Greenock suffered a second defeat to Kilmarnock this season, losing by just nine runs at Glenpark on Saturday.

The match was a close contest, but a disappointing batting performance by Greenock, particularly from the top order, proved decisive.

The Western Premiership Two league has proven a tight competition this season, with the exception of league leaders Dumfries and last-placed Hillhead.

Greenock’s loss leaves them needing to win their final four fixtures to have a chance at securing a third-place finish this year.

Greenock initially seized the upper hand after Kilmarnock won the toss and chose to bat.

Early highlights included Connor Nowlan taking Kilmarnock’s opening bat, and Adrian Maritz, who scored 95 runs in a previous match against Greenock, was out for 23 in the ninth over.

However, a fourth-wicket partnership between the Kilmarnock team captain Flanagan and Vieira Oelofse brought the game back into their hands, even after a sudden batting collapse occurred.

The score on 110 for 3 quickly became 112 for 8.

Despite this, Kilmarnock resisted folding entirely, with a ninth wicket stand of twenty runs by Ranjit Singh and Waleed Iqbal.

Greenock then had 50 overs to bat, requiring an average score of just under three runs per over to take the win.

However, the Greenock innings had a shaky start with both openers, Nowlan and Shailesh Prabhu, dismissed without scoring.

A brief resurgence from Angus Tolhurst and Cammy Calder gave Greenock hope, but it ultimately ended when Tolhurst was out having 64 runs, bowled by Iqbal, and the last man Ahmadzai was given out LBW on 124.