Stoneywood-Dyce in last-day battle to beat drop

STONEYWOOD-DYCE head to Carlton today knowing that they must win to have any chance of avoiding relegation from the CSL Eastern Premier Division.

With SMRH having completed their fixtures and sitting seventh Stoneywood-Dyce, in eighth, can still leapfrog them if they manage to defeat Carlton at Grange Loan.

Stoneywood-Dyce have ex-skipper George Ninan back in the starting XI along with Adam Shah with Stuart Coetzer and Mike Louw dropping out. For Carlton skipper Preston Mommsen misses out again through injury while Rory McCann and Rob Thornton are unavailable. Young players Mo Ahmed and Haris Aslam come in for a match which looks likely to be experienced wicketkeeper Jamie Kerr’s last for the first XI.

When the sides met back in June at Peoples Park, 65 from former Scotland captain Gordon Drummond helped Carlton post 184 all out batting first. In reply the hosts slipped to 26-5 before 55 from Henk Conradie got them back on course. In an exciting finale they fell just six runs short, Chayank Gosain taking the crucial last wicket. Elsewhere, Barclays Grange head to Arbroath with both sides having won silverware last weekend.

Grange are without the injured Josh Edwards and Ryan Flannigan. George Munsey is also a doubt with a bad back and there will be opportunities for fringe players such as Tom Sole and Arun Pillai at Lochlands.

Heriot’s welcome Watsonians to Goldenacre with teenager Simon Whait included. Watsonians are missing Stuart Chalmers, Chris Cash, Mike Legget and Andrew Chalmers.

Along with SMRH, Aberdeenshire have completed their fixtures for the season and should have done enough to finish in the top half.