Unbeaten sides likely to add to winning starts

After round two of the Strathmore and Perthshire NEC, the two unbeaten sides at the top of the table look like having a decent chance of staying there after the close of play today.

Home advantage will probably give Falkland a considerable advantage and when Mannofield pitch up at Scroggie Park, the home side will be looking to make it three in a row.

What would help that along is another big innings from Ben Strachan who would have reached a half-century for the second week running last Saturday against Meigle had his unbeaten 45 not been enough to see off the opposition for the loss of three wickets.

Mannofield toiled in their opener against Dundee and took more than 40 overs last week to put Arbroath United away so that would point to Falkland being favourites.

Several Stoneywood Dyce players have already contributed with the bat, Jan Stander with 32 not out in the opening game then Liam Lindsay’s 68 and an unbeaten 35 from Jack Mitchell against ASI Gordonians last week. So it may be that their firepower might be a bit strong for visitors Perth Doo’cot.

Perth’s one win from two came from their opening day defeat of Strathmore by a couple of wickets but coming off last Saturdays six-wicket clobbering at the hands of Forfarshire II, when they put together a meagre 87 in less than 35 overs, indicates a probable home win at People’s Park.

Countesswells will be the venue where ASI Gordonians hope to grab their first win of the season when Meigle come to call but neither side have hit the heights with the bat in their opening games, with the exception of Meigle’s Raju Gayashan whose two innings so far have made up a big chunk of the team’s total over two games.

Forfarshire II lost big then won big in their two opening matches, six wickets the margin both times as they slumped against Meigle then clipped Perth Doo’cot last week without having to break sweat and visitors Dundee HSFP are also on one from two.

They skelped Mannofield in the opener then were unable to attack Strathmore’s modest total of 149 last week, going down by 50 runs making this a hard one to call, while at Lochside Park, Strathmore will no doubt fancy their chances against a winless Arbroath United.