Brown blitz for Heriot’s routs Glenrothes
● Morton lavishes praise on bowler as champions keep Grange in their sights
When Scotland spinner Mark Watt departed from champions Heriot’s to ply his trade south of the border, there were fears at Goldenacre that their attack would be blunted.
However, Ryan Brown has made sure that the club are still well and truly in the hunt to retain their title.
He produced a sensational spell on Saturday to rout basement boys Glenrothes –and skipper Keith Morton said the return of five wickets at the cost of a single run was no big surprise.
Brown sent the flustered Fifers skidding to 50 all out before the hosts raced to the target without loss.
Morton said: “Ryan has bowled really well all season, however he hasn’t always taken the number of wickets he deserved.
“So I felt that this success was been coming. He has been the most reliable member of our attack all summer and he allows the other slow guys to work around him in the middle overs of matches.”
Morton was also chuffed with the contribution of seamer James Hearn, stating: “He opened the bowling and operated for ten overs straight
KEITH MORTON through. It was a great effort when you consider it was his first spell of the campaign.
“It was typical of the attitude we pride ourselves in; people are willing to take responsibility in different roles.
“The club are in a very positive place at the moment and we are aiming to continue in that vein in our remaining three league matches.”
The demolition job enabled Morton’s men to stay on the heels of pacesetters Grange, who accounted for RHC Lions in comprehensive fashion at Raeburn Place.
Captain Preston Mommsen (69) and Ryan Flannigan (58) propelled them to 226 for eight.
Then Andrew Brock and rookie Charlie Peet shared a seven-wicket haul as the Lions crumbled to 79 all out.
Forfarshire still hold the advantage over Carlton in the tussle for third place.
The Broughty Ferry brigade kept up their momentum by claiming the scalp of Aberdeenshire at Mannofield – thanks mainly to another century from Rory Johnston.
There was no way back for the home troops after Johnston (109) and Calum Garden (60) put on 121 for the second wicket en route to a total of 273 for seven.
At 91 for one, the Dons retained some hope, but Umair Mohammed and Brock Ditchmen each struck three timesinquicksuccession.and the last nine men perished at a cost of only nine runs.
Arbroath’s woes deepened as their challenge was swept aside by Watsonians.
The capital outfit reached 236 for seven, with skipper Ewan Chalmers hitting 65.
Arbroath were never really in the hunt and they slid to 158 all out.
It was one-way traffic at Inverleith, where Carlton disposed of Stewart’s Melville by 173 runs.
0 Grange captain Preston Mommsen hit 69 as the league’s pacesetters saw off RHC Lions with plenty to spare.
By WILLIAM DICK
Ferguslie’s coronation as Western Premier champions may have to wait a few days but Saturday’s fine win against Dumfries, combined with Clydesdale’s loss to West of Scotland, means it is merely a matter of when, not if.
A freak combination of results could still see Dale overhaul the Paisley men but even Ferguslie skipper Jamey Carruthers acknowledged that the title is as good as in the bag.
Without counting chickens, the normally cautious Carruthers declared: “We still need a few more points to confirm the title but we are confident we can do it next week.”
Ferguslie demonstrated the clinical efficiency of champions as, batting first, they confidently made their way to an imposing 275 for six.
Their innings was again anchored by the league’s most consistent batsman Michael English who compiled an attractive 90 and would surely have reached his third century of the campaign but for an unfortunate run-out.
English, who has now amassed almost 600 league runs as well as two Scottish Cup centuries, had solid support from Riyaad Henry (49) and Taimoor Ahmad who smashed a rapid 44.
Dumfries, battling for survival, kept Ferguslie waiting for their win with a gutsy batting display of their own before falling 59 runs short.
Carruthers added: “Michael has been excellent all season but our overall performance today was only good in parts.”
Dumfries may have to win all three of their remaining fixtures to have any chance of top-flight survival.
Their cause was not helped when third-bottom Greenock produced one of their best performances of the season to secure an eight-wicket win at Uddingston. Derek Allan, with 63 not out, was the only home batsman to make a substantial contribution as Greenock skipper Neil Flack’s four for 25 helped restrict Uddingston to 144. Flack also led from the front with the
bat, scoring an unbeaten 43 as the visitors reached their target with six overs to spare.
Ayr remain deep in trouble after a five-wicket derby defeat at Prestwick where the visitors were bowled out for just 92, Gavin Pitt starring with four for 30 before Fazal Jawad’s 41 was the decisive batting performance of the match.
Clydesdale, needing their own derby win against West of Scotland to have any serious chance of catching Ferguslie, could only post a modest 193 for nine.
James Fearn led West’s winning reply with 55.
Stirling remain third after a thrilling one-run win over
Poloc at New Williamfield. Matt Tweedie’s 69 helped Stirling post 222 for eight but Saif Sajjad looked like spearheading a successful chase until he was run out in the last over for 58.
“Ryan has been the most reliable member of our attack all season but hasn’t always taken the number of wickets he has deserved”