GORDON GOUDIE, a 20-year-old seam prospect, is aiming to be among the wickets when Scottish Saltires cricketers return to the Capital in August having given another economical bowling display at The Citylets Grange yesterday.
The Scots hadn't beaten Yorkshire in 35 meetings and that losing run was never likely to be ended from the moment Jacques Rudolph and Craig White put together a 95-run partnership to steer the county away from a precarious 18-2 in pursuit of 193-7, e
ventually winning by seven wickets.
So, it was once more a case of sifting for encouraging signs and, apart from pushing Yorkshire to the third last over in the Friends Provident Trophy clash, one of the biggest rays of hope came from Goudie.
Now back from a stint at Middlesex, Goudie is putting lessons learned to good use as shown by his ten-over spell in which he conceded just 31 runs.
Last weekend, he bowled ten overs for 30 runs against Durham and although wickets were impossible to come by he is confident a breakthrough is at hand.
"To go for three runs an over against batsmen like (South African Test cap] Jacques Rudolph is an indication things are moving in the right direction for me.
"So long as I keep putting the ball in the right place everything else will take care of itself," added the West of Scotland ace. "I beat the bat a few times and on another day might have got the batsman to play on. The important thing is we all kept believing in ourselves."
At the same time, Goudie was prepared admit Saltires slipped up in the field.
"If one or two catches had gone to hand it might have been a different outcome," he said.
In particular, England Test star White was let off the hook in his 40s when a top edge fell between bowler John Blain and Fraser Watts, neither of whom moved to claim the 'catch'.
Some 14 runs earlier a run-out chance was lost in an incident yielding two overthrows.
Against first-class opposition, every opportunity has to be taken and a vital difference was the way Yorkshire forced their rivals to earn every single.
As it was, 193 from 50 overs was Saltires' highest of the season, but still 20-30 runs short. Here Blain again stepped up to the mark in ousting Andrew Gale for two on the way to figures of 2-17 off ten overs, including three maidens.
Goudie said: "I feel my cricket is benefiting from playing alongside Blainy in his present form.
"My aim is to get a spot in the Saltires and also try to earn another opportunity to play again in England – the place to obtain a career."
If Yorkshire had thoughts of an easy kill after winning the toss and making the hosts wait 30 balls for their first run they were to be sorely disappointed.
Until he became too loose after smacking a couple of boundaries, captain Ryan Watson (22) led a fight-back along with Aussie hired hand Ed Cowan (36).
Alas, what was required was a solid partnership from Watson and Colin Smith (20) amidst some relatively cheap dismissals, but the pair's 53-run stand for the third wicket was the best the Scots could achieve.
Indeed, their total on a quickening outfield reached respectability mainly due to some notable hitting from Blain in a sterling knock of 26 supported by Glenn Rogers (14 not out).
For some it seemed an upset might be on the cards, but Yorkshire, after two early setbacks, managed to grind their way back.
Now the Saltires face trips around Scotland including facing Derby at Titwood and New Zealand in Aberdeen – plenty of time to regroup before their historic showdown with England in Edinburgh on August 18.
The full article contains 648 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
