David Kidd wants to leave Stoneywood-Dyce in as strong a position as possible as prepares to depart.
The bowler, who works for a pharmaceutical company, is set to move to London next month after changing job.
Stoneywood-Dyce, who welcome Falkland to People’s Park tomorrow, are currently bottom of the Easter Premier League and without a win after five games.
Kidd is determined to change that before he moves down south.
He said: “I want to make sure the club is in as good a position as possible when I leave.
“But I’ve got every confidence in the people that will be around after I’ve gone. I know they’ll have what’s required to take the club forward at a national league level after I’ve moved.
“It will be emotional for me to leave, I’ve grown up at this cricket club from playing under-11s all the way through to the first-team.
“It’s been an incredible experience and I’d put that down to the people.
“Stoneywood-Dyce is a club that’s been built on strong family roots and has some amazing individuals that come together to make it a really special place.
“I’ve been lucky to be a part of that for so long so it will be difficult to leave, but I’m taking on a new challenge and I’m excited by what awaits in London.”
Key clash
Falkland are second bottom of the Eastern Premier League and Kidd says tomorrow’s clash has long been targeted as a crucial encounter by Stoneywood-Dyce.
He added: “It’s a game we would have been looking at as a must-win as far back as March.
“So the way the season has gone up to this point doesn’t really change it in any way.
“You don’t want to be an outlier in the bottom half of the league so that makes it very important over the next couple of weeks that we get a couple of wins under our belt to try to build momentum.
“Man for man and as a team we have the talent to compete at this level and we belong at this level. Collectively we need to come together and execute on that.”
Huntly on the march
Elsewhere, in the North-East Championship Huntly will look to maintain their 100% record when Perth Doo’cot visit Castle Park.
Jack Mitchell’s in-form charges will also be in action on Sunday when they host Morton in the first round of the Cricket Scotland Challenge Cup.
Gordonians are also in Challenge Cup action on Sunday against Dunnikier at Countesswells.
But before that tomorrow they face city rivals Aberdeenshire at Mannofield in the league.
Shire will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s loss at Freuchie with Gordonians aiming to build on their first victory of the campaign at Perth last weekend.
Grades title race wide open
In the North-East Grades Bon Accord have the chance to put pressure on Grade One leaders Mannofield, who are not in action tomorrow.
With the Bons run machine now hitting top form they should be too strong for the out of sorts Knight Riders who, despite being the defending champions, have won only one game this season.
Five weeks into the campaign there is every indication of it being a wide open title race with no team having an unbeaten record and every side in the division having won at least one game.
Master Blasters Aberdeen, who are nicely placed in third, meet Cults at Allan Park and with both sides ground sharing home advantage will not be a factor, although the form book suggests the Blasters are favourites.
In the only other game being played in the division, Inverurie have the chance to stabilise their form at home to bottom side Grampian.
In Grade Two, leaders Aberdeen Grammar have no game, giving second-placed Methlick the opportunity to close the gap on the Rubislaw outfit when they travel to Harlaw where they meet 2nd AberGreen.
The most entertaining game in the division is likely to be at Fraserburgh in the all Aberdeenshire clash with Banchory with the clubs vying for third place.
The game of the day in Grade 3 is at Countesswells where 3rd Gordonians meet 2nd Gordonians, and with both sides well placed in the title race, it is sure to be a highly competitive encounter.
