Livingston maintained their push for promotion with another successful run chase.

Penicuik II: 217
Livingston: 218-6 (45.0 overs)

Livingston travelled to Penicuik on a drizzly afternoon. Penicuik chose to bat on a track that played more truly than its patchy appearance suggested, while they waited for their 11th player, and Jim went to Tescos to look for trowsers. Senthil found pace in the wicket, and Shiv kept it tight, but breakthroughs did not come. The Penicuik openers continued through the change bowlers, only occassionally seeming troubled, while lacklustre fielding gave too many easy runs away. Both eventually fell to Naved. After 7 right arm seamers had been tried, the innings finally turned with a bamboozling spell from Anand, who took wickets with leg breaks, wrong-uns and fast balls. Lakhmir's left arm spin also caused some difficulty. Shiv returned, and was rewarded with two wickets, as the Penicuik tail pushed the score on. They were eventually dismissed on the final ball of the innings, with a creditable total.
Livingston's reply starter brightly, but both Andrew and Mark fell to sharp catches before establishing a big score. The innings stagnated for a few overs, with the batsmen unable to pierce the 10 man field or to take quick singles. Lakhmir holed out, and Naved was bowled forcing the run rate. Senthil and Anand came to the crease in the 32nd over, and put together a match winning partnership. Anand looked assured and comfortable, while Senthil blasted the bowling to all corners. His 9 boundaries included a pull shot that cleared the first row of neighbouring houses and a straight driven 6 for the winning runs.

The game was dominated by good batting. Penicuik batted better than their early season bottom-of-the-table form might have predicted, and exposed the lack of variety in Livingston's bowler heavy line up. Having comfortably chased down another large target, it is encouraging to see that Livi have many options for run scoring. However, Penicuik's attack was below Division 3 standard. Other match highlights were Andrew's catching in the deep, Lakhmir's backchat to the Penicuik banter, and of course the Penicuik teas.