Aberdeen rescued by the rain

IT was a battle to beat the weather for Scottish cricketers yesterday and, with one exception, it was the elements that came out on top.

Rain, then poor visibility, put paid to any action between Grange and Falkland yesterday. Picture: Toby Williams

That possibly suited Eastern Premier leaders Aberdeenshire, who had slumped to 54-6 after 21 overs before rain and fog descended on Myreside to deny Watsonians what was shaping up to be a significant win. Former Scotland and Kent pace bowler Dewald Nel had done the bulk of the damage with 4-16, including the prize scalp of last week’s centurion Shay Nanthakumaran for 16 as well as Aberdeenshire’s overseas players Harsha Cooray and Hayes van der Berg.

Arbroath were denied the chance to take advantage of Aberdeenshire’s potential slip when their match with Heriot’s at Goldenacre was called off with the visitors on 38-2 after 12 overs.

The third fixture in the capital, the tussle between Grange and Falkland, was also abandoned during the first innings with the Fifers on 63-4.

It was even more frustrating at Forthill – at least for Forfarshire and Craig Wallace in particular – where another rain-interrupted affair got a little further but still failed to reach a conclusion.

In the 40 overs that were possible Wallace stroked his second consecutive century as the home side piled on the runs in their bottom-of-the-table encounter with SMRH.

As he had done against Aberdeenshire at Mannofield seven days earlier, the Saltires wicketkeeper/batsman occupied the crease throughout his team’s abbreviated innings to finish unbeaten on a superb 176.

His boundary-laden effort helped the Broughty Ferry side amass 272-3 but, by the time SMRH were ready to reply, mist had enveloped the ground, later followed by rain, to ensure the match was never re-started.

It was necessary to travel a little further north for the only game to produce a result and it was Carlton who were the day’s winners in a low-scoring encounter with Stoneywood-Dyce at People’s Park.

After a delayed start the visitors managed to claw their way to 160 all out despite the regular loss of wickets.

Stoneywood’s reply was de-railed early, particularly when Ali Evans removed in-form Scotland batsman Michael Leask cheaply and the Aberdonians, lacking any real momentum, were dismissed for just 123.

It was an even worse story in the west of the country where none of the four Western Union Premier division matches went the distance.