Rain across Scotland affected the programmes in both Eastern and Western Premier Leagues on Saturday, with only five of the ten matches ending in a result.
In the West, the most significant result was at the Henry Thow Oval, where an unbroken stand of 240 between Riyaad Henry (115 not out) and Taimoor Ahmed (105 not out) enabled Ferguslie to pull off an eight-wicket victory over Prestwick.
The home side had earlier posted a solid 249/7, Sachin Chaudhary top-scoring with 71, and when they quickly reduced Ferguslie to 12/2 they seemed well placed to claim the points.
But Henry and Ahmed then took over, and took their side to victory with eight deliveries to spare.
At Glenpark Greenock were also able to achieve a result, beating West of Scotland by two wickets in a rain-reduced game.
Batting first, West made 186 for nine in their full 50 overs, with John Oliver making 48 and James Fennah 42, but then the weather intervened and Greenock’s inning was reduced to 45 overs with a DLS target of 179.
Neil Flack (50) and Jamie Nowell (28) gave them a good start with an opening stand of 81, but then Graeme Etheridge ran through the middle order, taking 4/41, and it was a dogged knock from Harry Briggs, batting at three, and a lively cameo from Chris Hempsey to get them back on track.
All the other three matches were abandoned, an outcome which was particularly frustrating for Uddingston’s Muhammad Awais, who made 217 out of his side’s 329/6 against Poloc at Shawholm.
But then the rain intervened, and no further play was possible.
At New Williamfield Stirling County were well set at 146/1 in 27 overs, Matthew Tweedie on 44 not out and Brandon McMullen on 51 when the players were forced from the field, and leaders Clydesdale, fielding first, were equally on top at Albert Park, where they had reduced Langside to a precarious 76 for six in 36 overs.
Only Muhammad Khan had been able to make reasonable progress against the Clydesdale attack, making 29, while Richie Berrington had taken 3/17 for the visitors.
In the East, leaders Grange were able to extend their lead with a 41-run DLS victory over Arbroath United at Lochlands.
Winning the toss and batting, Arbroath United reached 213 all out in exactly 50 overs, Matthew Parker’s unbeaten 100 the undoubted highlight.
He shared a third-wicket stand of 93 with Ross McLean (37) and at 127/2 the side was well placed, but then Grange struck back, and with Gordon Goudie taking three for 31 and three run-outs in the closing stages the total was perhaps a little disappointing.
The visitors were on 197 for four in 41.1 overs when the rain reached Arbroath, with Dylan Budge (69 not out) and Charlie Peet (32 not out) having added 90 for the fifth wicket, and since the DLS par score at that point was 156, they were able to take ten points back to Edinburgh.
Forfarshire had the same experience as Uddingston in the West, seeing their total of 301 for four against RH Corstorphine at Barnton washed away by the rain.
Theirs was a real team effort: openers Rory Johnston and Callum Garden both made 70, and then Michael Leask hammered a powerful 84, facing just 56 deliveries and hitting twelve fours and two sixes, with Scott Cameron and Craig McConnachie chipping in at the end.
Heriots, too, saw their pursuit of Grange frustrated by the weather: having restricted Watsonians to 206 for nine at Myreside, Zach Place making 68 and Adrian Neill and Michael Shean taking three wickets apiece, they had reached 52 for one in 13.1 overs, Mathew Cross and Hayes Van Der Berg batting together, when the rain set in.
But Carlton could thank Messrs Duckworth, Lewis and Stern as well as their own efforts for their victory over Meigle at Grange Loan since having posted 283/6 to which Hugo Southwell contributed 79 and Umair Mohammed 77 not out, the Edinburgh side had reduced their opponents to 81/7 in 23 overs by the time the heavens opened.
Omar Ahmad’s remarkable four for 9 in eight overs and Rory Allardice’s three for 52 had done the damage, and although John Edington was still there on 37 not out and receiving valuable support from Sohail Ahmed, the deficit was too great, and with a par score of 227 at this stage Carlton were victors by a comfortable 146 runs.
The only game to escape the weather entirely was at People’s Park in Aberdeen, where Stoneywood-Dyce secured a 32-run win over Stewarts Melville.
Lennard Bester made 54 in the home side’s total of 176 in 43.2 overs, dominating a sixth-wicket stand of 69 with Ewan Davidson, who batted through to the end for his 31; Michael Miller was the most successful of the Stewarts Melville bowlers with 5/37.
Nikhil Ninan and Stuart Coetzer then reduced the visitors to 61 for six, and although Joe Newman did his best with an unbeaten 40, his side were dismissed for 144, Ninan finishing with four for 24.
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