Largo 2XI Lose Out in Run Chase
On Saturday Largo 2nd XI, hoping to continue what has been a wonderfully successful season to date, entertained Edinburgh club Marchmont, in a key top of the table fixture. The game was sponsored by Henderson Loggie, Chartered Accountants of Dundee. Batting first, the visitors lost an early wicket when wicketkeeper Dakin combined with the bowling of Steve Bentley to dismiss opener Braddon. Soon after, the same combination along with the slip cordon, appealed with great confidence for the wicket of the other opener Wilson. The appeal was turned down much to Largo's cost as the latter, after a relatively slow start, began to bat with increased confidence, going on to make a well structured and undefeated 105.
Marchmont captain Snowdon was also in defiant mood making 58 and Largo's attack , perhaps for the first time this summer, found wickets hard to come by, conceding 73 runs in the final 7 overs and facing the impressive total of 198 for 3 wickets. Bentley senior was the most successful of the Largo bowlers with 2 for 35 and it was good to see Hurricane Seath in full stride once more, desperately unlucky to take a wicket but bowling with great venom and accuracy. In the field Largo stuck to their task well but it was just one of those afternoons when a number of half chances failed to be caught and opposition shots fell just short of the fielders.
Braid departed LBW early in the Largo innings when looking in good form and Dakin and skipper Asman Ali then tried to build a solid partnership. They took the score to 57 before Dakin's impatience saw him run out, bringing Tocher to the wicket. Perhaps of all the home team's batsmen he was the one most capable of dominating the bowling attack but just as he appeared to be finding top gear, he was bowled by Snowdon, Marchmont's most successful bowler.
Duncan (24) joined Ali with the run rate becoming more and more demanding and these two ensured that Largo still had a chance of victory until both fell in quick succession, Ali for a well deserved 50. Frantic efforts to score by the later batsmen rapidly inevitably resulted in run outs and shots of a more rustic nature but their efforts ensured that Largo gained maximum batting points from the game, the innings closing on 174 for 9.