The batters took charge for Grange and Carlton in Scotland’s Eastern Premier Division on Saturday, as both sides ran up totals of over 300 to overpower Stoneywood-Dyce and RH Corstorphine.
The game between Forfarshire and Heriots was cancelled because of a positive Covid test within the home club, but the other two matches were low-scoring affairs ending in wins for Watsonians and Arbroath United.
Grange were in control from the outset against Stoneywood-Dyce at Portgower Place, winning the toss and setting off with an opening stand of 66 between Harris Carnegie (43) and Ben Davidson before Tom Mackintosh and Tom Sole capitalised on this good start with a fourth-wicket partnership of 106.
Mackintosh was eventually run out for 65, but Sole stayed to the end, finishing with 130 not out as Grange closed on 345 for eight; Nikhil Ninan was again the most successful of the visitors’ bowlers with three for 50.
Gordon Goudie then ripped through the Stoneywood batting, taking five for 27 as the Aberdeen side were dismissed for 99 in under 27 overs.
Carlton were scarcely less dominant at Grange Loan, posting 325 for six against RH Corstorphine, mainly thanks to a second -wicket stand of 226 between Shujaa Khan (145) and Tom Simpson (103). Despite an unbeaten 50 from Elliott Rousen, RH Corstorphine were also unable to mount a substantial reply and were all out for 114, Arun Pillai taking four for 8 in five overs.
At Inverleith Arbroath United stayed in touch with the chasing pack with a hard-fought over bottom side Stewarts Melville, who collapsed to 148 in the face of the bowling of Craig Ramsay, who took five for 20, and Chris Robb (three for 25). Only Greg Bissett (46) offered much resistance.But United’s batters then struggled in their turn, before Ross McLean steered them to victory with 50 not out.
Watsonians, too, held on to their mid-table position by beating Meigle at Victory Park. The home side could only manage 135, Alan Neave top-scoring with 37 and Tom Pratt taking three for 47 for Watsonians with Pete Maksimczyk claiming two for 4 in 8.1 overs. The Edinburgh side coasted to an eight-wicket victory in 28.4 overs, Mike Carson (42) and Ben Jones putting on 62 for the second wicket and Jones and Oli Hairs then seeing them home with 37 not out and 44 not out respectively.
In the Western Premier Division, Ferguslie, Prestwick and Clydesdale all made it two wins out of two on a day of generally low scores. Lowest of all was at Meikleriggs, where Ferguslie bundled Greenock out for 79, Adil Ghaffar taking four for 28 and Taimoor Ahmad three for 16. Ghaffar then top-scored with 26 as Ferguslie knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets, winning with more than 30 overs to spare.
At Prestwick’s Henry Thow Oval, the home side put together 155, Sunny Singh making 45 and Niall Alexander taking three for 32 for Uddingston, but the defending champions were skittled for just 54 in reply.
Azeem Akbar took five for 14 for Prestwick, and old campaigner Majid Haq four for 8.
Dumfries also struggled with the bat against Clydesdale at Titwood, and were dismissed for 144, Kasim Farid taking five for 27.
But Clydesdale did not find conditions any easier, and Chris Brockwell claimed six for 31 before they got home by two wickets, albeit with 20 overs to spare.The highest total of the day came at Shawholm, where West of Scotland, thanks to 52 from opener John Strachan and 39 from John Oliver, closed on 205 for eight against Poloc.
The home side had no answer and were dismissed for 91, with Gavin Smith and Callum Dutia taking three for 14 and three for 33 respectively.
There was a fine double at Albert Park from Stirling County’s Brandon McMullen, who took three for 17 against Langside and then followed it up with an unbeaten 54 as the visitors cruised to a nine-wicket victory, Harry Booker giving him excellent support with 44 not out.
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