As Aberdeenshire and Stoneywood-Dyce prepare to cross swords both captains are not only keen to secure local bragging rights but re-establish their team as the region’s leading side come the end of the summer.
Mannofield is the venue for tomorrow’s North-East Championship clash with the hosts at the top of the table and the visitors sitting third.
Both clubs are trying to restore themselves to their former glories having endured challenging times in recent years.
Aberdeenshire were national champions 10 years ago, but were relegated for the first time in their history in 2019 and have yet to return to cricket’s top flight.
That meant Stoneywood-Dyce were left the region’s leading club, but they lost their place in the Eastern Premier League last year.
As the two teams bid to return to highest echelon of the club game there’s plenty at stake when they meet.
This game is different
Stoneywood-Dyce captain Ewan Davidson has been with his club since the age of five and admits games against Aberdeenshire are different to any others.
The 24-year-old said: “I think there’s always been a rivalry and there’s always a bit extra on this game.
“You never want to get beat by Aberdeenshire, you always want to win this game and it’s always a game you look for in the calendar.
“It’s always different to other games and I think in all honesty there probably is a bit of dislike between the two clubs.
“There’s definitely something there between the clubs and it definitely means a bit more.
“These are the games you want to play in and the games you want to perform in.
“I’ve got mates in the Aberdeenshire team and after the game we’ll always have a beer together.
“When we cross the line the red mist can come over some people, but off the field it’s all fun and games.”
Healthy but competitive rivalry
Captain David Gamblen joined Aberdeenshire when he was eight. The 31-year-old believes the rivalry between the clubs is healthy and thinks it’s important at least one of them returns to the Eastern Premier League as soon as possible.
Gamblen added: “The rivalry is very competitive, but in the main I would say it’s friendly, generally we get on off the pitch.
“It’s a healthy and competitive rivalry, but it’s played in the right spirit, I’m sure we’ll all have a drink together after the game.
“I think in all walks of sport if you’re playing your local neighbours there’s always a bit of rivalry to it.
“The city of Aberdeen should ideally have at least one team in the top league.
“At the moment we don’t have that and we want to be the team that goes up.
“We want cricket in the area to be healthy and the more teams we have that are strong and competing at the upper end of whatever league they’re playing in the better as far as I’m concerned.
“Obviously if we can be we would like to be the leading club in the area.”
Shire have upper hand
Aberdeenshire have won all seven of their games in the North-East Championship, while Stoneywood-Dyce have recorded five victories from seven outings.
Although Shire skipper Gamblen wants their good run to continue he also knows a defeat won’t be hugely damaging.
He said: “There’s a desire for us to get back up, but at the moment it’s just one game at a time.
“If we can keep winning we’ll put ourselves in the best position to do that.
“Stoneywood-Dyce have similar ambitions to us and if you can beat your rivals it makes a difference.
“But if we don’t win it’s not going to derail our season, however, there’s no hiding away from the fact it’s a very big match.”
In contrast Davidson knows a loss for Stoneywood-Dyce will leave them with a lot of catching up to do.
Davidson said: “There’s a desire to try to win the league, that’s what we’ve set out to do this year.
“This game could prove to be vital. You never say never, but if we lost this weekend we’d be three wins behind them and it would be tough to catch up.
“It’s a massive game and we’re very confident that we can do the business at Mannofield and blow the title race wide open.”