Batting woes persist for Stoneywood-Dyce

Stoneywood-Dyce’s troubles with the bat continued on Saturday in the Eastern Premier League against Grange.

Should the People’s Park men wish to avoid being caught up in a relegation dogfight, they will need to improve dismal batting form which, in the opening four weeks, has yielded only 418 runs at an average of 104 per game.

On Saturday they managed only 99 at Grange to fall 247 runs short of the home total of 346. That total is in stark contrast to their Edinburgh opponents who have notched up 894 runs at an average of 227, more than double that of the Aberdeen side.

Grange won the toss and elected to bat on a flat track, racking up 346 for the loss of nine wickets, including an unbeaten 130 from Scotland player Tom Sole, the son of David, the legendary captain of the Scotland rugby Grand Slam in 1990.

Stoneywood-Dyce made life hard for themselves, dropping him twice in his otherwise splendid knock.

The visitors’ bowling attack toiled in the warm Edinburgh sun, but stuck to the task.

Spinner George Ninan was the pick of the People’s Park bowlers, returning three for 50, while David Kidd never gave up – although his two wickets for 85 were expensive acquisitions.

The Stoneywood-Dyce reply was soon in trouble, slumping to half the side being out for 41, this despite a gritty 22 from No 3 batsman Jan Stander before the South African became one of the five victims of former Scotland player Gordon Goudie.

The Stoneywood-Dyce favourite went on to return five for 27 in what was the unkindest cut of all for the visitors.

“To be undone by a former player was hard to take,” said King.

Wicket-keeper Andy MacLaren did manfully attempt to get the total to three figures before running out of partners and he was left unbeaten on a very respectable total of 28.

A game with thirdplaced Heriots now beckons on Saturday for King’s men.