Top game of local interest at the weekend is in fact likely not to be a fixture in the local leagues at all; but Sunday’s Small Clubs cup semi-final which sees current holders and run away league leaders Bon Accord take on Dollar at the Links.

Saturday’s programme meantime sees the league leaders pitted against their co-tenants at the Links, Mannofield; while of the chasing pack Ellon & Inverurie meet at Kellands Park, and Cults travel to face St Ronald, still without a win this season, at King’s College.

Leaders of Grade 2, Grammar FPs, will be fancied to retain their pole position away to struggling 2^nd Kintore, while Queens Cross and Methlick are away to 2^nd Cults and Fraserburgh respectively.  Artisans face a key game in their struggle to avoid relegation at home to Caledonian, while Crathie entertain Deeside neighbours 2^nd Banchory.

At the top of Grade 3  Anchorians take on Crescent at the Duthie Park, while 2^nd Gordonians entertain Kemnay at Countsswells; and 2^nd Ellon welcome  struggling Turriff team, who are still however above Kemnay and Dunecht in the race to avoid the drop to Grade 4.  Leaders of that league 2^nd Grammar FPs take on Huntly, while second-placed 2^nd Queens Cross welcome Stoneywood-Dyce to Harlaw.

The Grades Select team comfortably beat St Modans led by the batting of F. Awan (115no) and are now through to the final to be played in 2 weeks time (date and venue to be advised).

Grades 227-2 - F Awan 115 not out, Kapil Laghate 39, Alec Keith 33 St Modans 128-8 G Pollock 27 M Javaid 2-22, S Hasan 2-7

Bon Accord inflicted a crushing defeat on Gordonians by first setting a mammoth total (355) led by the batting of F. Awan (198) who so narrowly missed out on his maiden double century and supported by R. Dhiman 51 and then skittled out the Gordonians side for 77 helped by the bowling of S. Hussain (4-22). Over at Gordon Park the home team total (160) was not enough as the Mannofield visitors cruised past the Ellon total with D. Lawson (46no) missing out on his half century. Cults returned to winning form as they set a total (240) proving too much for the Mineralwell Park home team and despite the batting and bowling effort of A. Keith (88no and 3-72) were dismissed for 135. The Burnett Park hosts total (135) was easily overtaken by the Inverurie visitors with notable batting and bowling for Inverurie from G. Coutts (42) and G. Hadden (5-40) respectively and for batting for Banchory from S. Hussan (42) and B. Howard (47). In town at Kings College, St Ronald continued to look for their first win as the Castle Road visitors, Kintore set a total (233) led by the batting of G. Prosser (61), D. Grayson (60) and C. Laird (57no) that proved too much for the home team.

The Committee would be grateful if any clubs could provide venues for the following Cup games:

Saturday August 1st – Johnston Cup Final – This is a league day, so choice will be restricted: Sheddocksley, Kings College or Countesswells 2 look to be the only obvious choices in town?

Sunday August 9th – Reid Cup Final

Sunday August 16th – Bon Accord Cup Final

The Aberdeenshire Cup Final is at Mannofield on Sunday August 30th

Please could you contact David Jones on 01224 822835 or email d.jones@abdn.ac.uk

 

SCOTLAND v CANADA

Scotland take on Canada in a 4 day ICC Intercontinental Cup commencing on Thursday 2nd July 2009 at Mannofield starting at 11:00.

Thereafter, 2 one-day internationals on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th July also at Mannofield starting 10:45.

Bon Accord continue to dominate the top of Grade 1 despite the batting performance for Cults from N. Jadhav (47) as they comfortably beat last years champions; Cults could only reach a total of 121 restricted by the bowling of F. Awan (5-21) and supported by N. Mirza (2-30). Hot on the trail of the leaders, hoping for the leaders to slipup, are Ellon who continued with their winning streak by easily dismissing Gordonians for 87 led by the bowling for Ellon from R. Wade (5-28) and S. White (2-8). Meanwhile at Castle Road the visiting neighbours Inverurie’s total (113) was not enough, as Kintore surpassed the total without loss led by the undefeated batting of D. Grayson (54no) and G. Prosser (52no). Down at the beach Mannofield were unable to chase down the substantial Banchory total (215 for 5) led by centurion S. Hassan (110) and supported with bowling from D. Masud (5-49). At Kings College the visitors Stonehaven supported by the bowling of D. Crozier (5-22) got the better of St Ronald despite a half century from A. Deep (53).

