Scotland: Holders Heriots ease into Cup quarter-finals

There were no real surprises in Sunday’s second round of the Scottish Cup, the possible partial exceptions being the size of the winning margins as holders Heriots hammered Eastern Premier Division rivals Carlton by ten wickets and Watsonians disposed of defending Western Premiers Uddingston by 109 runs.

After electing to bat first at Goldenacre Carlton were bundled out for 147, opener Arun Pillai’s 53 giving them a good start before he was run out and a catastrophic collapse ensued, which saw them lose six more wickets for just 16 runs.

Peter Ross and Lloyd Brown then knocked off the runs in 20.1 overs, Ross making 85 of them and Brown 42.

Half-centuries by opener Zach Place and Andrew Chalmers in the middle order, who made 62 and 66 respectively, enabled Watsonians to reach 306 for seven at Myreside, and Uddingston’s miserable start to the season continued as, despite a fighting 72 from Harmanjit Singh, they were all out for 197, Robert Thirlwell taking three for 43 for the victors.

In another East-West encounter it was the West’s Clydesdale, looking for their eighth Cup win, who prevailed over Stoneywood Dyce at Titwood.

Craig Young hit an unbeaten 122 for the Glasgow side, and with skipper Patrick Barbour making 51 and Faisal Jawad 49 they posted 285 for five. Then Danny Cairns took five for 28 when the Aberdonians replied, and they were all out for 129.

Home advantage was of little help to another Aberdeen side, as Aberdeenshire, now playing in the Strathmore and Perthshire Championship, were bowled out for 86 at Mannofield by Drumpellier from the Western First Division and lost by 56 runs.
Drumpellier are the only quarter-finalists from outside the two Premier Divisions, and now face a demanding encounter with Clydesdale.

The highest total of the day came at Torrence House, where Grange ran up 376 for four against East Kilbride, Gordon Goudie hammering an unbeaten 169, supported by 77 from Harris Carnegie and 68 not out from Tom Mackintosh.

Goudie then excelled with the ball as well, taking three for 13, and with Charlie Peet taking three for 18 the home side subsided to 105 all out, 60 of them coming from the bat of Moneeb Iqbal, the only man to reach double figures in a remarkable solo display of resistance.

At Hamilton Crescent West of Scotland dismissed Arbroath United for 172, Marc Petrie top-scoring for the visitors, while David McNulty took four for 31 for West and Gavin Smith three for 43.

James Fennah then anchored West’s reply with 61, and they completed a five-wicket victory with 16 overs to spare.

Ayr were no match for their Premier Division opponents Langside at Albert Park, managing only 88 and succumbing by seven wickets.

The final tie, between Forfarshire and Meigle at Forthill, was postponed because of the home side’s Covid difficulties; the winners of that match will face Grange, while Heriots will play Langside and Watsonian will take on West of Scotland. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Sunday, 4 July.