Setback for Drumpellier as arrival of Sri Lankan professional delayed

The Sri Lankan Twenty20 cap was due to be available for the opener at McKane Park, but has been delayed and the Langloan men will also be missing captain Graeme McLaren.

McLaren said: "It is not ideal that the pro hasn't arrived as yet, but we hope he will be here for next week and have a big impact this season.

"We know it will be a tough summer in the top flight and we have to focus on finishing above the other promoted sides and it is a great opportunity for the club and our youngsters to show people what we can do."

Dunfermline Knights will also be without a professional for the opener. The Knights, so impressive in finishing third last term in their first season in the top flight, secured the signing of New Zealand internationalist Daniel Flynn over the winter, but two weeks ago he was called up to his country's A team winter programme.

It left the Fifers little time to arrange a replacement, although they expect to have one in place for two or three weeks. New additions to the Knights team for today's match include player/coach Kevin McLaren, who has joined from Greenock, and former Heriot's pro Cam Farrell, who is now registered as a local player.

Last year's champions Grange will have a different look to their side as they head for a testing opener at Stirling County.

Wicketkeeper Simon Smith has moved to Heriot's, while Andy Wilson has retired and Cameron Coles is in the process of moving to Dubai. Kiwi Warren McSkimming, who had a good year with the club back in 2008, has returned as pro, though, and spinner Andrew Brock has arrived from SMRH to fill Wilson's shoes.

Last year's Scottish Cup finalists Stirling County have South African pro Kreeson Naicker back in the ranks as they aim to get off to a flyer.

Watsonians, who were second in 2010, also travel to a promoted side in the shape of Ayr. The Myreside men now have former Scotland man Craig Wright at the helm and brought in Tony McKenna, from West Lothian, and Fraser Boyd, from Carlton, over the winter.

The dangermen for the hosts at Cambusdoon will be pro Michael Papps and Dougie Johnstone, who scored more than 1600 between them last summer.

Of the other promoted sides, Arbroath host Uddingston, Heriot's, with Adam Lockhart-Krause back as pro, start away to Forfarshire, and Stoneywood-Dyce are in Edinburgh to face Carlton.

Elsewhere today, Aberdeenshire host West and Clydesdale travel to Greenock.

Over the summer, the teams will play each other once before the league is split into four groups of four for the final weeks to sort eventual placings, with the bottom two being relegated to the Championship.