West of Scotland captain Ian Young honest after latest SNCL Premier League defeat

Aug 5 2010 By Jordan Costello

WEST team captain Ian Young admits they'll only be playing for pride as their miserable season draws to a close.

The SNCL Premier League side lost to a Stuart Moffat-inspired Grange at Hamilton Crescent last Saturday.

Young's men started brightly but struggled as the weather took a turn for the worse.

West will face Greenock this week. The left-hander said: "Against Grange we were good in the first half but we had a total collapse and left ourselves with too much to do.

"It was a lack of application from our batsmen that cost us. We tried to chase big shots and it didn't help us.

"We've had a bad season because of lack of availability of players, whether it be guys being injured or playing for Scotland.

"We've got three games left to play and there's a lot of pride and history at this club, so we'll be playing with that in mind.

"I haven't picked the 11 for the Greenock game but hopefully we can get a strong team on to the park.

"We'll be keeping our heads and still be battering on."

Big-hitting batsman Moffat hit his highest score of the league season - 96 - to see off West. It helped take the SNCL Premier Division title chasers over the 200-mark in Glasgow.

In a rain-affected match they eventually made 207/6 from 44 overs, with Moffat the mainstay before he fell to spinner Muhammad Kashif.

In reply, West needed 197 in 39 overs and got o to a good start.

However, the Grange bowlers then stepped up to the mark with Roy Adams and Andy Wilson taking two apiece as the home side's innings began to falter.

Ian Worth and Jonny Gray also got a wicket each as the hosts made 166-9 to fall short by 30 runs on Duckworth/ Lewis.

Meanwhile, Uddingston beat Clydesdale by three wickets and in Division One Poloc lost to Arbroath by 160 runs.