New overseas player Scott Evans made a vital contribution on his Gala debut as the Braw Lads started life in Division One with a rain-affected win.
New Zealander Evans took three wickets and made an unbeaten 16 which proved vital as heavy rain in Edinburgh saw the game ended early, with Gala ahead on the Edinburgh League Calculator meaning they claimed the full points.
Marchmont batted first on a difficult Cavalry Park pitch and were soon in trouble as they slumped to 26 for 3 with Nick McIntyre, Dean Moir and Evans claiming a wicket each.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals to leave the homesters 59 for 6, but Jalagandeeswaran provided an entertaining comeback with an unbeaten 67 which included four 4s and four 6s to drag Marchmont to 132 all out.
The returning Dean Moir took 3 for 23 while Evans finished with 3 for 36.
In reply, Gala got off to a rapid start thanks to Duncan Millar (17) and Josh Irvine (23).
But Marchmont’s Simon Joy produced a superb spell to take five for 24 to rip through Gala and leave them struggling at 67 for 5.
Captain Dinesh Tharanga and Evans came together, and after a rain break at 72, the pair pulled the score up to 86 when heavy rain meant the match was abandoned.
But with Gala ahead of the run rate on the rain calculator, they claimed a narrow nine run victory.
Marchmont
S. Panchal ct D. Tharanga b D. Moir 1
B. Duerden b N. McIntyre 9
M. Thomson ct D. Millar b S. Evans 10
V. Jalagandeeswaran not out 67
A. Mohapatra lbw D. Tharanga 4
N. Patel ct J. Halls b S. Evans 4
P. Keogh ct D. Tharanga b J. Halls 3
S. Dyer ct J. Halls b G. Mein 10
G. Bevan ct D. Millar b S. Evans 4
D. Sardesai ct N. McIntyre b D. Moir 5
S. Joy ct D. Moir b D. Moir 5
Extras – 10
Total – 132 for ten wickets
N. McIntyre 9-2-18-1; D. Moir 7.5-2-23-3; S. Evans 9-2-36-3; D. Tharanga 9-2-20-1; J. Halls 4-0-16-1; G. Mein 3-1-11-1; R. Hancock 3-0-5-0.
Gala
J. Halls b S. Joy 6
D. Millar lbw S. Joy 17
F. Rutherford ct&b S. Joy 4
J. Irvine lbw S. Joy 23
R. Patterson lbw S. Joy 4
D. Tharanga not out 5
S. Evans not out 16
Extras – 11
Total – 86 for five wickets
P. Keogh 6-0-36-0; S. Joy 9-1-24-5; V. Jalagandeeswaran 6-1-16-0; N. Patel 3-0-6-0; S. Dyer 0.2-0-2-0.