Championship: Sporting show at Shawholm

POLOC may have outgunned SMRH to leap to second place in the Championship title race - but they reckon the Edinburgh outfit were also winners in terms of sportsmanship at Shawholm.

The Glasgow side feared they would be reduced to ten men when Carl Huyser was carted off with a head injury in the wake of being struck with the ball while fielding close to the bat.

However, without hesitation opposition skipper Mark Burgess - who had inflicted the damage with a lusty pull-shot - offered to supply a substitute fielder from his own ranks.

Poloc spokesman Keith Young hailed the gesture, saying: "It was such a refreshing moment in an age when a lot of teams have a win-at-all costs attitude. Our young leg-spinner Hassan Akram had taken two wickets in successive deliveries and was going for his hat-trick. Unfortunately he sent down a half-tracker and Burgess gave it the full treatment. It crashed into Carl's forehead and at first we thought the injury could have been very serious. Thankfully he was only dazed and, in fact, he came back after ten or so overs and played a big part in our win by scoring a quick 43!"

SMRH were shot out for 154, leaving the stage clear for Poloc to cruise to victory by seven wickets with more than 17 overs in hand.

Tinus Huyser top scored with 50. He was expertly supported by the aching Carl and teenager Danial Choudhry (33 not out).

Young added: "It was a very positive day for the sport. OK we won the match, but SMRH deserve a huge amount of credit for the way in which they conducted themselves."

Along the road at Albert Park, Weirs stepped up their revival by hammering Stenhousemuir by 52 runs. And like Poloc, they had South Africans to thank for their success. Ruan du Plessis laid the foundations with 64 as the home troops reached 186 all out, Craig Greenwood chipping in with 48.

Shaun Els then grabbed centre-stage to take five for 23, sending Stenny reeling to 134 all out in the process.

Dumfries - the previous weekend's victims of Weirs - got back on tracks by accounting for East Kilbride at Torrance House.

There was a dramatic climax at Whitehaugh where Kelburne edged out local rivals Renfrew by a single run.

Steve McLister's 31 helped the Paisley brigade to 174, Kamran Saeed snapping up four for 35.

A knock of 46 by Anjum Aslam and 39 by veteran pro Mohammed Ramzan then appeared to set up Renfrew for the win.

But Kelburne stuck to their task and took the honours with eight deliveries to spare.