The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Shire start league campaign in style
Forfarshire launched their Eastern Premier cricket campaign in style on Saturday with a thumping nine-wicket win over Stewart’s Melville at Forthill.
Frustrated by rain on day one when apparently on the way to victory against Stoneywood-Dyce, Shire made amends by racing to the finishing line in fewer than 15 overs.
Set a target of 127, the issue was never in doubt when Craig Wallace launched an assault on the visiting attack that propelled the home side towards the line.
Unlucky to be left out of recent Scotland squads, Wallace showed what the national side may be missing with an array of attractive shots.
In all he stroked a dozen boundaries and launched the ball over the ropes three times in scoring 72 from only 42 deliveries to put the issue beyond doubt.
When he was out, Rory Johnston (32no) and Michael Leask (11no) finished the job. Earlier, home skipper Scott Cameron set the tone for an emphatic display with two quick wickets including StewMel’s matchwinner the week before, Ben Wilkinson, for a first-ball duck.
Bryce Allchin also weighed-in with two scalps before Jack Hogarth bowled top scorer Patrick Ritchie (24) en route to 4-20 as the visitors were dismissed for 126.
It was a tough day for Falkland whose first completed game on their return to the top flight ended in a heavy defeat to Stoneywood-Dyce at People’s Park.
The Fifers were no doubt dreaming of victory when Charlie Cassell’s threewicket burst reduced the hosts to 13-3.
The visitors were still in pole position when Greg Chambers claimed a further two scalps to reduce the Aberdeen team to 50-5.
However, that was as good as it got for Falkland whose grip on proceedings was loosened by the vicious counter-attack of the home team’s South African batter Lennard Bester, who ruthlessly grabbed the initiative.
Bester blasted a punishing 127no as the home team posted 280-7, despite Chambers completing a fine spell with 4-37.
In reply, though, only Steven Meikle showed sustained resistance with seven boundaries in his 42 before Falkland succumbed for just 114.
Skipper Adam Ferguson admitted: “We had a great start to get them five down but we didn’t take our chances in the field and their batters took advantage, so credit to them for that.
“Batting, we should maybe have been more aggressive but again all credit to Stoneywood – being in the league for three years they have a plan of attack and stuck to it.
“It’s clearly disappointing but we’ll take heart from the bowling of Charlie and Greg along with the batting of Steven who had to have a go when he was losing partners. We need to find a way to be more clinical.”
If Falkland found it tough going, it was even harder for Arbroath who, with three debutants in their team, suffered a crushing 198-run defeat against Carlton at Grange Loan.
To their credit the Lochlands bowlers stuck well to their task in dismissing the Edinburgh team for 270, newcomers Ryan Plomer and Luke Hayes sharing five wickets.
However, only Jack Plomer reached double figures with 19 in a disappointing batting display which saw Arbroath bowled out inside 26 overs.
Bryce Carnegie’s youthful team will relish the opportunity to bounce back against Stoneywood-Dyce on Saturday.
The skipper said: “It was a bad result but we are looking at the positives – Ryan and Luke bowled brilliantly. We are going to get back into training and focus on next weekend.”