In Grade 2 AGSFP continue to occupy pole position as they restricted Fraserburgh’s total to 90 led by the bowling of skipper R. Knudson (5-11) and A. McDonald (4-19). Meanwhile down at Balmoral Castle, Crathie’s total (155) led by the batting of S. Poole (63no) and despite the bowling effort for 2nd Kintore from D. Vegas (5-31) proved too much to chase down for the struggling 2nd Kintore side as they were restricted by the Crathie bowling from W. Slee (4-12) and B. McAra (4-20) and were all dismissed for 70. At Duthie Park Caledonian’s low total (88) was easily overtaken by the 2nd Cults visitors. Across town at Harlow, Queens Cross’s total (112) was comfortably overtaken by the visiting Methlick side, with pick of the batting and bowling for Methlick from M. Woodhouse (40no) and S. Gurmett (4-11) respectively and batting and bowling for Queens Cross from Rory Taylor (39 and 3-30). The Burnett Park pitch at Banchory continues to be prone to flooding as another fixture; this time against Artisans is postponed.

Following the Grade 3 game between 2^nd Methlick and Crescent, played at Lairds on June 6^th, there was a complaint and subsequent investigation by the Association’s Disciplinary Committee; as a result of which one Methlick player was suspended for 3 matches under auspices of the Association for breach of the Spirit of Cricket; and the clubs were formally recommended not to select the other protagonists in the incident involved for the Reid Cup Quarter-final between the same two teams which was held on June 21^st

This weekend saw the Grades games halfway through the season. The top side in Grade 1 Bon Accord retaining their 100% winning record with a comfortable win over St Ronald with S. Hussain (5-33) inflicting most of the damage. The surprise of the day was Cults loosing their first game of the season with Ellon setting a total (228-8) that Cults were unable to chase down with pick of the batting and bowling for Ellon from S. Whyte (53 and 3-18) and S. Davis (80). Despite the efforts of skipper B. Thomson (5-32) and C. Aggrawal (4-28) Gordonians woes continued as they were bowled out by Banchory led by the batting from S. Hassan (73) and bowling from M. Herbert (5-30). Over at Castle road Kintore easily overtook the Stonehaven visitor’s low total (90) restricted by the bowling efforts of legend D. Anderson (4-17). Down at the beach Inverurie were comfortably beaten by Mannofield with pick of the bowling for Inverurie from G. Hadden (4-22) and for Mannofield R. v Oorschot (6-22).

In Grade 2 2^nd Banchory’s youngsters Z. Crawley (30no), S. Hicks (22) and bowling from C. Dickinson (4-20) along with the more experienced bowling of T. Wilkinson (5-38) restricted the Fraserburgh total to 125, which they comfortably overtook. In town AGSFP’s bowling attack led by J. Miller (5-19) helped secure their pole position in grade 2 at the expense of 2^nd Cults who were bowled out for 80. Over at Duthie Park the home side Caledonian set a total (174) that proved too much for the out-of-town visitors 2^nd Methlick who could only manage 83. Over at Harlow 2^nd Kintore’s fate seems to be sealed with an early plunge back to Grade 3 as they were skittled out for 19 by Queens Cross led with the bowling attack of Gavin Jamieson (4-8) and Robin Taylor (4-10). Meanwhile down at Balmoral Castle, Crathie’s total (180) proved too much for the Duthie Park visitors despite the efforts of R. Munro (55) for Artisans as they were bowled out for 127, with pick of the batting and bowling for Crathie from R. McEwan (50) and R. McAra (5-21).