League new boys to face Gordonians on first day

The Strathmore and Perthshire NEC gets under way this weekend.

The campaign promises to have more than its share of tight matches, nowhere more so than at Falkland’s Scroggie Park today where the newcomers to the league take on Gordonians.

The Aberdeen outfit, who have a new sponsor in ASI (Aberdeen Standard Investments), have Aman Arora as skipper and it could well be an early season marker as to what impact both sides will make on the league.

One of the lucky clubs to get some game time in despite the damp are Dundee HSFP, who faced Strathmore last week.

They came out on top with 105 to Strathie’s 65 then last Sunday they took on Largo.

Dundee rattled up 213-6 with new Aussie pro Tom McFarlane hitting 30 and the Rasheeds getting among the runs early in the season with Majid smacking 50 before retiring hurt and Zahid notching 40.

Largo got to 130-3 and that practice at the crease could well stand Dundee in good stead when they travel to Mannofield.

Meigle are at home to Forfarshire 2nd while Perth Doo’cot take on Strathmore at home and can count themselves lucky to have a couple of warm-up matches under their belt.

A knock of 72 from Stuart McCreanor helped Perth beat Renfrewshire by 58 runs, then in a 30-over joust with Morton they ran up 141-8 with Tyler Riddler showing early form with 37, only for the visitors to pass that for the loss of five wickets.

A trip north faces Arbroath United who travel to People’s Park to take on Stoneywood Dyce, who will have a couple of new faces in their ranks in the shape of left-arm seamer Jacques Koster from Alberton CC and right-hand potential opening bat Liam Lindsay from Wits University.

For the two South Africans’ sake, and for the sake of all clubs looking to get their season of to a playing start, let us hope the weather, for once, is kind.