Galloway Cricket Club record rare Scottish Challenge Cup win over Freuchie

On the warmest weekend of the season so far, Galloway overcame the disappointment of a cancelled league match on Saturday by securing a rare Scottish Challenge Cup win at Gatehouse on Sunday when they beat Fife club Freuchie by 67 runs.

It was a fine team effort from the Galloway Lodge-sponsored side, including major contributions from Akhil Somarajan with the bat and Alan Lamb with his first five-wicket haul.

The visitors, who had travelled somewhat further than Helensburgh (the opposition who called off the previous day), chose to field first on a good pitch in the match, sponsored by John Watt and Son Coffee and Tea.

Galloway openers Phil McMenemy and Stevie Carr saw off the five overs apiece from the new ball bowlers, and took the score to 35. Stevie scored most of these with six boundaries, including two crisp cover drives in an over.

Whippy medium-pacer Lewis and left-arm spinner Young reduced the hosts to 59-4 at drinks, each bowling one of the openers and respectively having Pat Druce caught at point and Ross Lamb stumped for 12.

Top scorer Akhil and Glen Montgomery rebuilt the innings by adding 51 in nine overs, almost half of which came in the eventful 29th over that yielded 25 runs and a wicket. Akhil hit a straight six, smashed a high full toss tennis style over the bowler’s head and lost the ball with a massive six into the trees off the resultant free hit.

Akhil added six more runs before being caught in the deep, and there was still time for Anup Domanic to get off the mark. Glen maintained the momentum with two boundaries off McLaughlin and, although his opening partner Niemann took three wickets for three runs in his second spell, Galloway already had a good platform.

Pat Druce and Ross Lamb set the tone