Stoneywood Dyce can secure their Eastern Premier League place for the 2022 season next weekend, after two days where they experienced the highs and lows of cricket.
On Saturday, Stoneywood Dyce found Eastern Premier League leaders Heriots in a less than generous mood at the Peoples Park.
The visitors put them into bat and then dismissed the home side for a paltry 94, before knocking off the required total in the 15th over.
The Edinburgh side were also confident enough in their own ability to leave a number of their top players back at Goldenacre, including their prolific scorer Matthew Cross – a Scotland star who cut his teeth in the game with Aberdeenshire.
The home side were similarly understrength on Saturday, not through choice, but non-availability.
Given the paucity of the home batting resources, it was no great surprise when the title favourites made an early breakthrough, but, at 13 for four wickets down, Stoneywood Dyce looked set to register their lowest total of the season.
Their blushes were saved by a mini-stand between Scotland under-19 player Jack Lambley (17) and his captain Jamie King (26), who courageously stood up to the pace and guile of Joe Kinghorn-Gray and Scotland player Adrian Neill, another former Shire player. A gutsy 11 runs from David Kidd, helping his side to 94.
Kinghorn-Gray was the pick of the visiting attack, taking three for 37, but getting good support from his captain Mark Watt, who took two for 10.
The Heriots reply was brutal and mercifully quick, led by Durness Mackay-Champion, who hit 63 from 43 balls as they cruised to victory with nine wickets in hand, leaving the homesters to contemplate a long Sunday trip to Edinburgh to face RH Corstorphine.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Premier, bottom side Stewarts Melville were beaten by 100 runs by Forfarshire, while Meigle probably saved their season with a ten run win over RH Corstorphine.
“It was a disappointing day, but we have the chance to make amends in our last four games and, although they are all away from home, I believe at least two of them are winnable,” said Captain King, speaking before yesterday’s game in Edinburgh.
North-east’s top side bounce back
The skipper’s confidence wasn’t misplaced.
Despite the journey south, Stoneywood-Dyce bounced back from their heavy defeat on Saturday with an astonishing reversal of form yesterday.
After being bowled out for 82 by RH Corstorphine, they turned the table on their Edinburgh opponents, bowling them out for only 43 all out to almost certainly guarantee top flight cricket in Aberdeen next season.
King shared the honours with veteran George Ninan in a remarkable game of cricket in which only 125 runs were scored for the loss of 20 wickets.
Opener Ninan top scored with a gritty 23 before going on to take five wickets for 20 runs, while his captain was equally successful with five for 23 as the Edinburgh side crumbled to defeat.
“It was an appalling wicket, but we came through to record an amazing win,” said King.
“A win against Stewarts Melville on Saturday will secure our place in the top league club of the Scottish game. I am very proud of the guys.”
Stoneywood Dyce complete the season with trips to Stewarts Melville, Watsonians and Carlton.
SATURDAY EASTERN PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS:
Stoneywood Dyce 94 (0 points) (J King 26, R Brown 3-12, J Kinghorn-Gray 3-37) Heriots 98 for 1 (10 points) (D Mackay-champion 63)
Meigle 186 for 6 (10 points) (Z Rasheed 54no, P Drummond 36, C Whitefoord 3-27, B James 2-15) RH Corstorphine 176 (2 points) (M Grant 48, A Sathiy 47, Z Rasheed 4-36, I Stewart 2-29)
ion8 Forfarshire 309 for 3 (10 points) (R Johnston 117no, C Wallace 109) Stewarts Melville 209 (0 points) (K Steel 51, F Duncan 3-30)
Carlton 204 (10 points) (S Khan 121, M Hurst 3-22, C Ramsay 2-36) Arbroath United 177 for 9 (0 points) (P Saravanan 46, B Carnegie 36, S Gupta 2-32, R McIntyre 2-43)
Grange 313 for 2 (10 points) (H Carnegie 117, R Flannigan 110no) Watsonians 187 (0 points) (A Chalmers 58, P Neame 36, J Cairns 3-43, T Foulds 2-36)