Hat-trick of wins target for Forfarshire in promotion bid

hockey stick preferred to cricket bat this weekend for Aberdeenshire’s Brand

By Paul Third

Published:

Forfarshire captain Peter Drummond has set his team-mates a target of winning the next three games as the club bids to get back in the SCNL First Division promotion race.

The season may only be three weeks old but Forfarshire are 16 points behind leaders Aberdeenshire with a record of one win, one loss and one game rained off.

A resounding victory against Penicuik last weekend, with a knock of 92 from Scotland captain Ryan Watson the highlight, has got the Dundee team off the mark, but Drummond knows his team must win at Stirling County tomorrow.

He said: “It was important to get off the mark and if we can win the game this weekend then we will have two games at home, where we are traditionally strong.

“We have three big games before the end of the month against Stirling, Stenhousemuir and Arbroath United, and we have to be aiming to win them all.

“The weather in Scotland is so unpredictable and we have to take advantage when games do go ahead.”

Drummond is looking to Watson to repeat his performance of last week at Stirling.

He said: “Watson hit the ball really well last week and he has shown before how devastating he can be with the bat if he is in the mood.

“Penicuik just couldn’t cope last week and he was clearly enjoying himself as his three reverse sweeps in one over showed.”

Robert Cannon is unavailable for Forfarshire, but Richie Gallagher and Tony Weed return. Australian Rhys Grills is awaiting his visa before he can return to Scotland to join the club.

Aberdeenshire’s Iain Brand will swap the cricket bat for the hockey stick this weekend when he lines up for Granite City Wanderers in the Scottish Plate final at Peffermill.

While Brand is in Edinburgh facing Uddingston, his cricket team-mates will be bidding for a fourth First Division win in a row at home to Drumpellier.

Brand and captain Matt Hays, who is working, will be absent but he expects his team to have enough to see off their opponents at Mannofield.

He said: “I missed the semi-final of the hockey as I was playing cricket for Aberdeenshire, and I said I would make myself available for the final if we got there. Saturday will be my final hockey commitment of the season which will allow me to concentrate on the cricket, and it is important we maintain our fine start.

“Matt has set a target of winning the first five games and Saturday will be a tough one as we don’t know which Drumpellier side will travel. At home they are very strong, but their away team changes a lot due to work commitments and we have no idea how strong the team which makes the trip to Aberdeen this weekend will be.”

Shire made it three in a row last Saturday with a resounding win against West Lothian, with Brand scoring the winning runs.

Not everyone was happy with Brand’s winning shot, however, as his match-winning effort smashed a car headlight. He said: “I have no idea whose car it was I hit and I certainly didn’t hang around to find out. It’s the first time I have damaged a car in cricket.”