Poloc Academy news and match reports

(Please note that no offence is intended to any third party in the undernoted match reports that are produced with the primary intention of [hopefully] entertaining club members)

Strathclyde Shield shambles!    [posted 03/09/10] 

Some early evening and late night 'phone calls, text messages and emails from WDCU officials yesterday let us know that, due to more admin' boo-boos than can be entered into at the time of posting [1.20am!], the Academy boys will not be playing in the Strathclyde Shield this weekend.  The short story seems to be that a late result submitted for a Queen's Park match, allied to a miscalculation of points awarded for cancellations and abandonments, has resulted in the Academy's points totalling falling by 1 point, and Queen's Park's increasing by 6 points.  The net result is Queen's Park leap-frog the 'Locsters into second to take on ALC in the shield final.  The match was due to be played at Shawholm, but will now be moved.  The Strathclyde League hierarchy's expressed their apologies to the club, and Academy boys in particular, for the mix up, and for misleading both into thinking they had qualified for the match some time ago.  I guess the guys'll just have to content themselves with an unbeaten league campaign,.....again.    Watch this space for what'll hopefully be alternative Sunday afternoon cricket at Shawholm.  Single Wicket anyone?!?

Game off [posted 22/08/10]

The Academy's final Strathclyde League divisional match was beaten by a combo' of the weather and an inability to reach agreement.  The weather factor was that overnight rain had gotten under the covers and there was a large wet patch at the scoreboard end.  Umpires McGregor and Gilliland correctly adjudged the wicket not suitable for play at 2pm, and with the 'Loc groundstaff and Academy players working on the ground and a drying wind there'd maybe have been a chance of some kind of game - remembering that Strathclyde League matches can go as low as sixteen overs-a-side with both Captains' agreement.  However the oppo' skipper wasn't keen on anything less than 30 overs-a-side and with that not going to be possible the captains shook hands - match off.  The two sides meet again however in the Strathclyde Shield to determine who wins the Strathclyde League in a couple of weeks time.

Academy restart league campaign in style [posted 08/08/10]

GU Staff were visitors to Shawholm in the Strathclyde League today, and glorious weather greeted them.  Unbelievably the day started with something as rare as Halleys Comet - Youngy didn't - we repeat did not - win the toss!  Wow.  The only other time that's happened was against,.....GU Staff!  As it was though visiting skipper Shinde invited the Academy to bat first.  So at least that record remains intact: 21 games skippered by Youngy in season 2010 and his sides' batted first on all bar one occasion: the last Strathclyde League match against GU Staff!  Astonishing.  Anyway, back to the cric'.  At 2 for 1, with Muscles cleaned up by Frank Johnstone and back in the hutch, it looked like a decent decision by Mr Shinde.  However at 173 for 1, some 30-odd overs later perhaps the decision looked less convincing.  Dani' (97) and Pasty (68) had batted sensibly and with no little application and ability to accumulate runs at a healthy rate, ignoring - along the way - the temptation for too many big shots, especially off what always appears at first glance the inviting slow bowling of the GU Staff attack.  But bat sensibly they did.  Pasty got a life around half way through his innings, and Dani' was unlucky in getting stumped on 97 when he lost his footing and ended up prostrate and bat'less as Kharwar neatly removed the bails.  After these two's mammoth 171-run partnership there was still time for a cameo 16 from JP and Josh's 13 not out (off just twelve balls).  The oppo' were also extremely generous in the extras department: 24 wides and 2 no balls were bowled, giving - as is the case - a further four overs to the 'Locster batters to bat.  Criminal.

In the reply, chasing 233 to win, the GU Staff batters never really got going.  After Bell and Kharwar were dismissed LBW off the first two balls of the innings (bowled by the Professor) the reply always looked on difficult ground.  Then it was 5 for 3 as Shinde holed out to Dani' at cover.  The only partnership - 67 - of the innings then took place, with opener Singh (33) and Nidhin (25) stabilising their side a little.  But they were always behind the run-rate, and with Bil'y and Hari' coming into the attack after 16 overs had been bowled a real stranglehold was gained on the game by the Academy.  Wickets also started to fall at regular intervals after the fourth wicket partnership was broken, Pasty grabbing a couple, and Bil'y and Hari' taking three between them.  Proceedings were wrapped up when Usman caught number nine Talegadnkar off Bil'y for 4.  112 - in effect with Johnstone not batting through injury - all out.  A convincing win in the final analysis.

Poloc Academy Strathclyde League fixtures 2010

Poloc Academy other fixtures 2010