West Lothian Courier

Cricket:1sts losebut2nd­s topthetabl­e

Livingston Cricket Club slipped down to joint-sixth in the East of Scotland Cricket Associatio­n Championsh­ip with a 119-run loss at home to Gala.

The hosts lost the toss and asked to bowl first on a hot and sunny day.

Gala made 239 in 50 overs for the loss of nine wickets.

Imtiaz Khan took three wickets, while Faisal Khan and Karthik Mani both took two.

Livingston started their batting in the worst possible way, and lost their opener in just the second over.

No batter showed resistance, other than Adeel Ahmed with 18, and Ahmed Ali with 28, and Livingston were all out for 120 in 44 overs.

On Saturday, Livingston travel to face league leaders Edinburgh Accies at Newfield.

Meanwhile, Livingston 2s beat Watsonians 3 by two wickets in an ESCA Division 5 match at Craiglockh­art.

Watsonian batted first under beautiful sunny conditions, with opening bowlers Sadhil Jindal and Umair Khan showing great control with nice line and length.

The home batters struggled to move the scoreboard, with opener Jamie Tucker missing full Yorker by Khan, but got one, before his partner Dan Bryen was dismissed by Jindal for 11 after hitting the ball straight at Hamid Ahmed at mid-off.

Watsonians’high scorer was Kevin Singh, with 40.

Livingston bowler Chaitanya Gangavarap­u showed great control with pace and slower balls, and Watsonians were all-out for 90 after the middle and late order were cleaned up by Ahmed, giving him 6-8, his best figures for the club.

The visitors’reply was slow, with Habib Bukhari and Zaki Choudhry dismissed quickly, before captain Jai Karthickey­an scored 18, showing resilience.

Livingston’s chase should have been easy, but a middle order collapse brought Afzaal Sipra and Saji Samuel to the crease, both showing temperamen­t to get them over the line. Sipra was top-scorer with 26.

Bilal Hasan joined the crease with the score on 83/7, and his two boundaries off Jonathan Potton’s bowling got the visitors over the line.

Livingston 2 are on top of the league, unbeaten, and host Drummond Trinity 4 at Dresselrig­g next week.

Elsewhere, Livingston 3 lost by seven wickets to a much stronger Marchmont 3 side in a Division 6 match at Mikelrigg on Saturday.