After 2 weeks without a game it was good to get back to League cricket & winning ways for Largo‘s 3rd XI, after it rained again every day for the last 2 weeks & with the 1st XI game called off the day before because the pitch was unplayable, right up to Sunday morning doubt was in the air, if this game would be on, but Albert pulled out all the stops so the Village People could travel to Largo for this Division 8 match.
Preston Village won the toss & decided to bat, on what looked a good wicket. Grieve & Dixon opened the batting for the Village against Andrew Robertson & the Leagues leading wicket taker Ian Brown, the Village found runs hard to come by from Largo’s opening pair, supported again by some outstanding fielding by this young development team, who had 5 under 15’s playing, the first wicket did not fall until the 3rd bowling change when Ross Brewster had Grieve caught behind by Tom Francis for 13, with the score on 48 in the 20 over, Dixon was joined by Hextall who both started to lift the run rate, but both fell in the same Brown over, Dixon for 41 & Hextall for 32, with the score on 101 in the 34 over & both being caught by Tom Murdoch at extra cover, after this wickets fell at regular intervals until the 7th wicket was a run out on the last ball of the innings, with the Village finishing on 121 for 7 in 40 overs, highlights of this innings were Ian Brown 8-4-14-3, Andrew Robertson 8-0-19-2, Ross Brewster 4-1-10-1, & again the all round standard of fielding, lead again by Shaun Byrne
Tea was taken, being Wimbledon’s Men’s Final Day, Strawberry’s & Cream was included (Thanks Inga), during the break rain came, but did not dampen the crickets spirit, to complete the game.
Largo opened with Dick Dakin & Robbie Ealand, who like the Village started slowly, but the Village soon had the upper hand, by taking 2 quick wickets & Largo were on 10 for 2 in the 6 over, Andrew Robertson with Dakin started to build the innings, with some nice cover drives, this pair put on 25 before Robertson was bowled by Hextall for 6, Tom Francis joined Dakin for his 1st game for Largo 3rds & after a steady start, begun to open up, but in Pattersons 6 over he clamed the wickets of Dakin for 26 ( with a straight ball on middle stump ) & Marshall, Largo’s score now on 66 for 5 in the 26 over, Tom Murdoch entered to lift the spirits of the Largo followers with Francis, taking on the Village bowlers & fielder’s, Tom Francis was bowled by Grieve for a well earned 32, with the score on 94 in the 31 over, leaving Largo the target of 28 to win in 9 overs, next ball Ross Brewster was out LBW, 94 for 7, Shaun Byrne stayed with Murdoch to push the score onto 120 before being caught behind the keeper, by short fine leg for 3, Ian Brown came in & wasted no time in scoring the 2 runs for Largo’s victory by 2 wickets, in a most enjoyable game.
Largo 3rds next match is at home against Dunbar on Sunday July 15th