Dip in form continues for Perth Doo’cot

Perth Doo’cot’s dip in form continued on Saturday with a narrow threewicket defeat to Kinloch.

And once again, a failure to post enough runs was to be their undoing on a good wicket.

Rory Pennycook won the toss and elected to bat.

The Kinloch bowlers are steady rather than dangerous but patience is not the Perth batsmen’s strength and they were soon struggling at 63 for four off 20 overs.

With runs proving hard to come by, the Fair City side at least resolved to bat their full 45 overs and they finished their innings at 137 all out.

Youngsters Lisle Halkett and Ian Chalmers were top scorers with 26 and 23. Given Perth had bowled their last two opponents out for 52 and 91, they started the second half confident that this was a decent total to defend.

Kinloch are an aggressive batting side but they were more circumspect and progressed slowly to 50 before Mohammad Mohsin made the breakthrough, dismissing Niazi for 29.

Only a few overs later and the total was 70 for four as spinners Mohsin and Halkett turned the screw.

Wickets continued to fall intermittently but Kinloch were not to be denied and, led by Shah with an unbeaten 33, they reached their target in the 40th over winning by three wickets.

The only other weekend activity was Sunday’s third XI game against Arbroath’s third XI.

In the end, the presence of some of Arbroath’s young first and second XI batters proved the difference as they won by nine wickets. Batting first,

Perth made 150 all out with Jack Emslie scoring 42 and Jerry Paul 32.

In response, Bruce Pritchard made a rapid 83 not out as Arbroath reached their target with just under five overs to spare.

Highlight of the week was the Under-16s victory in the Scottish Cup against Falkland which takes them into the last eight against Livingston. If they win that, it is on to Finals Day in August which just so happens to be at Doo’cot Park this year.

Ollie Patterson was the main man with the ball taking three vital wickets before the Archies - Rankin and McMichael - produced a match winning partnership.

This weekend, it is the second XI who have Saturday to themselves as they entertain near neighbours Falkland XI at Doo’cot Park.

The first XI are on Sunday league duty this weekend as they make the trip to People’s Park in Dyce for their Premier Division fixture.