Irvine came so close to a dramatic league victory on Saturday only to lose narrowly, but put their disappointment behind them to advance in the Scottish Trophy on Sunday.
Hillhead were the visitors to Marress on Saturday and found an Irvine side resolved to improve on the heavy defeat inflicted in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season. Batting first Robbie Stewart and Bobby McPhee showed determination to blunt the Hillhead bowling attack. When McPhee was eventually out Stewart combined in partnership with Mohammed Nawaz before he too was out 29.
Nawaz & Drew Parsons continued to accumulate runs and things were looking rosy for the home side but, as so often the case with the Irvine batting line up, wickets were lost in the crucial middle part of the innings leaving Irvine to struggle to only 129, with Parsons joining Stewart as top scorer.
Irvine's bowling has been their strongest suit this season and Parsons underlined their battling intent by taking a wicket in the first over of the Hillhead reply. Ruchin Filander was quick to follow up with another breakthrough and Irvine were on the hunt for victory.
Some quality batting from Hillhead's Australian players started to take the match away from Irvine and the return of Parsons was a last throw of the dice as the Glasgow side moved towards ther target. Parsons was inspired as he ripped through the batting line up with some superb swing and seam bowling. Taking the key wicket of the opposition professional. The scottish international star finished with a personal haul of six wickets.
Nawaz's wily spin bowling was tying things up at the other end and with great catches from Bobby McPhee and Craig Sharp supporting the bowling effort, Hillhead slumped to nine men out with 22 runs still required from their last pair.
To their great credit however this pair batted sensibly and calmly, biding their time until Parsons & Nawaz had bowled their alloted overs and managed to hit the winning runs off the remaining Irvine bowlers.
The narrow defeat for the home team keeps Irvine down at the bottom of the league table and their battle to avoid the drop continues next week against another of the league's better sides, Kelburne.
The Paisley team will also provide the opposition on Sunday in the Scottish Trophy after Irvine pcked themselves up to win their quarter final tie with East Kilbride. Star performers with the bat were Parsons & Nawaz who got the innings off to a fine start with a stand of 89, although youngsters Craig Sharp and David Ingram also made solid contributions.
The bowling effort was lead by Nawaz with four wickets for the loss of only four runs while Derek Neil, Euan Morrison, and Josh Conway all chipped in with two apiece. Fielding highlights were fine catches by Conway and new boy Jamie Doolan.
Both Saturday and Sunday matches start at 1pm and Irvine will be hoping for good weather and a strong turn out of players for both matches.
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