On a warm sunny afternoon Largo 2s got their league debut season in the SPCU Division 2 underway by making the short trip to Freuchie to face their 2nd XI. New 2nd team captain this season David Scott won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Largo opened the bowling with Bentley and MacDonald who started well with the ball keeping the scoring rate low but were both unable to find the early breakthrough they were looking for. That pattern continued with the introduction of Scott and Largo debutant Colhoun to the attack with Duncan and Glasgow for the home side keeping the scoreboard ticking over well until finally Scott produced a mistake from Duncan who played all around a straight delivery to be bowled for 17 with the score on 55.

Colhoun would get his first Largo wicket shortly after with Glasgow giving a return catch while on 32 but still the home side continued to score consistently and passed the 100 mark just 2 down with still 14 overs to go. At this time Largo turned to young Fletcher Smith who produced the moment of the match for the Largo side when on his first ball in senior cricket clean bowled Moffat for 7, much to the delight of all his team.

Smith would continue to bowl well conceding just 2 runs of his 3 overs and Seymour on debut for Largo bowled tightly also to not let the home side get away despite the wickets they had in hand. Bentley would get a further wicket for Largo of the last ball of the innings with Freuchie finishing on 165/4 off their 40 overs, Cresswell top scoring with 67 NO.

Largo in their chase opened with Coates and Tooze and along with P Smith once Coates was removed got Largo off to a good start keeping up with the run rate before all 3 were gone in the 12th over with score on 36. This brought Calhoun to join Kinnear at the crease and started what looked like a match winning partnership for the Largo side. Runs were coming at around a run a ball throughout this partnership of 80 and with 50 to win Largo looked favourites until Kinnear hit a drive straight to cover to be dismissed for 36.

Calhoun would go on to make a well deserved 50 before he would become Mearn’s 2nd wicket of the day leaving Largo’s lower order needing 33 to win off the last 11 overs with 5 wickets in hand. Sadly for Largo a new season and a new league hasn’t got rid of the old habits of collapses down the order and the score never got within sight with Mearns ending with 5 wickets and Largo 15 runs short of an opening victory.

Sadly the game ended in defeat for the Largo side but a competitive game played in a great spirit was a good first run out of the season which hopefully will lead to more victories in the future. Largo travel to Meigle next week.

Largo 2s 150 All out (Colhoun 51, Kinnear 36) lost to Freuchie 2s 165/4 (Cresswell 67*, Means 5/27) by 15 Runs.

Pics from Ian Scott