Gordonians maintained their push for the NE Championship title at Countesswells where they crushed Perth Doocot, running out nine wicket winners after the visitors won the toss and decided to bat on a green, seaming pitch.
The conditions were just perfect for the talented home all-round bowling attack who had the Perth side on the back foot from the off and dismissed the Doocot for only 89.
Teenager Adi Hegde was the pick of the home attack, rattling off eight overs, while conceding only 16 runs for a haul of six wickets.
The way for Hegde’s success was paved by opening bowler Prashant Sirinivasan who removed two of the top order Perth batsmen before making way for the destructive youngster who saw off the middle and lower order in the 34th over.
The Gordonians reply was brutal, lasting only 6.5 overs in which they lost only one wicket, enabling the Countesswells side to remain in third place.
Abrar Ahmed was particularly hard on the visiting bowlers, smashing 40 before being caught with victory in sight, leaving his opening partner Aman Arora (34) to stroke the winning runs in the company of Hegde.
Mayank Bhandari, the Gordonians captain, was delighted with his side’s win and progress.
He said: “They played into our hands when they decided to bat. Our bowling is our strength although we showed we can be belligerent batsmen too.
“As for the league title we can only keep winning our games and hope leaders Freuchie and Falkland drop points along the way. We are only in control of our own games.”
Aberdeenshire’s game at Freuchie was rained off as was Huntly’s one at Dundee High.
Meanwhile, 2nd Stoneywood- Dyce recorded their second win of the season in the NE Championship on Sunday, easily seeing off the 2nd Forfarshire at People’s Park.
The home side batted first, scoring an impressive 284 of which Andrew Maclaren scored a fine 91.
In reply, the young Broughty Ferry side were bowled out for 150.
The main wicket taker was Jack Lambley who took four wickets, while captain Andrew Rayner weighed in with two of his own.
Rayner said: “It was a good game played in the best of spirit.”
No let-up from Grammar and Bon Accord
In the meantime in the NE Grades, wins for Aberdeen Grammar FPs and Bon Accord set up what could be a title decider next week.
Grammar were convincing six wicket winners at Inverurie where despite a fine 91 from Chris Watson, the visitors cruised past the home total of 184 for eight in the 37th over.
Bon Accord were equally impressive running out 68 run winners after scoring 232 all out at the Links against Cults. A defeat for Knight Riders at home to Gordonians effectively puts them out of the title race, leaving the Bons and Grammar to scrap it out at Rubislaw on Saturday.
This weekend’s results…
NORTH EAST SCOTLAND CRICKET GRADES
GRADE 1
Culter Curry Bon Accord 232 (30 points) (V Sood 96, U Khan 35, A Ajazi 3-33, G Khan 3-67) infquick.com Cults 164 (19 points) (A Ali 39, P Gopinathan 4-22, S Raja 3-36)
Inverurie Don Valley 184 for 8 (14 points) (C Watson 91, J Thom 41, M Challa 5-23) AGSFPs 186 for 4 (30 points) (F Proud 62no, A Keith 34, A Johnston 2-11, J Thom 2-24)
Knight Riders 195 for 8 (16 points) (V Ramaswamy 70, V Amrithraj 31, S Aravind 2-13, C Perera 2-44) Gordonians 197 for 6 (30 points) (A Mehta 82no, J Shaikh 28no, P Palaniyandi 3-27, P Ballal 2-29)
Grampian 94 (6 points) (B Jacob 30no, C Aggarwal 3-20, A Narne 2-11) Master Blasters Aberdeen 98 for 2 (30 points) (A Mantha 33)
Crescent 200 for 7 (30 points) (A Pewekar 74no, A Pereira 50, N Ul-hassnan 2-22, M Shahid 2-40) Siyapa 90 (11 points) (A Toor 4-9, H Konda 2-9)
GRADE 2
2nd AGSFPs 85 (6 points) (R Wade 5-23, R Greenfield 3-34) Quilter Cheviot Ellon Gordon 86 for 2 (30 points) (J Barrett 40no, R Greenfield 39)
Methlick 115 (7 points) (M Woodhouse 49, C Gospel 3-17, P O’Neill 3-18) Fraserburgh 119 for 1 (30 points) (L Bowie 56no, C Bowie 45)
Portcullis 210 for 2 (17 points) (D Mitchell 106 no, A Philip 60no) 2nd Knight Riders 214 for 7 (30 points) (M Vallatharasu 85no, A Waqar 39, D Mitchell 3-34)
GRADE 3
2nd Methlick 107 (7 points) (U Basavaraju 3-19, S Chouksey 2-14) 2nd Gordonians 108 for 2 (30 points) (A Hounsome 58)
Banchory 152 (30 points) (J Ambrose 53, F Thomas 5-35, M Nadim 3-25) 2nd Grampian 128 (16 points) (Z Rabbani 50, L Hendrikson 4-20, M Herbert 4-22)
Dunecht 120 for 9 (10 points) (K Milne 44, P Hay 3-19, B Campbell 3-46) Stonehaven Thistle 123 for 4 (30 points) (A Lynch 45no)
Crathie 190 for 6 (15 points) (F MacLeod 63, B Geddes 45, M Myron-Petrie 2-17, C Stewart 2-28) Huntly 191 for 5 (30 points) (L Ferguson 51, C Stewart 37)
SPCU BREEDON NORTH EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
Perth Doocot 88 (2 points) (A Hegde 6-16, P Srinivasan 2-8) Gordonians 90 for 1 (25 points) (A Ahmed 40, A Arora 34no)
Falkland 230 for 5 (25 points) (L Robertson 65no, G Watson 38) Strathmore 91 (4 points) (L Briggs 4-17, R Hepburn 3-19)
Kinloch 110 (2 points) (M Shoaib 36, B Pritchard 6-12, L Hayes 2-9) Arbroath United 112 for 0 (25 points) (J Salmond 50no, B Pritchard 47no)
Freuchie v Aberdeenshire No Play – Rain
Dundee High v Huntly No Play – Rain
EASTERN PREMIER LEAGUE
Arbroath United 280 for 5 (10 points) (R McLean 97no, B Carnegie 63, J King 2-38) Stoneywood Dyce 270 for 8 (2 points) (J Stander 105, J Lambley 95no, D Salmond 3-61, C Ross 2-66)
ion8 Forfarshire 269 for 5 (10 points) (C Wallace 132no, S Cameron 52, M Rasheed 2-46) Meigle 143 (0 points) (P Drummond 67, Z Rasheed 30, A Bailwal 3-12, G Black 3-31)
Carlton 43 for 3 v Heriots No Result – Rain
Stewarts Melville v Grange No Play – Rain
Watsonians v RH Corstorphine No Play – Rain
