Victorious Aberdeenshire makes light work of heaviest weather

NEIL MacRae, the Aberdeenshire player-coach, admitted his side had secured victory in the nick of time following a dramatic encounter with Dunfermline Knights at McKane Park.

MacRae's men overcame the elements as well as their opponents to secure a seven-wicket win that rekindles hopes of a top-four finish.

However, there is little doubt that had they failed to dismiss Dunfermline for just 93 or taken any longer to knock off the required runs, this match would have been abandoned as yet another "no result". In the event, Chris West and Tyler Buchan ran through the Knights' top order with seven wickets between them, before Gerry Strydom's 20-ball 32 helped the visitors sprint to their target.

Even then victory was only complete as torrential rain started to fall. In the circumstances - slightly farcical though they were - it was a credit to both sides and the umpires that a result was achieved.

It would have been just as easy - though a lot more farcical - for play to have been suspended with the scores tied.

MacRae said: "We knew we had to get the job done because we could see the storm was not far away. To be fair, we got the rub of the green when an early shower livened up the track when Dunfermline batted.

"Tyler and Chris are the best bowlers in the country in these conditions and they took full advantage."

Aberdeenshire also benefited from home skipper Gowtham Rai's agreement to delay the tea interval.

Given that puddles had formed on the square within minutes of the conclusion, there is little doubt that had tea been taken at the appointed time, the match would have been abandoned and the Knights would have avoided defeat.

However, player-coach Kevin McLaren insisted: "It was bad batting that cost us and we can't really claim we deserved anything from the match."

West and Buchan set the tone by reducing Dunfermline to 47-7 after the first 20 overs.

There was a little late resistance from Amir Shahzad and youngster Ben Wilkinson as the home side hoisted their tally to 93.

Strydom announced his intentions by smacking the first ball of Aberdeenshire's reply for six in an over that cost the Knights 23 runs. The South African went on to strike six boundaries in his 32 before Safyaan Sharif trapped him lbw.

Sharif, Scotland's latest fast bowling star, also claimed the wicket of Colin Smith, before Kenny Reid and Graeme Tomlinson guided Shire to their target in 11.4 overs.

Arbroath president Geoff Fisher praised the persistence of Scotland U19 batsman Ross McLean after his side's important victory at Ayr. Fisher admitted the Lichties had travelled in far from confident mood because they were without their leading batsman and top bowler.

Skipper Fraser Burnett pulled out after aggravating a knee problem, while Benny McGill had family commitments. However, McLean and Harry Byrnes Howe came good after stand-in captain Calvin Burnett had done the initial damage with the ball.

Fisher said: "Though Ayr have been finding life hard, we were anxious about facing them without our frontline men. Not only was it a fantastic result in the circumstances, the fact that Ross was back among the runs made it extra special.

"This innings will do him a power of good."

Burnett grabbed 4-39, including the prized scalp of home pro Michael Papps before he had the chance to stamp his authority.

Then McLean (55 not out), Byrnes Howe (47 not out) and Harsha Vithana (36) guided Arbroath to the target of 166 for the loss of two wickets and with more than 20 overs to spare.

Stirling, who broke their duck last week, made it two in a row when they got the better of Stoneywood-Dyce in a stop-start affair at People's Park.

Youngster Sean Ferrie's unbeaten 43 helped Stirling post 145-7, before the hosts fell 27 runs short of a revised target of 164 from 35 overs.