Uddingston crash out of McCulloch Cup

Uddingston lost their McCulloch Cup semi-final to Ayr at Bothwell Castle Policies by 55 runs.

The New Cambusdoon team won the toss and decided to bat first. Adil Raza took the first two wickets to fall, claiming both Michael Miller and Anwar Hafeez in his spell, and at the half way point Ayr had reached 40-2. Richie Simpson and Shujaa Khan pushed the score onto 58 before Khan was ajudged leg before wicket off Ross Lyons' bowling. Scott McElnea then came in and accelerated the scoring rate hitting two fours and two sixes before becoming the first of Jimmy Sholto-Douglas's three wickets with the score on 97. Two overs and 12 runs later, both Simpson and Keon Peters fell to the same bowler, and this was ollowed by two wickets for Muhammad Adnan in the final over. Ayr closed on 114/8 in their 20 overs.

In reply, Uddingston had a difficult start to the run chase, as they lost Gavin Bradley without scoring and Sholto-Douglas for 1 to leave them 5/2. Harmanjit Singh followed soon after, bowled by Shujaa Khan. Khan would also take the catch that would dismiss Niall Macleod - the first of Jonathan Baines's two wickets - with the score on 26. Ross Lyons provided some resistance, hitting two sixes and two fours in his 23, but when he was dismissed by Khan, Uddingston were 40/5 in the eighth over. Wickets then fell at regular intervals, thanks mostly to Anwar Hafeez who ran out Aamir Gul, and then proceeded to take three further wickets, including the final one of Adnan. Uddingston closed 59 all out in 16 overs, and Ayr had won by 55 runs.