Top two pull away as things get tighter at foot of table

Some cracking games and individual performances in the Strathmore and Perthshire NEC would indicate that after round six, although there is a widening gap between the top two in the league and the rest, there is a narrowing gap at the foot of the table. With the league leaders still to play each other, some tasty cricket is in store.

They don’t come much tastier than the clash at Dalnacraig between Dundee HSFP and joint league leaders Stoneywood/dyce, with the home side batting first and hitting a total of 143 all out.

Faced with a much higher total than it could have been, S/D looked to be in a bit of trouble at 79-4 but steadied things up and, with the Dundee attack unable to press home the advantage, reached the target with three wickets to spare.

By comparison, Falkland found it much easier to keep their 100% record intact with a comfortable win at Doo’cot Park. Ben Strachan led the way with 56, backed up by Euan Sloan’s 38 as they cruised to 204-5, with Rory Pennycook taking 3-31 for Perth.

Jamal Ali hit a stubborn 31 for the home side, who struggled to 118 in just over 30 overs.

ASI Gordonians travelled to Strathmore and took their hosts apart for 153, with Nigel Hazel’s 36 and Michael Schum’s 30 the only real resistance in the face of the Gordonians attack, with Prashant Wig to the fore with 3-18. The Aberdeen outfit took less than 33 overs to pass the Strathmore total with seven wickets in hand thanks to an undefeated 72 from Hamanshu Saraswat.

Hosts Aberdeenshire batted first and saw their 208-9 total challenged by some hard-hitting from Forfarshire 2nd. The visitors ran out of batsmen well before they ran out of time, however, and ended up five runs short with more than 10 overs left, leaving both sides with a record of played six won three.

Arbroath United rattled up the runs as they chased Meigle’s 179 and clinched their first win of the season with five wickets in hand.

Marcus Harvey top-scored for Meigle on 37 but Chris Robb’s 4-37 helped to keep the total from becoming too high.

Ryan Cameron then sorted things with an unbeaten 70, only Alan Neave having any success with ball at 3-43 as Arbroath won by five wickets.

That result closes the gap at the foot of the table between Arbroath United and secondbottom Dundee.