Kinghorn-gray and Neill return with Heriot’s set to celebrate title success
Heriot’s will be able to celebrate at Goldenacre this afternoon after they clinched the Eastern Premier League title last weekend.
They actually lost at Carlton seven days ago, but results elsewhere meant they had earned enough points to retain the trophy.
For today’s penultimate league fixture of 2022 against eighth-placed Stoneywood Dyce, the Edinburgh side are boosted by the inclusion of joe Kinghorn-gray, hayesvander Berg, michael she an and adrian Ne ill. And, indeed, having players of that calibrereturning shows the strength of their wider squad. Sawan Kumar comes into the visiting side.
Second-placed Gen!us Grange are travelling across the capital to play sixth-placed Watsonians. Ryan Flannigan, Haris Ali and Harris Carnegie join the Grange side with George Baltzer, Sean Ridge and fa rh an khan coming into the home XI.
Craig Wallace and Joseph Laing join the third-placed Forfarshire side as they head to fourth-placed Carlton.
Fifth-placed RH Corstorphine welcome ninth-placed Falkland to Barnton. Elliot Rousen and Rob Taylor come into the home side, while visiting skipper Lyle Robertson returns.
Seventh-placed Stewart’s Melville host bottom side Arbroath, whose relegation was confirmed last weekend. Mike Miller, Greg Ruthven and harry armstrong join the Stew mel ranks with matthew Hurst and Matthew Parker coming into the visiting team.
Meanwhile, before all of these matches players, official and supporters will hold a minute of silence in memory of well-known umpire Sandy Scotland who passed away recently after years of service to the game in this country.
In the west, leaders Prestwick and second top Fergus lie are on collision course for a last-day western premier title decider.
However, both must first negotiate tough assignments on the penultimate Saturday, Prestwick facing a derby clash against Ayr at Henry Thow Oval, while Ferguslie visit Clydesdale, the team who beat them in last season’s final-day showdown.
Prestwick have a single point advantage over their title rivals, but are assured of a stiff examination against an Ayr team building for next weekend’s Scottish Cup final.
The home side will be wary of Ayr player-coach Michael English, the country’s leading run scorer, who would be happy to do his old fergus lie team mates a favour,
Ferguslie have the additional consideration of tomorrow’s CS T20 finals day at New Williamfield, where they face Gala in the semi-final, with a possible final to follow against either Forfarshire or Heriot’s.
Captain Riyaad Henry said: “Whether the league goes down to the last day isn’t on our minds just now. We must simply focus on a hard game against Clydesdale. We’ll then look at Sunday and a good chance to bring the T20 Cup back to the west – it will be tough, but I’m convinced we have the talent to do it.”
Elsewhere, with Kelburne and stirling relegated, pride is the main focus as the season plays out. Both the relegated teams have home advantage, against Dumfries and West of Scotland respectively, while Langside welcome Uddingston to Albert Park.