By Jack Haugh
Glasgow Guardian Sports Editor
With the Taxis Cup event fast approaching, the clubs at Glasgow are putting in the final few hours in the hope of retaining the trophy for a fifth year. But the club who will step up to the plate first of all is none other than the Cricket Club, who faces the daunting challenge of getting the defence off to the perfect start on Saturday the 14th of March.
The cricket club may never have been at the forefront of sport at the university, but in a year of huge change, with many of their players having graduated at the end of last year, the club is finally heading in the right direction. With a switch to more focus on indoor cricket, the club now train several times a week, and have been working hard to consistently improve.
Having beaten Caledonia University last year, before a thrashing at the hands of Strathclyde, the club is hoping to put things right. Whilst the preparations may have stumbled somewhat, with defeats to Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Robert Gordon Universities in the Scottish Indoor Championships, the gradual improvement of the club was there to be seen, as they put in three spirited performances against extremely tough opposition. Captain incumbent Samyak Shah, who waxed lyrical about the improvement, believes that the club has the quality to win when the first ball is bowled.
‘This year the Cup is held in Glasgow academy, a place we are far more familiar with, as we train there. The dimensions of the hall are different to the halls these tournaments are generally played in, and we shall enjoy a distinct home advantage. In past tournaments, it has been our own mistakes that have let us down. ‘
Shah told the Guardian. ‘We have generally given away too many extras, which count for more in indoor cricket. Also our batsmen, particularly our top order has to step it up. We have failed to have a decent opening stand in any of our matches, though one or two of the boys usually pull through to put up a decent score. And except for the extras, our bowling has been really good. We have decent pace and take wickets at the right times. I know if everything clicks, we have a team that can win the whole thing.’
With a talented team, and home advantage, things are certainly looking promising for the cricket club.
Predicted starting line-up
David Sharkey, Jesse Mills, Makhdum Marzug Haider Jamie Rodger, Sam Russell, Sam DaBell, Samyak Shah (Captain).
Stay tuned to the Guardian for all the latest news and results from the Taxis Cup, Saturday 14th to Wednesday 18th of March.
