Aberdeenshire lost their unbeaten home record in the NE Championship after being forced to play second fiddle to title-seeking Falkland who are vying for top honours with Freuchie.
Winning the toss was always going to be a high priority, something achieved by the visitors whose mixture of youth and experience may well see a competitive Falkland triumph in the run in to the title, especially given they have Harsha Cooray in their ranks.
The former Aberdeenshire professional relished being back at Mannofield and although not dominating the visiting batting line, still managed a tidy 38 before playing on to the bowling of Rahul Chanda whose return of one for 34 from eight overs, shared the bowling honours with Michael Saraswat’s one for 11 on a day not helpful to bowlers.
Cooray said: “It was just great to be back at Mannofield.
“It is the best track I have played on in Scotland. I enjoyed my time in Aberdeen, just as I am at Falkland where I have been for four years. We hope to win the league.”
Falkland ended the afternoon on a massive 301 for 5, boosted by an aggressive 74 from David Meikle while opener Ewan Sloan stroked his way to a cultured 68.
Shire were all out for 115, some 186 short of of the Falkland total with only Lewis Munro (35) and David Gamblen (20) reaching double figures.
“It was a disappointing effort,” said Shire captain Kenny Reid who took two fine catches behind the stumps, giving him some personal consolation.
“We must learn the basics. We are not as good as some of the players seem to think we are. We were totally outplayed,”
As a consequence of Shire’s defeat, near neighbours Gordonians moved into fourth place after a narrow 15 run win at Arbroath.
Himanshu Saraswat topped the scoring in his side’s 161 for the loss of seven wickets, while Aman Arora claimed four for 31 when they dismissed the home side for 146.
After a poor run of form, Huntly with Jack Mitchell restored to the team following illness, gave league leaders Freuchie a run for their money in Fife.
Freuchie closed on 276. In reply the Aberdeenshire side reached a respectable 199 for seven with Mitchell maintaining his side would have won if they had batted first.
Mitchell, who chipped in with 27 of his own, said: “We got our pride back today. It was closer than the scores suggest. Frank Summers hit a great 47. We can now look forward to our home game with Arbroath with some confidence.”
This weekend’s results…
NORTH EAST SCOTLAND CRICKET GRADES
GRADE 1
AGSFPs 216 (30 points) (C McKinney 66no, R Swiergon 41, M Kashif 4-49, S Abasi 2-26) Siyapa 207 for 8 (20 points) (K Haseeb 107, U Ghafoor 39, P Poosappadi 4-27, M Challa 2-31)
Crescent 149 for 9 (10 points) (A Toor 41no, G Hadden 3-17, L Bain 2-20) Inverurie Don Valley 151 for 2 (30 points) (C Watson 72no)
Gordonians 214 for 7 (12 points) (A Bashir 59, N Mirza 2-25) Culter Curry Bon Accord 215 for 2 (30 points) (R Addala 63no)
Grampian 101 (6 points) (P Palaniyandi 5-4, S Peedikayil 2-27) Knight Riders 105 for 1 (30 points) (S Palaniappan 62no, M Mohan 30)
infquick.com Cults 221 for 8 (16 points) (A Syed 51, A Ali 43, M Thapa 3-18, H Chovatiya 2-44) Master Blasters Aberdeen 223 for 6 (30 points) (A Narne 63, H Chovatiya 47, P Gundra 2-44)
GRADE 2
2nd Knight Riders (30 points) v 2nd AGSFPs (0 points) Scratched
Methlick 181 for 6 (19 points) (M Bremaneson 40, M Witt 34) Portcullis 182 for 9 (30 points) (K Vijayakrishnan 97no, E Chisholm 29, G Fowlie 3-5, M Witt 2-28)
Mannofield 133 (30 points) (I Yahathugoda 27, M Sandham 5-39, J Barrett 2-23) Quilter Cheviot Ellon Gordon 127 (16 points) (R Fraser 36, D Brown 4-18, S Rajapaksha 3-36)
GRADE 3
Banchory 146 (13 points) (W Redpath 60no, R Davis 5-23, A Hounsome 2-29) 2nd Gordonians 147 for 5 (30 points) (R Davis 70, M Herbert 2-20, M Coats 2-45)
2nd Grampian 443 for 4 (30 points) (M Nadim 232no, A Nimmy 84) 2nd Methlick 126 (10 points) (D Chalmers 37, A Nimmy 4-11, Z Rabbani 2-10)
Dunecht 105 (12 points) (M Witz 44, M Baldry 3-15, C Bell 2-11) Crathie 106 for 7 (30 points) (F MacLeod 36, K Milne 3-9, M Syed 3-26)
Stonehaven Thistle 94 (8 points) (B Campbell 42, J Lodge 3-16, L Myron-Petrie 2-7) Huntly 98 for 4 (30 points) (L Ferguson 41, G Bonds 3-15)
SPCU BREEDON NORTH EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
Falkland 301 for 5 (25 points) (S Meikle 74, E Sloan 68, L Munro 2-60) Aberdeenshire 115 (5 points) (L Munro 35, L Robertson 4-17, R Hepburn 3-9)
Gordonians 161 for 7 (25 points) (H Saraswat 45, P Srinivasan 29no, M Salmond 2-17, A Hogg 2-24) Arbroath 146 (7 points) (L Patterson 31, A Arora 4-31, H Saraswat 2-25)
Freuchie 276 for 8 (25 points) Huntly 199 for 6 (9 points)
Dundee HSFPs 130 for 8 (6 points) (M Lowdon 34, A Lowdon 33, H Evans 2-12, L Sweeney 2-19) Strathmore 131 for 5 (25 points) (S Ejaz 35, J Choudhray 4-42)
Forfarshire 2nd XI 255 for 9 (25 points) Kinloch 252 (12 points)
EASTERN PREMIER LEAGUE
Grange 127 (0 points) (G Goudie 40, E Ruthven 4-32, G Main 3-33) Heriots 129 for 3 (10 points) (L Brown 42no, M Watt 39no, G Goudie 2-16)
Arbroath United 129 (2 points) (J Dickinson 3-42) RH Corstorphine 130 for 7 (10 points) (J Dickinson 45no, D Salmond 3-20)
Meigle 181 (0 points) (Z Rasheed 41, J Edington 33, B Wilkinson 3-7) Stewarts Melville 182 for 4 (10 points) (B Wilkinson 62, S Parker 54, M Rasheed 2-20)
Carlton 297 for 9 (10 points) (S Khan 94, F Burnett 81, J Lambley 3-79, L Collins 2-42) Stoneywood Dyce 69 (0 points) (S Gupta 4-15, R McIntyre 3-11)
Forfarshire 307 for 8 (10 points) (R Johnston 91, C Garden 74, G Carr 3-56, J Stinson 2-46) Watsonians 135 (0 points) (G Brown 76, S Cameron 3-21, A Bailwal 2-22)
