Four out of Four for Largo

Largo 1^st XI entertained Stirling County on Saturday in East League Division 2 and their fine start to the season continued as they made it four wins out of four.   After overnight rain had left the East Drive pitch quite slow and damp, skipper Duncan again lost the toss and was put into bat by his Stirling counterpart.  This decision will have left the Stirling skipper Painter perhaps regretting that move as Largo openers Walker and Stinson put on an opening stand of over 160 on a slower East Drive pitch than normal with Walker contributing a fine 68 and New South Welshman Stinson a magnificent 92. He could have easily reached his century but unselfishly played for the team as he tried to up the ante as Largo searched for the 250 and was caught in the deep.  Duncan tinkered with the batting order in a bid to get to 250 before the end of the 50 overs, it looked as though it may have backfired as Largo lost Bux and Robinson in quick succession but Barclay, Mowat, Kinnear and Asman all provided vital cameos at the end of the innings with Asman and Kinnear in particular displaying an excellent master class on quick running between the wickets which pushed Largo’s total at the end of their 50 overs to 248 for 6, again, another fine batting performance from the Fifers.

After the tea interval Largo came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders as opening bowler Chris Barclay struck twice in the opening over, removing Fuller LBW with a brute of a delivery and then Ferrie caught by Duncan at mid on 2 balls later.  Stirling was 0 for 2 after the first over and in all sorts of trouble.  This brought South African Robbins to the crease and after a couple of lusty early boundaries his eccentric histrionics were wearing thin on the Largo players and Barclay was in no mood to accept his somewhat strange idiosyncrasies at the crease and tore in like a man possessed.  It worked a treat as Robbins was caught behind from a rising delivery and the delight from the Fife men was clear to see.  This really ended Stirling’s hope of catching the Largo total as they fell further and further behind the run rate.  Barclay captured another wicket and finished his superb spell of bowling with 4 for 29!  The rest of Stirling’s batting order crumpled under the pressure of a combination of fine bowling from Bentley, Mowat and Bux as well as another finely polished fielding display by Largo which resulted in three run outs and Stirling were all out after 34 overs for 82.  Largo travel to Livingston this week looking to continue this fine form.