25 June 1989
Ayr Pair go Batty
Big hitting Ayr Cricket Club pair Dougie Johnstone and Alan Simpson rewrote the record books on Sunday. They ran up a new best club partnership of 307.... and called it a day.
Johnstone struck a massive 167 and skipper Simpson blasted 148 to leave Scottish Cup opponents reeling. Amazingly both then retired. 'We wanted to let other batsmen have a knock' said Simpson. He added 'There were ten overs left and we had a couple of young batsmen coming in. We wanted to give them a chance.'
The deadly duo's heroics-also a Scottish Cup best- took Ayr to a mammoth 388-7 off 50 overs.
Sadly, the skies then opened with the inevitable result... rain stopped play. However Huntly took their hammering in good heart and players and officials stayed on in the Cambusdoon clubhouse until late, perhaps drowning their sorrows.
Report by Mike Wilson taken from the Ayrshire Post
Ayr Pair go Batty
Big hitting Ayr Cricket Club pair Dougie Johnstone and Alan Simpson rewrote the record books on Sunday. They ran up a new best club partnership of 307.... and called it a day.
Johnstone struck a massive 167 and skipper Simpson blasted 148 to leave Scottish Cup opponents reeling. Amazingly both then retired. 'We wanted to let other batsmen have a knock' said Simpson. He added 'There were ten overs left and we had a couple of young batsmen coming in. We wanted to give them a chance.'
The deadly duo's heroics-also a Scottish Cup best- took Ayr to a mammoth 388-7 off 50 overs.
Sadly, the skies then opened with the inevitable result... rain stopped play. However Huntly took their hammering in good heart and players and officials stayed on in the Cambusdoon clubhouse until late, perhaps drowning their sorrows.
Report by Mike Wilson taken from the Ayrshire Post
24 June 1989
Ayr hold on for draw
Ayr kept up their Western Union revival when they took 13 points in a tight game away to Clydesdale. Having lost the toss, skipper Alan Simpson was put in to bat and Ayr ran up 188-7. Scotland batsman Bruce Patterson maintained his electric form with a superb 93 and was only run out by an excellent direct throw on to the stumps. Skipper Simpson contributed a valuable 22 as the pair put on 82 for the wicket in an hour.
In reply, Clydesdale were restricted to 186-7. Ayr's top bowlers were Nick Lambert with 4-54 and pro Zulfiquar Ali who bowled a tight 25 over spell.
Ayr hold on for draw
Ayr kept up their Western Union revival when they took 13 points in a tight game away to Clydesdale. Having lost the toss, skipper Alan Simpson was put in to bat and Ayr ran up 188-7. Scotland batsman Bruce Patterson maintained his electric form with a superb 93 and was only run out by an excellent direct throw on to the stumps. Skipper Simpson contributed a valuable 22 as the pair put on 82 for the wicket in an hour.
In reply, Clydesdale were restricted to 186-7. Ayr's top bowlers were Nick Lambert with 4-54 and pro Zulfiquar Ali who bowled a tight 25 over spell.
22 June 1989
Baird Blasts Ayr into Rowan Cup Final
Ayr stormed into the final of the Rowan Cup when they beat West of Scotland at Hamilton Crescent. Now they face an Ayrshire derby final against Kilmarnock at Kirkstyle next Thursday.
Batting first, Ayr reached 120-6 with Dougie Johnstone (39) and Scott McKay (33) leading the way.
In reply, West were skittled out for 73 in just 16 overs with Andy Baird taking 8-20. Baird ripped out the heart of the West innings, removing top batsmen Williams, Snodgrass and Richardson in one over
Baird Blasts Ayr into Rowan Cup Final
Ayr stormed into the final of the Rowan Cup when they beat West of Scotland at Hamilton Crescent. Now they face an Ayrshire derby final against Kilmarnock at Kirkstyle next Thursday.
Batting first, Ayr reached 120-6 with Dougie Johnstone (39) and Scott McKay (33) leading the way.
In reply, West were skittled out for 73 in just 16 overs with Andy Baird taking 8-20. Baird ripped out the heart of the West innings, removing top batsmen Williams, Snodgrass and Richardson in one over
6 May 1989
Bayliss Blows Hot and Cold
Appropriately antipodean weather enveloped Hamilton Crescent to give a warm welcome West of Scotland's latest import from down under. Trevor Bayliss, 26 an all-rounder from New South Wales who was making his home debut in the Western Union, certainly proved his worth in the bowling stakes, but his second ball dismissal without scoring appeared to unnerve his colleagues. The game ended in a somewhat undistinguished draw.
West of Scotland were given an excellent start by Aidan Docherty and Jon Williams who added 52, but there middle-order became horribly bogged down against the nagging medium pace of Andrew Baird and his spell of 4-53 off 23 overs ensured that West of Scotland had to be content 12 points to Ayr's 10, a meritorious result for the understrength visitors.
Yet, it had all looked so promising for West of Scotland in the early stages. Twenty overs of persistent off-spin from Bayliss yielded a harvest of five wickets and he seems set to play an important role in the scrap for the Union over the next four months.
Of his five victims the most important by far was Bruce Patterson. The opener had glided along comfortably to 16 when he faced Bayliss's opening over. The first ball was cracked for four through the offside and in a moment of rash over-confidence, Patterson attempted to repeat the feat from Bayliss's next delivery.
The Ayr man never reached the pitch of the ball and, well struck though his shot was, David Snodgrass jack-knifed to his right to achieve a quite magnificent catch.
Alan Simpson and Scott MacKay both looked in prime form, their third wicket partnership of 59, fine testament their importance to Ayr's cause. But just when the pair looked capable of giving Ayr a healthy total to defend, Snodgrass removed Simpson with a ball which cut back sharply, trapping the batsman on the back foot.
A mixture of inexperience and poor technique saw Ayr lose their next four wickets for just 28 runs.
Bayliss Blows Hot and Cold
Appropriately antipodean weather enveloped Hamilton Crescent to give a warm welcome West of Scotland's latest import from down under. Trevor Bayliss, 26 an all-rounder from New South Wales who was making his home debut in the Western Union, certainly proved his worth in the bowling stakes, but his second ball dismissal without scoring appeared to unnerve his colleagues. The game ended in a somewhat undistinguished draw.
West of Scotland were given an excellent start by Aidan Docherty and Jon Williams who added 52, but there middle-order became horribly bogged down against the nagging medium pace of Andrew Baird and his spell of 4-53 off 23 overs ensured that West of Scotland had to be content 12 points to Ayr's 10, a meritorious result for the understrength visitors.
Yet, it had all looked so promising for West of Scotland in the early stages. Twenty overs of persistent off-spin from Bayliss yielded a harvest of five wickets and he seems set to play an important role in the scrap for the Union over the next four months.
Of his five victims the most important by far was Bruce Patterson. The opener had glided along comfortably to 16 when he faced Bayliss's opening over. The first ball was cracked for four through the offside and in a moment of rash over-confidence, Patterson attempted to repeat the feat from Bayliss's next delivery.
The Ayr man never reached the pitch of the ball and, well struck though his shot was, David Snodgrass jack-knifed to his right to achieve a quite magnificent catch.
Alan Simpson and Scott MacKay both looked in prime form, their third wicket partnership of 59, fine testament their importance to Ayr's cause. But just when the pair looked capable of giving Ayr a healthy total to defend, Snodgrass removed Simpson with a ball which cut back sharply, trapping the batsman on the back foot.
A mixture of inexperience and poor technique saw Ayr lose their next four wickets for just 28 runs.
