STRATHMORE UNION

Stoneywood-Dyce are sitting pretty at the top of the Strathmore Union table but player-coach Shaun Coetzer is demanding much more from his team.

The Peoples Park side responded from a surprise 37-run defeat by Perth Doo’cot a fortnight ago with a 33-run win against Strathmore last Saturday.

Coetzer’s men top the table with seven victories from their opening eight games but the 37-year-old feels they are yet to hit full stride.

He said: “It was nice to get back to winning ways against Strathmore but I feel we haven’t played particularly well throughout the season.

“We played well against Mannofield but, aside from that one game, we haven’t shown what we are capable of yet.

“We played at a higher standard in the Eastern Premier last season and, although we didn’t do well in the league, the players should be benefiting from the experience of playing at that level over the last few years.

“We should be doing a bit more as a team this year and more players should be chipping in.”

Next up for StoneywoodDyce is a home encounter with Dundee HSFPs tomorrow.

Coetzer hopes another victory can help his side pull away from nearest challengers Gordonians, who have won six games out of seven.

He said: “We played

“It was nice to get back to winning ways last week”

Dundee on the first day of the season and they are a handy team. I would expect them to finish around midtable. They have some decent bowlers up front and a couple of good players with bat.

“There are a couple of teams who are pretty close to us in the league but our destiny is in our own hands.

“If we play well then we should win the league but we know if we make mistakes like we did against Perth Doo’cot then it will be a much closer league.”

Coetzer top scored for Stoneywood-Dyce last weekend by chipping in with 41 runs, while also claiming a couple of wickets with the ball.

He added: “It was nice to do that but I should be doing a bit more.” Britain’s Alex Ward was a shock qualifier for Wimbledon after Marcus Willis saw his dreams of a Centre Court return dashed yesterday.

Ward, ranked 855 in the world, caused a major shock by beating Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili, a player ranked 679 places higher, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 to secure his place in today’s main draw.

But Willis, who thrilled the Wimbledon crowd 12 months ago, fell at the final qualifying hurdle when he lost 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to Illya Marchenko, of Ukraine.

The 26-year-old came through six qualifiers last year before thrilling the Centre Court crowd against seven-time champion Roger Federer in the second round.

Willis, ranked 374 in the world, had already beat world number 148 Andrej Martin and compatriot Liam Broady this week.