GALA produced one of their best displays of the season to see off Linlithgow and remain top of Division One.

And it was New Zealander Scott Evans who played a key role with bat and ball, scoring an unbeaten 25 to help Gala up to a total of 155 for seven and then taking four wickets as Linlithgow finished 38 runs short on 117 all out.

Gala got off to a good start through Sid Siddhu (21) and Finlay Rutherford (21) but both fell in quick succession, followed by Duncan Millar and Dinesh Tharanga.

At 60 for 4, Jamie Crooks (22) and Robbie Irvine (21) rebuilt the innings, before Crooks was bowled by Brookes.

Evans and Robbie Irvine added another 30 runs to take Gala up to 116, but the runs then dried up as three maidens in a row were bowled.

However the patience of Evans and Ross Patterson (18) was rewarded as the pair added a vital 34 runs in five overs.

Gala got off to a brilliant start as Brookes, who scored 74 against the hosts when they were well beaten at Linlithgow in June, edged behind a Dean Moir delivery to Duncan Millar to leave Linlithgow 0 for 1 after three balls.

Millar claimed another catch when Irvine’s brilliant lifting delivery caught the glove of Stump to depart for 12.

Tharanga then ripped apart the Linlithgow middle order, leaving the visitors 48 for 5.

But Nettleton (17) and Whitton (9) supported remaining opening batsman Strachan well, as Linlithgow fought their way back into the game to set up a tense finish.

Up stepped Evans, who claimed Whitton and then the vital wicket of Strachan, who made 50.

The Kiwi then wrapped up the innings as he finished with 4 for 23, while Tharanga claimed 4 for 27, with Moir (1 for 20) and Irvine (1 for 18) also bowling superbly.

Gala

S. Siddhu ct S. Ahammed b A. Williamson 21

F. Rutherford ct & b G. Raven 21

D. Millar ct C. Whitton b A. Williamson 2

D. Tharanga ct A. Napoli b A. Williamson 0

J. Crooks b P. Brookes 22

R. Irvine ct A. Williamson b P. Brookes 21

S. Evans not out 25

R. Patterson ct W. Nettleton b R. Thomson 18

D. Moir not out 4

Extras – 21

Total – 155 for seven wickets

R. Thomson 5-0-34-1; A. Williamson 9-3-24-3; G. Raven 9-1-18-1; J. Strachan 9-1-25-0; P. Brookes 9-1-32-2; S. Ahammed 4-2-12-0.

Linlithgow

P. Brookes ct D. Millar b D. Moir 0

J. Strachan ct R. Irvine b S. Evans 50

K. Stump ct D. Millar b R Irvine 12

R. Saunders b D. Tharanga 9

S. Ahammed lbw b D. Tharanga 0

A. Napoli b D. Tharanga 0

W. Nettleton lbw D. Tharanga 17

C. Whitton ct D. Tharanga b S. Evans 9

A. Williams ct & b S. Evans 5

R. Thomson not out 1

G. Raven lbw S. Evans 0

Extras – 14

Total – 117 for ten wickets

D. Moir 7-0-20-1; R. Irvine 8-1-18-1; S. Evans 8.4-1-23-4; D. Tharanga 9-4-27-4; J. Crooks 5-0-23-0.