Ayr Cricket Club gained revenge for their only league defeat of the season to local rivals Prestwick with a comfortable five wicket victory at Cambusdoon in the return fixture.

The day had started in a sombre manner with a minute's applause in memory of former player and local businessman Kevin Finnie who had passed away the previous day.

When the match began, Prestwick won the toss and chose to bat but were soon in trouble as opening bowlers Derval Green and Scott McElnea made early inroads, reducing the visitors to 53-6 with some good bowling assisted by some excellent fielding and catching.

Prestwick captain Tom Fleet then clawed his team back into the game with a patient 65 not out, assisted by Ross Kennedy and Callan Turner, but they were still restricted to 157-9 in their 50 overs.

Green finishing with figures of 4-29. McElnea 2-21 and spinners Flack, Tahir and Baines each claiming a wicket.

In reply, the Ayr innings did not get off to the perfect start either as they lost four quick wickets as they fell to 21-4 before a century stand between Michael English (58no), fresh from his superb century for Scotland the previous day on his debut against Namibia and Derval Green with a rapid 69 put Ayr on the cusp of victory when Green departed.

Neil Logan then joined English who had paced his innings perfectly as they reached their target of 158 with almost 10 overs to spare.

The Cambusdoon XI fell to a narrow defeat away to Bothwell. The home team won the toss and batted first and were in trouble from the first over as Pushkar Bhandari dismissed both openers for ducks before Ryan Dunne steadied the ship with an innings of 71.

But with wickets falling regularly at the other end they were bowled out for 174. Bhandari finished with figures of 2-24, Steve Baker 3-33 and Harry Boyd 2-22.

Wickets fell early in the Cambusdoon innings with Pushkar Bhandari bowled with the total on 8, soon followed by Hafeez Siddiq and with the score on 43 they lost the middle order pairing of Richie Borland and Niall McCrossin, so often the mainstay of any run chase.

Robbie Walsh with a run a ball 67 did lead a fightback, but when he departed, the tail narrowly failed to get them over the line as they were bowled out for 147.

On Tuesday night, the Cambusdoon XI were in action in the Midweek League at home to Clydesdale. The visitors batted first and were restricted to 93-9 with Steve Baker 4-10 and Freya Wilcox 3-25 the pick of the bowlers.

The Cambusdoon run chase was led by Neil Smith, 37, the former wicketkeeper batsman who played in the 2014 Western Union winning team. He then emigrated to Australia, but was back in the country on holiday .

Captain Mikey Maxwell, 42, put on 82 for the first wicket leaving Andi McElnea and Jonny Baines to see them over the line as they finished on 96-2 to record an eight wicket victory with more than six overs to spare.

As mentioned earlier, club captain Michael English made his long-awaited Scotland debut in the ICC Cricket World League 2 match against Namibia at Forfarshire ground, Forthill. Opening the batting, he scored 107 in the Scotland total of 301-6 before the visitors were bowled out for 163.

It was also a good week for Freya Wilcox who started her week with three wickets for Cambusdoon XI in the Midweek League.

She followed that with a five wicket haul for Scotland Girls U15’s against Northumberland and then on Sunday, a match-winning 30 not out for East Kilbride Ladies against Grange in the the Ladies Challenger Cup Final.

This week sees Ayr on their travels to Paisley in the Western Union when they take on Ferguslie.

The Cambusdoon XI are at home to St. Ninians in the Western Union Championship and are also at home to Glasgow Accies in the Midweek League on Tuesday.