Some positive points despite defeat

Meigle travelled to Broughty Ferry on Sunday to take on an under-strength Forfarshire in the second round of the Scottish Cup at Forthill.

Forfarshire won the toss and elected to bat first, with Meigle captain Charles Clark looking for another strong fielding performance similar to the league outing at the same venue three weeks previously.

The home team made a solid start with Graeme Garden and nephew Callum at the crease, and they took the score to 50 in the first 10 overs before Graeme was dismissed LBW to Clark.

Callum was joined by Fergus Duncan and the pair looked steady as the score read 118-1 at the halfway stage.

Spinners Shaz Saeed and Murray Scott put the brakes on a bit and the pressure told as Clark ran-out Callum Garden for 63.

Alan Neave came in to the attack and quickly dismissed former Scotland captain Ryan Watson before taking a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Duncan for an excellent 81.

Reducing the hosts to 208-4, Christian Robertson joined Craig McConnachie and was again a thorn in Meigle’s side as the pair built a good partnership together.

The duo put the foot down at the end of the innings, taking 47 from the final four overs as McConnachie ended on 55 not-out.

Forfarshire made 284-4 from their 50 overs.

Usual openers Saeed and Majid Rasheed began their pursuit and had amassed 32 before Majid was caught behind for 11.

Neave continued his promising form with the bat and will be kicking himself at getting out to spinner Black for 29 having already hit two boundaries in the over.

Fergus Barron had taken over the gloves for the day and was also promoted to number four in the innings.

Saeed and Barron sensibly took the score to 121-3 after 30 overs before disaster struck.

Firstly, Saeed was run-out for 40 before Barron was out stumped four balls later.

Zahid Rasheed failed to reproduce last Sunday’s heroics with the bat, and when captain Clark was dismissed cheaply the chase was effectively over.

Positives could still be taken from the game though, in the shape of a last wicket partnership of 34 between Iain Christie (14) and Murray Scott (19) before the visitors were finally all-out for 194 in the 45th over.