Gordonians returned to winning ways after the disappointment of last week’s defeat at Mannofield by easily seeing off the challenge of Dundee High at Countesswells in a 143-run win.
Gordonians captain Mayank Bhandari praised his leading two batsmen, Hirmanshu Saraswat and Ali Hegde, who shared a partnership of 138 in the home side’s total of 266 for the loss of six wickets.
He said: “They were different knocks but both crucial to the win. This keeps us on track for the NE Championship title. Our home game with unbeaten Freuchie next Saturday is now a huge one.”
Saraswat hit a swashbuckling 120 while teenager Hegde stroked his way to a classy 65.
Dundee High’s reply was restricted to 123 all out in the face of some accurate home bowling headed up by Prashant Srinivasan who turned in the excellent figures of two for nine, while Aman Arora and Saraswat weighed in with two apiece.
But while Gordonians were dreaming of a league title, Aberdeenshire were suffering an ignominious defeat in Perth where after bowling out Perth Doocot for 131 they were dismissed for 52.
It could have been worse as at one stage they were seven down for a mere 11 runs, but saved from further humiliation by Finlay Anderson who scored 19 from the number nine slot.
Captain Kenny Reid, returning from injury, admitted to being embarrassed by the rout.
He said: “We let ourselves down today. We are capable of so much more.
“There are no excuses. We’ll just have to knuckle down for the game at Mannofield next week with Arbroath, especially if we are to have any chance of being promoted.”
Stoneywood-Dyce 2nds were on the end of a 277-run hammering at Falkland where former Aberdeenshire professional Harsha Cooray took a liking to the People’s Park side’s bowling, hitting an unbeaten 158 in his side’s total of 325.
In reply the visitors were bowled out for 48.
Huntly’s home match with Forfar 2nds was called off due to the pitch being unplayable.
In the top league in the NE Grades, Aberdeen Grammar took over the leadership in Grade 1, replacing their opponents Cults in the process after their five wicket win.
Bon Accord moved smoothly into second place after a seven run win over Knight Riders at Hazelhead.
This weekend’s results…
NORTH EAST SCOTLAND CRICKET GRADES
GRADE 1
Gordonians 193 for 7 (30 points) (D Patel 55, S Bhatta 39no, H Konda 3-38, A Toor 2-18) Crescent 91 (11 points) (H Konda 25, A Sharma 21, A Mehta 4-10, C Perera 4-12)
Siyapa 167 for 8 (13 points) (M Shahid 94no, S Joseph 2-29, J Varghese 2-29) Grampian 168 for 4 (30 points) (J George 53, R Joseph 30, M Shahid 2-39)
Inverurie Don Valley 201 for 7 (30 points) (T Norval 51, C Watson 44, M Thapa 2-30, A Narne 2-33) Master Blasters Aberdeen 81 (10 points) (C Watson 3-8, G Hadden 3-9)
Culter Curry Bon Accord 226 for 6 (30 points) (N Mirza 62, S Ahmed 55, S Kumarasamy 2-41) Knight Riders 219 for 8 (16 points) (P Venkatesan 64, P Tenneti 54, J Aziz 3-27, T Malik 2-49)
infquick.com Cults 91 (9 points) (F Proud 5-15, K Anand 2-20) AGSFPs 93 for 5 (30 points) (A Keith 34, A Ajazi 2-22, A Shehman 2-25)
GRADE 3
2nd Methlick 188 for 6 (30 points) (G Cordiner 62, T Acton 50no, D Peerless 4-43) 2nd Gordonians 133 (13 points) (A Hounsome 44, M Bremaneson 3-18, S Choudry 3-20)
Banchory 178 (14 points) (R Devlin 40, N Abbott 34, M Nadim 3-32, F Thomas 2-34) 2nd Grampian 179 for 4 (30 points) (M Nadim 71no, S Rathnayake 39, S Rotheram 2-44)
Crathie 138 for 6 (30 points) (P Cunningham 44, E Henderson 3-27) Huntly 87 for 5 (10 points) (B Slee 2-6, G Fenney 2-26)
Stonehaven Thistle 204 (30 points) (J Gouws 73no, A Kossman 52, K Milne 3-35, A Burnett 3-43) Dunecht 103 (15 points) (B Campbell 6-27)
BON ACCORD CUP
2nd AGSFPs 122 for 6 (A Sood 45, L d’Costa 31, M Saraswat 2-19) lost by 8 wickets to Mannofield 125 for 2 (I Yahathugoda 81no)
Fraserburgh 204 for 1 (C Bowie 85no, L Bowie 72) won by 72 runs against Quilter Cheviot Ellon Gordon 132 for 8 (A Addy 53, G Buchan 24, A Henderson 5-24, L Broadley 2-15)
Portcullis 149 for 2 (D Mitchell 87no) won by 47 runs against 2nd Knight Riders 102 (T Dhanalakshmi 50, L Randall 2-2, R McKenzie 2-10)
SPCU BREEDON NORTH EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
Falkland 325 for 4 (25 points) (H Cooray 158no, M Surry 72) Stoneywood Dyce 48 (2 points) (R Hepburn 5-13, A Hamilton 3-11)
Gordonians 266 for 6 (25 points) (H Saraswat 120, A Hegde 65, A Lowdon 2-14, A Lindsay 2-71) Dundee HSFPs 123 (5 points) (N Chapman 27, H Saraswat 2-7, P Srinivasan 2-9)
Perth Doocot 131 (25 points) (A Hussain 50, R Chandu 3-27, F Anderson 2-19) Aberdeenshire 52 (7 points) (O Patterson 5-11, M Mohsin 3-9)
Arbroath 173 for 7 (7 points) (G Peal 37, M Edwards 36, S Ejaz 2-28, K Grant 2-35) Strathmore 174 for 5 (25 points) (N Hazel 42, M Simpson 39, M Salmond 2-41, L Patterson 2-47)
Huntly v ion8 Forfarshire 2nd XI – No play due to unfit pitch
EASTERN PREMIER LEAGUE
Watsonians 243 for 9 (10 points) (A Chalmers 78, H Shivmangal 55, J King 4-24, J Grant 2-26) Stoneywood Dyce 101 (0 points) (S Coetzer 27, P Maksimczyk 3-32, J Stinson 2-22)
Carlton 218 (10 points) (S Khan 58, J Hogarth 3-52) ion8 Forfarshire 157 (0 points) (M Leask 50, C Wallace 32, R Allardice 3-26)
RH Corstorphine 163 for 8 (2 points) Stewarts Melville 164 for 8 (10 points)
Heriots 344 for 3 (10 points) (M Cross 200no, H Van Der Berg 116) Arbroath 181 (0 points)
Meigle 74 (0 points) (J Cairns 4-27, G Goudie 3-22) Grange 75 for 4 (10 points)
