1st XI secure the title

On Saturday, Linlithgow 1st XI took on Dunnikier C.C. at Boghall knowing that a win would clinch the East League Division 1 title for season 2021. Promotion to the Eastern Championship had already been confirmed the previous weekend despite no play due to rain.

Dunnikier won the toss and asked Linlithgow to bat first on a wicket that appeared likely to offer something for bowlers and batsmen alike. Dougie Voas and Gregor Thomson shared an opening stand of 30 before Thomson was unlucky to be run out by the bowler while backing up at the non-striker’s end.

Undeterred by this set back, Voas continued attacking and shared in a 72 run stand with Callum Martin before Martin was adjudged LBW off the bowling of spinner J. Singh for 30.

Three further wickets fell before Voas was joined at the crease by former club skipper Clinton Dixon with the score on 157 for 5 wickets from 32 overs. This pair batted superbly, taking full advantage of the occasional bad ball and scoring at around 10 runs an over for the next 12 overs.

Dougie Voas rounded off a fine century with a big hit in the 39th over which drew tumultuous applause both from his team-mates and the large number of supporters enjoying the game from in front of the Clubhouse. Voas was eventually out for a season-high top score of 130 runs in the penultimate over of the innings having shared in a partnership of 98 with Dixon.

Dixon continued the big hitting for the final few balls of the innings, ending with a score of 69 not out which meant that Linlithgow finished with a very respectable total of 281 for 7 wickets.

In response Dunnikier batted with a lot of patience and seemed content to be batting for bonus points from early on as they never got close to keeping up with the required run rate. Their solid opening pair took them along to 109 before the first wicket fell but then the floodgates opened for the home side as wickets began to fall at regular intervals.

The pick of the bowlers were Clinton Dixon who finished with figures of 6 wickets for 29 in his 7.4 overs and Jordan Hamilton who took 3 for 28 from his 7 overs. Such was the quality of Dixon’s bowling that he was almost unplayable; on another day could easily have taken 8 or 9 wickets. There was also some exceptional fielding, most notably a superb full length diving catch by Rory Martin at deep mid-off late in the match.

Dunnikier were all out for 167 in the 36th over of the innings, leading to wild celebrations on and off the pitch which continued well into the evening. Linlithgow collected the maximum 20 points with Dunnikier gaining 8 bonus points. Next season Linlithgow 1st X1 will play in the Eastern Championship.

Harpo