Cricket: Davidson starts season with Ferguslie Fifty

APD Dumfries started the new cricket season off with a win in their friendly at Nunholm on Saturday. Chasing a Ferguslie total of 171 for 5 off 40 overs they eased past that with the loss of three wickets thanks to a not out 50 from Man of the Match Davie Davidson and 40 from Tom McBride.

Dumfries had an early breakthrough when Allan Maskrey had one of the Preston-Jones (Tim) caught low down by Chris McCutcheon at second slip. However it looked like a long first day in the field when Darroch joined youngster Gregor Preston-Jones to put together a partnership,

A series of bowlers were tried and they weren’t helped by a some early season catching problems, The pair batted steadily through to a century partnership until Chris McCutcheon induced a false shot and catch from Darroch when he was on 54. The experienced wiles of Jim Patterson then took a typical wicket in his first over when Preston-Jones clipped a catch to short mid-wicket for a well compiled 53.

With ten overs to go Ferguslie would have hoped one of these batsmen would bat through but it was a now a healthier 120 for 3 for Dumfries. The opposition added a further 51 to reach 171 for 5 with Niall Alexander and debutant Vipin Raman each hitting the stumps in the closing overs after bowling well.

Dumfries got off to a solid start against a tight attack of Carruthers and Cameron with Tom McBride and Andy Reed putting together an opening stand of 47. Reed then provided an entertaining over as he tested the fielders catching, found the boundary and was caught off the sixth ball, a full toss, at long leg.

Davie Davidson came in to blow off the winter cobwebs with some boundaries. Tom McBride looked set for a big score when he drove another Preston-Jones (Alistair) for four but was undone when he was bowled next ball for 40.

Andrew Batty then played in a characteristically busy fashion and it looked as if he and Davidson would complete the win with the biggest partnership. However he was stumped for 26 and after Davidson marked a not out fifty in his first game, Chris McCutcheon off-drove the winning boundary with 6 overs left.

It was a useful outing, and a win, with eight bowlers used but Captain Jim Patterson was still left apologising to the two others who might also have bowled on the day.

Match Scoreboard: APD Dumfries beat Ferguslie by 7 wickets at Nunholm (Friendly),

Match ball sponsored by Brammer Industrial

Ferguslie 171 for 5 (40 overs)

G Preston-Jones 53, S Darroch 54

J Patterson 1 for 8, C McCutcheon 1 for 24, V Raman 1 for 30, N Alexander 1 for 36

APD Dumfries 174 for 3 (34 overs)
D Davidson 50no, T McBride 40, A Batty 26, A Reed 23

Brammer Industrial Man of the Match: Davie Davidson