100 Partnership between Brown and Rowley set up close Largo victory in Aberfeldy.
129 between the pair and 3 late wickets by Cusick before the rain give Largo the victory vs Breadalbane.
Largo’s 1st XI travelled to Aberfeldy to face Breadalbane looking to get back to winning ways after last week’s narrow loss, with the home side looking for their first league win of the season. Breadalbane’s captain Mark Bowler won the toss and asked Hughes Gillin and his side to bat first.
Hoping the wet overnight conditions didn’t make it tough for batting early on Hughes Gillin promoted himself to open the batting with Das. Unfortunately, the change of order didn’t work for the skipper as he was the first wicket to fall for a duck caught by Silva off the bowling of Hill, before the same bowler dismissed Das for 11. Warrender came in at number 3 looking for his first big score of the season but fell to Smith for just 4 to leave Largo 34/3.
B.Coates and Cusick came to the crease and steadied the innings taking the score past 50 but by the time the score had reach 73 both were out for 25 and 11 respectively to leave Largo 5 wickets down at the mid innings break and in danger of a sub-par score in the conditions.
Largo needed a partnership to get back in the game, and in Aidan Brown and Rowley they found this and more with their partnership of 129 as good as the Largo side have produced all year. Both players counterattacked well against the home sides bowling with Brown specially at the end of the innings smashing the ball around finishing with 5 sixes in his innings of 79 off just 67 balls. Brown was run out by Laing with 5 overs to go followed soon after by Udayan (8) and Rowley for an important 44. Barclay though would hit a quick fire 23 to help Largo reach their highest away score of the year of 235 all out.
In reply, after their batting heroics, Brown and Rowley opened the bowling and Brown reminded everyone of his all-round talents taking 2 quick early wickets dismissing Duncan Miller (4) and Silva (2) to leave the home side 13/2. Breadalbane though showed they have great resolve in reaction as Laing and Jayaweera saw off the openers and moved past 50 and towards 100 at the required run rate and with rain around the home side on DLS were ahead at the 20 over mark.
Knowing that Largo needed quick wickets to get them back ahead on the rain calculator, Gillin brought himself and Cusick in to the attack and Cusick immediately found the breakthrough dismissing Jayaweera for 46 caught by Barclay. The home side though were still ahead in the game at this point before, with the weather closing in 3 quick wickets of Laing (35) and Nayak dismissed by Cusick (3-15) and Hill caught by Merrington off the bowling of Gillin meant Largo were on top when the expected rain came at 119/6. This proved to be the end of the game with the players unable to get back on meaning Largo went away with the all-important victory.
This was a great test for the Largo side in a very competitive game that went back and forward throughout with captain Gillin delighted his sides strength in depth got them over the line in the end. Next week Largo return to East Drive but change from the bottom to the top of the league in opponents as they face Crescent looking to avenge the heavy defeat they gave the Largo side earlier in the season.