EASTERNPREMIER

WHILE Grange opener Ryan Flannigan was at Hampden Park celebrating the Scottish Cup triumph of his beloved Hibernian, Gordon Goudie made the most of his promotion in the Grange batting order to propel them towards a comprehensive victory over Aberdeenshire. Goudie smashed a spectacular unbeaten 45 at Raeburn Place as he and Nick Farrar completed one of the most clinical wins in Scottish competitive cricket history. Having dismissed the Mannofield men for 193, Grange were left with a rainenforced target of 107 from 20 overs and bludgeoned their way to glory in just 42 deliveries. Shire skipper Chris Venske was first in the queue to heap praise on Goudie and Farrer, who finished on 58 not out. “It was some of the cleanest hitting of a cricket ball I have seen,” he said. “Forfarshire’s fortunes took a leap at Forthill as they wrecked the unbeaten record of Carlton. Liam Sweeney snapped up four wickets to help curb the capital outfit to 180 all out. Then Graeme Beghin (57) provided the grit for the hosts to stave off the jitters when it mattered and they eased past the post with seven down. Old stager Steve Knox made an unbeaten half century as Heriot’s outplayed Stoneywood-Dyce at Goldenacre and Fraser Burnett put his early season frustrations behind him by striking his first century of the year to inspire Arbroath to success against struggling top-flight newcomers Glenrothes.