Cricket: Arbroath on the up but must hit their best form at Clydesdale

Published on 14/07/2012 03:04

THE impact of the Scottish Cup may have been severely diluted by the midsummer monsoons, but there is still plenty to play for as the competition reaches the final round of group tussles this weekend.

Perhaps the most intriguing encounter will be at Titwood, where Clydesdale square up to an Arbroath side determined to wipe away the memory of their dismal Premiership form during the first half of the campaign.

Fraser Burnett’s Lichties earned a major confidence boost when they thrashed SMRH on home turf. However, they will need to be back to their best to claim the win they need to finish at the head of Group H.

The downpours in Edinburgh have forced Grange to surrender their opportunity to reach the knock-out stages. There had been no prospect of their collision with holders Uddingston going ahead at their Raeburn Place HQ following last weekend’s flooding. Club officials attempted to find an alternative venue, but to no avail.

Spokesman Joe Barrett explained: “The talk is that our ground will be out of action for another couple of weeks. We had hoped to stage the Uddingston match along the road at Fettes College, but they have also suffered from the terrible weather and there was no alternative but to cancel the fixture.”

The Grange predicament leaves Renfrew with a great chance to progress and they will start as hot favourites to dispose of Fauldhouse at King George V Playing Fields.

At Myreside, the outcome of the Watsonians v Dumfries game will decide who goes through to the knock-out stages, and at Goldenacre, a revived Ferguslie will put their credentials to the test against Heriot’s, who hold a slender lead at the top of Group C.

Kelburne and Aberdeenshire are neck and neck in the complicated Group F picture.

The Paisley side go to West Lothian today in the hope of earning the win they crave to set up a tense tussle with Aberdeenshire at Whitehaugh tomorrow in a match delayed by mutual arrangement because of a wedding in the Shire ranks.

Stenhousemuir are already through from Section E, as are East Kilbride in G.