A fine century from Hayes van der Berg, his 130 coming from 94 deliveries and including nine fours and eight sixes, enabled Eastern Premier Division leaders Heriots to reach 292 for four against Forfarshire at Goldenacre on Saturday and set up an 84-run victory.
After Mathew Cross, Gavin Main and Mark Watt had given their side a solid platform at 129 for three, Van der Berg and Michael Shean added 157 in a fourth-wicket partnership which lasted almost to the end of the Heriots innings; Shean remained not out on 57 after his partner had departed off the first ball of the final over.
Forfarshire quickly collapsed to 76 for five in the face of the pace of Elliot Ruthven and the spin of Watt, but Scott Cameron gave their innings some respectability with a fighting 84-ball 90, and they were eventually dismissed for 208, Watt taking four for 19 for Heriots.
Second-placed Carlton missed an opportunity to keep pace with the leaders when their game against RH Corstorphine was cancelled, the result of the pitch being declared unfit.
Grange, however, did keep up the chase with a 133-run win against Stoneywood-Dyce in a match reduced to 48 overs at Peoples Park.
An unbeaten 54 from U19 Scotland international Charlie Peet was the basis of Grange’s total of 200 for eight, and then the combined penetrative force of Gordon Goudie (two for 18), Dylan Budge (three for 9 in seven overs) and Jack Jarvis (three for 7 from 13 deliveries) ran through the home side for just 67.
At Myreside Watsonians dismissed Meigle for 116 after the Perthshire side had made a promising start, Gregour Carr starting the collapse and Thomas Pratt continuing it; the most notable effort for the home side, though, was keeper Parker Neame’s five catches.
Opener Michael Carson led Watsonians’ response with 43 not out, taking his side to the brink of victory in a second-wicket stand with Ollie Hairs (39), and they completed their eight-wicket win in 19.1 overs.
Stewarts Melville made the journey to Lochlands to take on Arbroath United, and opener Andrew Appleton’s patient 88 saw them to 167 for six from their 50 overs.
This never seemed likely to be enough, however, and with Ross McLean making 47 and Matthew Parker an unbeaten 55 United won by seven wickets with 12.4 overs to spare.
In the Western Premier Division, leaders Clydesdale were frustrated by the weather when their match against Uddingston at Titwood was rained off at a moment when the outcome was precariously balanced.
Having dismissed their opponents for 121 – a total which would have been significantly lower but for a remarkable 32 wides – Clydesdale were on 45 for three when the rain intervened.
Zeeshan Bashir had been instrumental in the dismissal of Uddingston with four for 15.
Ferguslie took full advantage of the leaders’ frustration, Mohammad Ghaffar taking five for 31 and Daoud Tahir three for 10 as they bowled West of Scotland out for 97 at Meikleriggs, but a fast-paced reply diced with defeat as lost seven wickets before they reached their target in 21.5 overs, Taimoor Ahmad making an unbeaten 50.
An outstanding all-round effort by Majid Haq underpinned Prestwick’s victory over Stirling County in a match reduced to 34 overs at Henry Thow Oval: his 60 saw the Ayrshire side to 146 for seven, and he then took three for 14 in seven overs as the visitors were restricted to 108 for nine, 49 runs short of a revised DLS par score of 157.
In another rain-affected game at Albert Park Langside bowled relegation-threatened Greenock out for 81 in 29.1 of their 40 overs, with Mohammed Ali taking four for 19, Muhammad Afzal three for 13 and Farhan Shah three for 15.
The home side then lost four wickets on their way to their target, which they achieved in 20.5 overs.
Poloc eased their relegation concerns with a 30-run victory over Dumfries at Shawholm: Amaan Ramzan contributed 75 to their total of 196, James Hobman taking four for 34 for Dumfries.
The visitors could only manage 166 in reply, Tommy McGrath top-scoring with 30, the wickets shared between Imran Adrees (three for 37), Robert Cathcart (three for 31) and Kess Sajjad (three for 36).
