The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Leask heroics give Shire the victory
Forfarshire captain Scott Cameron heaped praise on Scotland star Michael Leask after his batand-ball heroics helped the Forthill team end the first half of the Eastern Premier season on a high.
Leask scored 78 before claiming four wickets including the key one of Oli Hairs as Shire carved out an impressive 76-run win over Watsonians at Myreside.
Cameron said: “It was a good win for us – the boys did well to stick at it after they had a flying start from Oli.
“We knew we had to take the chance that he would give us – and we did. Then the boys zoned in and built lots of pressure on their batters through lots of dot balls.
“Oli was definitely the key in the game. Leasky had a good game – he’s disappointed not to get a hundred but he did enough to get us the win.”
Shire slipped to 20-2 following the loss of Craig Wallace and Rory Johnston but a stand of 128 between Leask and Jack O’Neill put them on course for a substantial total. Leask faced 75 deliveries, hitting 11 boundaries and one maximum before falling to Hairs while O’Neill lent support with an 82ball 65.
Further contributions from Callum Garden (30), Jack Hogarth (27) and Fraser Ross (21) allowed the visitors to post 302-9.
It looked as if that might not be enough when Hairs came out with all guns blazing to race to 63 from just 33 balls with 12 boundaries and two clearances.
But Leask induced a false shot from the hard-hitting left-hander and Garden took a fine reflex catch to put Shire back in the game.
Leask went on to claim 4-37 and Jack Hogarth 3-35 as Watsonians were dismissed for 227 in the 45th over.
The Forthill side sit in fourth place at the halfway stage and Cameron added: “The table doesn’t lie – we’ve played some good cricket and some bad cricket. We still have half the season to play so we’ll be aiming for more wins.”
Just one victory would offer some comfort to Arbroath but, despite the presence of South African Wihan Lubbe, it again eluded them against RH Corstorphine at Barnton.
Lubbe top-scored with 44 but a series of loose shots saw the visitors all out for 186 before Robert Thompson’s 125no carried the capital side to a sixwicket triumph.
Arbroath skipper Bryce Carnegie admitted: “Too many wickets fell to bad shots. Wihan looked great despite not playing since May and his insight during the game is invaluable.
“We’ll take a lot of positives going into the second half of the season and I’m sure the wins will come.”
Falkland had another tough day, shot out for just 88 against Heriot’s at Goldenacre, the hosts going on to win by six wickets.
● Leask last night smashed a stunning century as Forfarshire sent holders Heriot’s crashing out of the Scottish Cup.
In a high-scoring quarterfinal clash at Forthill, Scotland star Leask blazed his way to an amazing 162 from 112 balls, hitting 17 boundaries and five maximums.
He had great support from fellow Saltire Craig Wallace who smashed a 65ball 81 and skipper Scott Cameron (49) as Shire amassed 375-7.
Heriot’s skipper Lloyd Brown responded with 103 while Michael Shean made 66 and Peter Ross 50 as the holders went down fighting. But Bryce Allchin claimed four wickets to help bowl out the capital troops for 316 in the final over.
Shire will host Watsonians in the semifinal after they beat Aberdeenshire by six wickets at Mannofield.