Captains describe battle of the Shires at Forthill as ‘unbelievable’

Rival skippers Umair Mohammed and Chris Venske joined forces to label Aberdeenshire’s remarkable Eastern Premiership opening-day victory over Forfarshire a classic.

The Broughty Ferry brigade had gone into the battle of the Shires at Forthill as favourites.

However in a high-scoring tussle, it was Venske’s visitors who completed a stunning run-chase.

Mohammed was far from deflated in spite of the loss.

He said: “It was an unbelievable game to be involved in. To produce such an outstanding pitch, credit must first go to the Forthill ground staff.

“We are lucky to have one of the best pitches in Scotland. Of course the outcome was disappointing, but we will take positives from it.

“The batting displays of 17-year old Calum Garden and 18-year-old Rory Johnston was the best I have seen in that age group since Kyle Coetzer and Qasim Sheikh – two of the classiest players Scotland have produced.

“We are a very young side with a number of potential international stars, so they need to play in games like this to become better.”

Garden (90), Matty Parker (87) and Johnston (68 not out) propelled Forfarshire to 340 for four.

But Ngoepe and Venske turned it into a stroll.

Venske himself was dismissed a run short of a century, but the spotlight was grabbed by South African Ngoepe, who hit an unbeaten 109 as the Mannofield men passed the lofty target of 340 with more than four overs to spare.

The victorious captain enthused: “It was quite simply the best game of cricket I’ve ever been involved in. It was an unbelievable feeing to win a game like that.

Elsewhere, Glenrothes surged to success against under strength champions Carlton at Gilvenbank.

Fred Culley emerged as the main home-turf hero with a fine knock of 91.

Arbroath all-rounder Calvin Burnett admitted his side avoided a banana skin as they snuffed out the challenge of Falkland at Lochlands.

Spinner Craig Ramsay (four for 21 off 10) was to the fore as the Fifers were curbed to 160 for seven.

Then stand-in skipper Ross McLean replied with a dogged 49 to pave the way for the four-wicket win.