On Saturday 17th July Linlithgow 1st XI travelled to take on Livingston 1st XI on a glorious sunny afternoon. Linlithgow won the toss and elected to bat first. For the second week in a row the visitors got off to a bad start in the face of tight bowling by Livingston’s Jindal and Khalid. Khalid took two quick wickets before a superb piece of fielding by Singla resulted in the run out of Douglas Voas by a direct hit from the edge of the 30-metre circle.
The visitors were in deep trouble with only 15 runs on the board. Paul Brookes and Duncan Heslop dug in and moved the score along to 60 before both were dismissed in rapid succession; Heslop making 28 and Brookes 10. At that point, Rory Saunders once again stamped his authority on the Linlithgow innings by making an excellent 56 to drag the visitors back into the contest. Alastair Napoli hit a quickfire 14 before a final wicket stand of 50 between Andrew Wallace and skipper Grant Raven took the score along to an unlikely total of 204 all out in 42 overs. Wallace helped himself to a maiden half century for the Club before finally being bowled for 55 by returning opening bowler Khalid.
In reply Livingston started slowly, losing the important wicket of normally free scoring A. Kurra for just 4 when he was caught by Will Nettleton at first slip. Youngster Jared Rubly was on the receiving end of a ferocious spell from fired up Linlithgow openers Gregor Thomson and Duncan Heslop. Duncan Heslop bowled 7 overs, 2 wickets for 21 runs, while Gregor Thomson bowled 7 overs 1 wicket for 13.
Former Linlithgow players Fahad Ahmed and Hamad Ahmed batted well for Livingston and for a time threatened to pull off what would have been a remarkable chase. Hamad made 17, playing a largely supporting role to his brother Fahad who made 72 before he was eventually bowled by Grant Raven. Linlithgow ran out eventual winners by 36 runs in bowling Livingston all out for 169 in 42 overs. Grant Raven finished with figures of 4 wickets for 20 from 7 overs.
Linlithgow collected the maximum 20 points, while Livingston gained 9 bonus points in defeat.
This weekend Linlithgow 1st XI take on undefeated table toppers Penicuik on Saturday at Boghall in a 1pm start. Then on Sunday Linlithgow 1st XI take on Morton at Boghall in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup in a 1pm start.