Renfrew started the 2013 season with the Scottish cup campaign traveling through to Dundee High School FPs at Dalnacraig for the first game in their group which also has Grange and Greenock in it.

It was a relief to get a game in with both of last weeks friendlies being washed out, It was a typical early season wicket and outfield and considering the recent weather so Dundee High School should be praised for their efforts.

Skipper Sai Majeed with a number of youngsters in the team due to early season unavailability’s and departures from last seasons team was looking for a positive performance, debuts were given to Taral Khasiya and Callum Young.

Dundee High School skipper Darren Milne won the toss and elected to bowl on a soft wicket and even softer heavy outfield, so the way the wicket played would be interesting. The wicket did not do any funnies other than play slow and low which was to be expected.

Ahmed Said returning for his seventh year as Professional player/ coach for Renfrew kept up his record of big scores in his first game of each new season. He was unbeaten on 106 and was well supported by Shahid Abassi who shared in the games highest partnership of 97 scoring 44 before being caught at score leg and Kamran Saeed also finishing unbeaten on 23 sharing a stand of 42 with Said. Renfrew reached a total of 215 with the loss of 5 wickets which was closer to score of 280 plus if the outfield had not been as slow and aided by good ground fielding by Dundee High School.

Renfrew took to the field for the second innings and skipper Majeed opened the bowling with himself and left arm spinner Kashif Pervez, who claimed the first wicket clean bowling K.Ansai in the fourth over and his skipper Majeed followed by taking his first wicket of the season also clean bowling his victim, S. Murray. Majeed followed this up with another two wickets and should have had a few more if it was not for some dropped catches in the slips. Dundee High School were reeling at 38 for 6 in 19 over at which point bowling opportunities were given to almost everyone with 9 players eventually bowling. Said and Pervez both came back and cleaned up the tail with Said adding 4 wickets for 11 runs to his days performance, Majeed had taken 3 for 19 of his ten overs earlier and Pervez finishing with 2 wickets for 22 of 13 overs. Debutant Callum Young claimed his first wicket and Dundee High Schools last in the final over with the score on 126 with N.Martin scoring a well deserved 52 being the top scorer for Dundee High School.

Their were some good fielding performances from the youngsters especially Ryan Murray who took three catches at short mid wicket, a couple of sharp ones where is extra height definitely counted and a great deal of energy was evident in his ground fielding.
There is room for improvement in the fielding department and with Aneel Roy, Saqib Ali coming in to strengthen the team next week at Greenock with the overseas amateur also due soon it should give the improvement and strength in depth required.