With the ball and in the field, it was vintage Titwood. With bat, it was a slightly different story.
Tim won the toss and elected to bowl. When drinks, and the 2 hour rain delay arrived, Titwood had really put the squeeze on – a more-than-competent Cambusdoon top order had been restricted to 63/3 off 25 overs. After the delay (and the usual phenomenal Ayr tea) the game was reduced to 37 overs. And, given the wet ball and less than ideal fielding conditions, to limit Cambusdoon to only 117 was a good effort. Overall the bowling was excellent – Bilawal Pirzada and Johnny MacKay bowled good early spells, Tim and Imran Adrees were economical and picked up a wicket each. And towards the end of the innings, with the pressure on, Raphael Selby bowled four very controlled overs – deservedly picking up a wicket. Also, at the death, Bily returned to find great success, adding 2 late wickets to his earlier one.
The fielding too, had also been good. And so had Ginge’s work behind the stumps – with some great full length dives down the legside. Only 2 difficult chances were put down and there were some very impressive diving / sliding stops from Shreyas Chitnis, Finlay Walker and Zulfiqar Shahid…who, at one point, somehow managed to dive full length and not get his whites dirty!
In reply, Shrek played a top pull shot before a lazy drive-type shot saw him caught (5). Zulfi and Imran Farid built a good partnership for the 2nd wicket and just as everyone began to relax, Imy was caught for 23 – with the score on 63. Now this is Cambusdoon v Titwood, so we all know what happens next. 63/1 became 106/8! After Imy F, Imran Adrees was next to go (cleaned up for 4), then David Forsyth (bowled for 8), then Fin (adjudged LBW first ball). This took the score to 88/5. Tim and Zulfi took it to 97 before Zulfi was caught at long on, trying to bring up what-would-have-been a well-deserved 50. (And Zulfi’s 47 was just a different class. It was a controlled innings, balancing vicious striking with a solid defense and walked twos with quick singles.) Bily quickly went adjudged LBW (1) to make it 99/7. Tim and Raphie then looked to have things under control until Tim was very harshly judged to be “not playing a shot” and was dispatched adjudged LBW for 11 – 106/8. But, as is often the case, Johnny again proved he is a solid and reliable lower order batsman as he took 11 off Gordon’s last over. Titwood 118/8 and 2 wicket winners.
Another game, another win. The bowling and fielding was top notch. The batting, more of a concern (with only 4 players getting in to double figures) but, ultimately, one big partnership (between Zulfi and Imy and) Tim, Raphie and Johnny keeping their heads at the end saw the team home.
