Largo 1st XI had their first home league game of the 2026 season on Saturday as they welcomed Gordonians to East Drive for the very first time. Hughes Gillin captained the Largo side and after the overnight rain it was unsurprising that when he lost the toss his side were asked to bat first.

Das and Philip opened the batting once again for Largo and moved the score to 25 before a spell of 3 wickets in 3 overs for the visitors saw Philip (5) and Das (20) dismissed as well as last week’s player of the match Rowley for a duck, Largo 28/3. Gillin and Cusick steadied the innings to get the score past 50 but lightning then struck twice for the home side as 3 further wickets fell in quick succession.

Gillin was run out after a mix up between the pair for 14 before Cusick (15) was trapped LBW and Coates was bowled for just 2. League debutant Luke Kriskinans came to the crease at the fall of this wicket and showed the promise that Largo will hope he can continue for the rest of the season and beyond as he top scored and helped push the score past 100. However, his score of 27* remained at that only as he ran out of partners as another hat trick this season already from an opposition side finished the innings at just 105 in 33 overs.

Brown and Cusick opened for Largo in reply and importantly for the home side they managed to mirror the first innings taking 3 early wickets, Brown clean bowling S.Ahmed (4) and Pandit (16) with Cusick also dismissing A.Ahmed first ball caught by Coates in the slips. Bhandari and Hannan took the score to within 50 of the winning total but once again the game turned as the home side themselves managed to start taking wickets at regular intervals.

Gillin and Merrington both chipped in with a wicket each before Rowley came in to the attack and took 3 wickets thanks to catches by Kriskinans and Barclay to leave Largo needing just 2 wickets with 25 still required. Emon and, fresh from his hat trick, Zar though dug in for the Aberdeen side and took the score within 4 runs of victory when a run out by Gillin meant Zar was dismissed for 13, 1 wicket required now for victory. Emon though would remain unbeaten on 20 as he helped take his side past the required score and for a 1 wicket victory for Gordonians.

After a good performance with the ball Largo will feel once again, they should have got something from this game and will be disappointed to have started the season with 2 losses. The performances overall though have been promising and they will hope this leads to future victories, starting with the trip to Dundee to face Dundee High FP 2s next Saturday.