Captain Ewan Davidson hopes overseas amateur Shaun Wolmarans can inspire Stoneywood-Dyce to a precious victory in his final game for the club.
The Aberdeen outfit face Falkland at Scroggie Park tomorrow as their fight against relegation from the Eastern Premier League continues.
Stoneywood-Dyce sit ninth in the table just above bottom side Meigle, who they play on the final day of the season.
After facing Falkland they will have to do without the services of the impressive Wolmarans.
The bowler is to return to his native South Africa to play in an Under-19 competition.
Wolmarans, 18, initially played in Stoneywood-Dyce’s second team, but after stepping up to the first-team he’s been a revelation taking 16 wickets in seven matches at an average of 12.13.
Skipper Davidson is hoping for one last hurrah against Falkland and said: “To be losing Shaun is a blow for us.
“But it’s a great opportunity for him to go and play in this competition in South Africa.
“Hopefully he can go out on a high and that can help us get a result.
“Shaun’s been brilliant for the club and maybe with it being his last game it will inspire us to put in a better performance.
“In terms of the team’s performances and results I feel like a broken record at times.
“But I’m hopeful everything will come together for us and we can get a result.”
Derby day in North East Championship
Meanwhile, in the North East Championship there’s a city derby as Gordonians face Aberdeenshire at Countesswells.
The home side are fifth in the table with Shire a place higher and both clubs are hopeful of a top four finish.
Gordonians captain Mayank Bhandari said: “If we could win it would give us a chance of finishing fourth, there’s still three games to go after this weekend so it could all change.
“But all that we can really focus on this game because it’s the important one.”
Aberdeenshire skipper David Gamblen added: “If we could win this it would probably go a long way to helping us be in the top four and then we’ve got to try to push as high as we can in the three games after.
“If we lose then it brings a few teams closer to us so hopefully we can avoid that.”
Elsewhere, Huntly could take a major step towards finishing second if they can defeat third-placed Perth Doo’cot at Doo’cot Park.
Grades title race continues
Meanwhile, Bon Accord and Master Blasters Aberdeen know a slip in any of the five remaining weekends could be fatal for either side in the race for the Grade One title.
Leaders Bon Accord are at home to Cults, who will be no pushovers after their 10-wicket demolition of Crescent in their last outing a fortnight ago.
Master Blasters Aberdeen look to have a marginally easier task at home to bottom side AberGreen.
Bons captain Tauqeer Malik believes it has been a fascinating competition in which the generally hard wickets have yielded a feast of runs.
He said: “It has been another close run thing which is likely to be resolved when we travel to Allan Park on August 19 to meet the Master Blasters in what is sure to be a great encounter.”
The Bons also meet third-placed Gordonians on Sunday in a rearranged fixture, giving them the opportunity to end the slim title hopes of the Countesswells side, while opening a gap at the top.
Grades president Brian Lynas said: “Last season the top flight league went down to the wire, which again looks to be the case.
“The local game is in good shape and next week we will be updating the Aberdeen cricket public of the progress we are making with our new pitches at Inverdee.”
There is also great interest in who will be relegated.
With AberGreen having their hands full away to the second-placed side, it gives Crescent the chance to improve their position, although a trip to Mannofield, who are fourth, is a tough ask.
In Grade Two, Aberdeen Grammar will have a spring in their step after a return to winning ways at Fraserburgh last week.
That combined with a convincing win in the final of the Bon Accord Cup on Sunday against 2nd Grampian keeps them on track for a league and cup double.
A home game against 2nd Knight Riders should be well within their capabilities.
