Scottish Cup: Edinburgh sides dominate quarter-finals

The quarter-finals of both Cricket Scotland’s men’s cup competitions were completed on Sunday, the three Scottish Cup matches which had been rained off the previous week being replayed along with the same round of the Challenge Cup.

In the Scottish Cup Grange, Watsonians and Clydesdale joined Heriots in the semi-finals, Clydesdale the sole surviving representatives of the Western Premier Division amidst the three leading Edinburgh clubs.

Grange proved much too strong for Forfarshire at Forthill, piling up 270 for six in their fifty overs: Tom Foulds made 71, Ben Davidson 70 and Dylan Budge 62 in a powerful batting display, and although Callum Garden made 61 for Forfarshire he received too little support, and the county side was all out for 166.

Watsonians had their task against Drumpellier, the last survivors from outside the two Premier Divisions, made much simpler by the weather at Myreside.

Drumpellier had made 167 for seven in 46 overs when the rain arrived, Graeme McLaren top-scoring with 45 and Peter Maksimczyk taking three for 41 for Watsonians, and when the restart was possible the home side were set 85 to make in 24 overs.

They did it without losing a wicket and with plenty to spare, Parker Neame dominating the Drumpellier bowling with an unbeaten 56 as they knocked off the runs in 16.1 overs.

Clydesdale were equally comfortable in disposing of Western Premier Division rivals Langside at Titwood.

Richie Berrington took four for 12 as Langside were dismissed for 85 in just 26.1 overs, 46 of them from the bat of Muhammad Khan, no-one else in the side reaching double figures, and Clydesdale passed this total in 18.3 overs, opener Owen Gould making an unbeaten 40.

Grange will now meet Heriots at Portgower Place on 1 August in one of the semi-finals, while Watsonians will travel to Titwood to take on Clydesdale in the other.

In the Challenge Cup, the national competition for clubs outside the two premier divisions, Eastern Division 1 side Linlithgow had a fairly easy victory at Boghall over Glasgow Academicals from the Western Second Division.

Craig Black (40), Andy Raven (44), Andrew Wallace (35) and Grant Raven (30) all chipped in to Linlithgow’s 40-over total of 235 for nine, and although Ethan Duncanson-Ward made 50 not out for the Accies they were dismissed for 128, Paul Brookes taking five for 27 for Linlithgow.

Linlithgow’s total was pipped by Strathmore’s 242 for four against Kinross-shire at Lochside Park, Sami Ejaz making 95 with Nigel Hazel contributing 48 before he was forced to retire hurt and Gary Hewitson 46, but then the heavens opened and no further play was possible.

In the other matches Eastern Championship side Morton skittled Bon Accord from the Aberdeen First Grade for 54 and won by six wickets, while Hillhead HSFP of the Western Second Division sprang a surprise over their Division One rivals Stenhousemuir, successfully defending their total of 128 for eight and bowling their opponents out for 106.

Hillhead will now be away to the winners for next Sunday’s replay between Kinross-shire and Strathmore, and Linlithgow will take on Morton at Boghall. Both matches are scheduled for 25 July.

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