SCORPIONS' left-arm paceman Bob Fotheringham rose to the occasion of a Hong Kong Cricket Club derby by bowling his side to a 52-run victory over Sunday League title hopefuls Optimists at Wong Nai Chung Gap Road yesterday.
Fotheringham, who has represented Hong Kong in two International Cricket Council Trophy tournaments, took five for 62 off 12.4 overs, starting with the prized scalp of Optimists' skipper Stewart Brew for three with a one-handed return catch off his first ball.
With Bob Stiller (two for 27) and Richard Parsons (two for 11) also among the wickets, Scorpions dismissed Optimists for 231 in the 42nd over to claim a 20-point maximum for the first time this season.
Scorpions, who lost two key players in John Garden and David Clifton-James to Vagabonds during the off-season, still showed strength in depth in their batting by scoring 283 all out in 54.2 overs.
Parsons top-scored with 63 and shared an eighth-wicket partnership of 70 with Matthew Johnson, who made 46.
Optimists needed to score 232 from the remaining 45 overs to collect the four bonus points and were well on course at 202 for three, despite losing Brew so early.
Tony Morgan (64) put on 126 for the second wicket with Seamus O'Brien, who made 88 before being caught and bowled by Stiller, and 69 for the fourth wicket with John Dally, who scored 35.
