Cricket: Largo edge out one wicket victory over Stoneywood Dyce 2s to kickstart league campaign


Ben Coates continued as captain for this fixture, and after losing the toss, his side were asked to field first in the midday sun on a baking hot day.
Michie and Brown opened the bowling for Largo and after an early dropped catch, the openers for the visitors moved along steadily blunting the Largo attack with the introduction of Gillin also not producing any results for the home side as they moved towards mid-inning drinks.
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Hide AdA change in tactic to turn to spin though changed the game for the Largo side with Barclay making the first breakthrough with a caught and bowled off Louw for 22, with Stoneywood now 69/1.
This was followed by two more quick wickets, this time for Miles removing Dumpa well caught by Gillin on the boundary for 31 and Williams caught behind by Coates.
A mini-recovery took the visitors past 100 but after Udayan joined Miles in the attack, between them they took the next five wickets for 17 runs with Udayan helped by a good catch from Brown in the covers helping him along the way, taking figures of 4/14 showing why Largo are so happy to unexpectedly have him back for a second season.
Gillin finished up the innings with the last wickets both caught and bowled to reduce the Stoneywood side to 131 that due to a slow outfield was a better score than it looks but well below what looked likely at times in the inning.
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Hide AdLargo in reply opened with Rowley and Das and after the early loss of Rowley leg-before-wicket for two; Das joined by Cusick moved along in a similar fashion to the first innings with the score passing 50 and both batsman looking comfortable.
Das then turned aggressor and just when it looked like he was moving Largo to with in sight of a comfortable victory on 40 he skied a catch which was well taken by keeper Eldridge, seeing Largo at 65/2.
Sandhu would fall soon after but with Coates hitting a quick fire 15 in the next three overs including lofting Louw for six in to the field Largo looked well in control.
However, a further twist was to be seen in the game when Largo replicated the collapse from the first innings with firstly Coates bowled and then Gillin dismissed leg-before-wicket the next ball by Louw.
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Hide AdSoon after, Brown was caught behind for two and Barclay was unlucky to be bowled of his pads for one to reduce Largo to 100/7 and struggling.
Further problems followed with Miles having to retire hurt due to a painful shoulder injury but Michie joined Cusick at the crease and the two brought the home side back in to the game and within 12 runs of victory before Michie was caught for ten.
Udayan came in at 11 and moved the score with in six of victory but along with Cusick couldn’t quite see Largo home as he was bowled by Greenfield. Largo though, in a story that will go down in club history for many years to come, managed to get over the line for victory by one wicket.
Miles returning to the crease batted through the pain and having to bat left handed rather than right due to the injury managed to bat out the next three overs on handed, setting the scene for Cusick to hit the winning runs flicking Greenfield to the leg side boundary for four to finish on a match winning 37 to the delight of his side and those watching from the sidelines.
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Hide AdLargo will be delighted to get their first win in such dramatic fashion and are indebted to Miles bravery in the end, but know that they will need to be more stable in their batting efforts as the season goes on, including in their next fixture against Breadalbane at East Drive next weekend.