A reasonably strong Livingston 2's team (only missing a few regulars from last season) headed off for their first away game of the season in Alloa. Skipper Hall won the toss and invited Clackmannan to bat first on their brand new, rock hard artificial.

The opening bowling pair of Thomas Hilton and Roddy 'dead eye' Mackay gave Livingston a good start,but the Clacks batsmen could not be pegged back for long. They raced to 89 for 3 off just 17 overs, and in the process hitting Faisy 'the Spin King' Anwar out of the attack after only 4 overs. However just as Clacks looked set for a big big total, Skipper Hall changed the bowling around and Messieurs Heaney and Suresh pegged Clacks back, both bowling very well and more importantly taking wickets.  Clacks were finally all out for 180, which at a required run rate of 4 an over was an excellent achievement by the 2's.  Roddy ended with 3-33 from his 9 overs, and Cheaney ended with 2-25 off his 9, but there were good contributions from Thomas (1-28) and Suresh (2-41), with the Spin King 1-31. 

A target of 4 runs an over looked achievable, particularly given the good artificial. However  we lost Cheaney and Raymond 'Raymondo' McDonald early on for not very much, before Robert 'Bobby one shot' Bowering and Skipper Hall steadied the reply and upped our run rate.  Unfortunately both were out, having got great starts, in quick succession, with Jack Hilton not too far behind, leaving Livi at 70-5 off 20 overs.  A 64 run partnership between the Spin King and Thomas Hilton (inlcuding the first 50 of the season to the Spin King (with a bit of luck), briefly raised a glimmer of hope for victory, but it was not to be.  A mixture of good bowling, not many overs and too many runs was asking too much of the lower order, and Clacks won comfortably in the end, with Roddy and Assam the not out batsmen.  The Spin King top scored for the 2's with 54, with good contributions from Bobby (25) and Hall (27), and Thomas the only other batsman to get double figures.

Overall a comfortable win for Clacks, but there were some bright spots for Livingston in their bowling ad batting and catching.  The 2's are back home this weekend hoping to kick start their season with a win against Dunfermline Wanderers.