HERIOT’S DEPLETED BUT SHIRE STILL WARY

Forfarshire will today bid to step up their Eastern Premier campaign when depleted champions Heriot’s visit Forthill.

The Edinburgh side head north without four Scotland stars and on the back of a shock defeat by RH Corstorphine a week ago, but cautious Shire captain Scott Cameron is still wary of the threat posed by today’s opponents.

He said: “I don’t think there’s ever a good time to play Heriot’s. They have a lot of good players even when the Scotland boys are away.

“It will be a good game on a good wicket and with a fast outfield, so I think it should be high-scoring.

“Hopefully we can use home advantage and what we have learned from the games we’ve played at Forthill this year to get over the line and get another win.”

Shire also went down at the hands of Corstorphine a fortnight ago but bounced back in style against Arbroath thanks largely to a brilliant unbeaten century from Christian Robertson.

Cameron will be looking for more of the same this afternoon but his team are without opening batsman Rory Johnston with James Girolami drafted in.

Elsewhere, Arbroath’s pursuit of a first win continues when Grange visit Lochlands.

Bryce Carnegie’s side have been hit by a string of call-offs throughout the first five weeks of the campaign and they still await the arrival of influential South African international Wihan Lubbe.

However, the experienced Matty Parker, Matthew Hurst, Blair Carnegie and Ross McLean all return to face a youthful Grange outfit who have scraped consecutive two-run wins in their most recent games.

Arbroath skipper Carnegie said: “With the experienced players back in the side I’m hopeful we can put in a good performance and push Grange all the way.”

Falkland entertain a Watsonians team who, like Falkland, have managed just one win so far and the Fifers may well be able to secure a second victory.

Joint leaders Stoneywood Dyce host Stewart’s Melville while RH Corstorphine visit Carlton.