth and Stuart Corbett-Byers brought Dumfries back from 117 for 5 with both batsmen out in the last over. Forsyth, the Greyfriars Medical Centre Dumfries Man of the Match, produced the innings of the day. He was caught for 95 off the third last ball, going for his century, having deposited a remarkable ten sixes over the boundary, and well beyond.

Another 120plus run partnership for Clydesdale’s third wicket between Scotland players, opener Majid Haq, 86 not out, and Richie Berrington, with 83, set up the visitor’s win but not before Dumfries took five wickets in the closing overs as Clydesdale reached the finishing line with five balls left and seven wickets down. Scott Beveridge claimed four of the wickets.

In the Western Premier Reserve league, Nunholm lost to Clydesdale 2nds, Titwood, by 87 runs. Titwood were six wickets down for just past the hundred but recovered to 210 all out. Davie Davidson took 6 wickets for 46 for the Dumfries side and was the Thomson & Jardine Dumfries Man of the Match. Then his was the top score, with 33, as Nunholm could only reach 123 all out in reply.

This Saturday in the Western Premier, Stafforce Dumfries play away at Uddingston and Nunholm are at home against their seconds, Bothwell, in the Western Premier Reserve League.