Meigle cricketers remain in second place in the table Clark’s five-wicket haul helps net win

Meigle cemented second position in the table with four games to go following a win against Rossie Priory on Saturday.

The match ball, sponsored by the Kinloch Arms Hotel, will adorn the mantlepiece of Charles Clark as his maiden five-wicket haul saw Meigle to victory.

Rossie skipper Bruce Stephens won the toss and elected to make use of the bowling friendly conditions. There was swing and seam movement early on and the Inchture outfit’s loan signing, Craig Ross from Arbroath United, was proving difficult for the Black and Gold openers.

Roland Thorne and Clark perished, closely followed by star man Neil Wimberley – who played an uncharacteristically loose shot as the villagers languished on 17 for three.

Injuries and holidays have prevented Callum Leese from playing of late but the tall lefty grafted his way to 40 not out from 80 balls in a gutsy and muchneeded innings.

An unfortunate run out saw Warren Sutherland depart for just two runs. The ex-Perthshire and Gordonians batsman looked confident at the crease and, with 10 career centuries to his name, is always a threat.

The fireworks came from Matthew Farmer as the skipper smashed his way to 51 from just 26 balls before becoming the first of three victims for talented young off-spinner Huw Dingwall. Farmer’s knock included three sixes and six fours.

Meigle’s innings ended early, but not before a lusty six from Murray Scott saw the side reach 137 – a competitive total given the conditions.

Meigle opened up with captain Farmer and spinner Murray Scott.

With the run rate racing along changes were made and it was, again, the impressive mediumfast swing and seam of Alan Neave that built pressure on the visitors as they could not score as quickly.

Wickets were not falling and it was the first of three Neave wickets that started bringing about the demise of the Rossie batting line-up.

Neave was impressive and has been the stand-out bowler on all bar a couple of occasions this season.

The star of the innings, however, was Clark, who took five for 22 to see Rossie dismissed for 106 in 31.3 overs.

Meigle travel to Perth Doo’cot on Saturday for a derby match.

Meigle won the league fixture in early June at Victory Park and at Doo’cot Park in a bad-tempered twenty20 cup clash that saw three Perth men hauled up on disciplinary charges by the league.

The Fair City men have lost one of their Australian players to appendicitis but have signed local cricket development officer and ex-Ashington and Northumberland minor county all-rounder Stephen Boyd, who endured an unhappy spell with Falkland earlier in the season.

Bobby Edington’s 2nd XI, meanwhile, are home to Forthill 3rd XI on Sunday with a 1pm start in S&PCU Divison Two North.  See the centre pages of today’s Blairie for a report on Meigle CC’s six-a-side event and bake-off, held at Victory Park on Sunday.