Threadbare Loc Hire Stenhousemuir struggle at Ayr

With the season drifting to a close another under strength Loc Hire Stenhousemuir side suffered defeat at home to Ayr in West League 1.
Stenhousemuir batsmen Sahil Thakur and Denico Hollis run.

(c) Dave JohnstonStenhousemuir batsmen Sahil Thakur and Denico Hollis run.

(c) Dave Johnston
Stenhousemuir batsmen Sahil Thakur and Denico Hollis run. (c) Dave Johnston

Ayr piled up 213 for 9, with Neil Logan scoring 100.

For Stenhousemuir, Nicky Rodgers and Dennico Hollis each took three wickets, Tippu Sultan one and young Husnain Atif was thrilled to take his first ever wicket in first team cricket.

Without several leading batsmen, Yaseen Valli having departed early to resume his first class career in South Africa and Gary Halcrow now unavailable because of work commitments overseas,’Muir struggled to 112 all out.

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Tippu Sultan scored 28, Roy Rai 22, Kieran Simpson 21 and Scott Bain 12.

The second XI won their vital match away to Vale of Leven. Loc Hire Stenhousemuir made 117 with Callum

Grant scoring 48, Sahil Thakur 18 and Peter Quinn 14. Vale were all out for 65. Callum Grant took five wickets, Sahil Thakur three and Ross Jones and Waqas Nadeen one each.

This win lifts the second XI off the bottom of the league but their future is uncertain. With only nine teams in the league as 2nd Victoria withdrew, one team relegated and two promoted would take the league back to ten but there may be reconstruction of the lower leagues.

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Callum Grant, who is recovering from a broken finger on Scottish duty, and Sahil Thakur have both been given a break from first XI cricket at the end of a long season.

Both teenagers have relished the chance to relax as was seen again on Sunday in the Sunday Development League at Ayr.

Callum scored his maiden century in a total of 230 for 3, with Sahil scoring 65. Ayr were all out for 199 with Callum taking four wickets.

On Saturday, Loc Hire Stenhousemuir meet Dumfries, now crowned league champions for 2019 at the Tryst to complete their programme.

The final game of the season is on Sunday at the Tryst with a Sunday League match against Hillhead/West.