The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Grammar dig deep
Grammar Stirling 18 11 Injury crisis not a worry as first
Coach Pete Steindl has backed Safyaan Sharif to become Scotland’s next successful allrounder.
The Clydesdale pace bowler provided one of the few positives from the Intercontinental Cup drubbing by Ireland as Steindl’s menslumped to an innings defeat at Clontarf.
Despite Sharif ending the match without a wicket, he showed promise as an emerging batsman.
The 22- year- old topscored in both innings, first hitting 41 and then recording his maiden first class half-century as the Scots tried to recover from a disastrous top-order collapse.
Sharif is still returning to top form after a back injury prevented him from bowling for five months and Steindl said: “Safy has worked really hard to get back into the team.
“He was desperate to play for us again about a month ago but we had to make sure he was ready.
“There is a long way he can go and he showed real promise with the bat. He knows he still has to improve in certain areas but he has the drive and I believe the ability to become a genuine allrounder.”
If Sharif’s performance offered a crumb of comfort, Steindl knows his men need to find a more ruthless streak after losing two one-day internationals and the Intercontinental Cup match to their super-confident Irish rivals.
“Our confidence is low just now,” the coach admitted. “In 2011 we were finding ways to win the close games but we lost the first one-day game to Ireland in the final over and that hit us hard.
“The key is to learn and come back stronger.”
The Scots will have two weeks off before starting their preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers in theUAEinNovember. Aberdeen Grammar shrugged aside the absence of five first-team players to see of the limited challenge of Stirling County and give head coach Kevin Wyness his first win at home since taking charge at Rubislaw.
Despite missing the services of winger Erlend Oag, centres Graham Clow and Peceli Nacamavuto, stand off Rob Aloe and hooker Sean O'Connor, Grammar rose to the challenge.
“I am delighted for the players, especially those who stepped up to the markthis week. We also got the second half demons off our back, turning in a good
“We celebrated in the best possible way by winning”
performance to clinch the game – although I thought we were equally impressive in the first half when playing into the wind,” said Wyness.
The first half was in fact a featureless one, marked only by a penalty apiece for home stand offMark Ryan, matched by Stirling County's centre Brian Archibald.
The main talking point was Grammar having the three Ryan brothers in its starting line up, a first for the club although centre Sam, stand off Mark and flanker and captain Greg have all appeared together for Ellon before.
The situation was made all the more special as Wyness is also the uncle of the trio of brothers.
“We celebrated in the best possible way by winning,” said Greg who, like his brother Sam, was sinbinned in the secondhalf in an otherwise good day for the home side.
Grammar started the second half with a bang when the speed a guile of winger Calum Gordon proved too much for the Bridgehaugh side. Mark Ryan missed the conversion.
County hit back in less than a minute when stand o ff S t u a r t Edwards dropped a goal to make it 8-6 with less than two minutes on the second half clock.
Grammar then enjoyed their best spell of the game, inspired by an all action back row in which No 8 Tom Preece was an outstanding ball carrier, but ably supported by the irrepressible Tony McGinness and Glasgow professional Fraser Brown.
Ryan kicked another penalty and then lock Ed Nimmons took charge in the second row, especially when in 65 minutes he popped up for his first try for the club thanks to fine support work from the eager Sam Bingham.
Ryan kicked the conversion to give the home side an apparently unassailable lead. Although a late, unconverted try from Craig Deacons made for an anxious last five minutes for the Rubislaw faithful.