Das falls just short of an impressive 100 as Largo 1st XI are defeated by Stoneywood Dyce 2s
New high score of 92 from Das and 47* from Gillin take Largo close in high scoring affair in Aberdeen.
Largo’s 1st XI travelled to Aberdeen on Saturday to face Stoneywood Dyce 2s in real need of a win to look towards climbing up the table in the 2nd half of the season. Hughes Gillin won the toss for the Largo side and decided to bowl first in the cool and damp conditions.
Cusick and Gillin opened the bowling for Largo and it was Cusick who managed an early breakthrough with Rowley taking the catch to dismiss Reid for a duck. Singh joined Ninan at the crease and the pair took advantage of the fast outfield to nullify the Largo attack and took the score past 50 in good time.
Singh would fall for 36 with Udayan taking the wicket thanks to a juggling catch by Barclay at mid-wicket but the runs would keep coming with league leading run scorer Williams showing the reason why he’s had such a good season finding the boundary with regularity and along with Ninan putting on a partnership that put Stoneywood well on top.
Largo would mange 2 further wicket with Coates in his first over removing Ninan for 77 and Rowley getting a deserved wicket with his figures of 1/29 off 9 overs the best on the day. However, Williams would go on to top score with 78 not out for the hosts and helped by some poor Largo fielding throughout, help his side to an imposing 245/4 off their 45 overs.
Largo knew they needed to get off to a good start to get anywhere near what would have been a record run chase for the club and, in Cusick and Das this was provided moving to 48/0 off the first 10 overs. The partnership would be broken though with Cusick run out for 20 followed after by Coates, bowled by Kumar for 19. Gillin would join Das and in a partnership for the 3rd wicket the pair kept the Largo side in with a chance with Das looking in great form as he passed 50 and as the side passed 150 they knew a big finish could get them close to an unlikely victory.
The task though would prove just too much for the Largo side with Das’ incredible innings coming to an end agonisingly close to a maiden Largo 100 on 92 as he returned a catch to Grant. Gillin would make an unbeaten 47 but in the end, Largo came up 20 runs short of victory with the home side’s strength in depth getting them over the line in the end.
Largo will be happy with their performance with the bat after a long trip up to Aberdeen and a tough time in the field but will be frustrated again that a poor fielding performance and too many runs on the board as a result left them short of victory again this season. Largo are on their travels again next week, this time to Aberfeldy to play fellow strugglers Breadalbane in a vital game for their chances of success this season.