BONS LOOK TO BURST CULTS BUBBLE

Surprise Grade 1 leaders Cults might find it tough going at home against a resurgent Bon Accord who had Malik, Mirza and Awan amongst the wicket takers last weekend. Bons also have a CS Challenge Cup tie on Sunday against Leith FAB which is being played at Inverurie. Knight Riders go to Countesswells to take on Gordonians who have struggled to put enough runs on the board for their bowlers to defend. With Links unavailable due to the installation of an artificial pitch, Grade 1 cricket makes a very rare appearance in Duthie Park as Crescent play Siyapa. Sheddocksley is the venue for the Grampian v Master Blasters clash as both teams look to maintain the winning habit after successes last Saturday. Inverurie have scratched against AGSFPs.

In Grade 2 Portcullis go to table topping Fraserburgh for whom Paul O’Neill has been in excellent form with bat and ball. Unbeaten Mannofield have a mix of youth and not so youthful as they go to Groats Road to face 2nd Knight Riders who have been bowling well but have found runs hard to come by. Ellon host near neighbours Methlick in what could be a very tight game. 2nd AGSFPs are without a game as Stoneywood Dyce have been unable to raise a team.

Grade 3 sees a host of T20 Reid Cup quarter finals. Banchory should prove too strong for an unusually experienced 2nd Gordonians who will be hoping Ryan Davis can score the runs and Chris Cowperthwaite can inspire their catching. 2nd Grampian will fancy their chances as they go to Lairds to face 2nd Methlick. Whilst Crathie have a plethora of players available, Dunecht are unlikely to have a full team on the pitch as they travel to Balmoral without the all round contribution of Alan Burnett.

Huntly put in a fine performance against 2nd Gordos last week and they will be hoping they can carry this forward as Stonehaven travel up the road.In the Eastern Premier League Stoneywood Dyce face another daunting trip to Edinburgh to take on a Heriots side littered with Scotland internationals and fresh from a 10 wicket demolition of Carlton in the Scottish Cup last Sunday. SDCC exited the Cup as they suffered a 156 run defeat to Clydesdale. The big local derby is to be found in the SPCU North East Championship at Mannofield as Gordonians travel down the hill to face Aberdeenshire. Shire again miss the batting of Kenny Reid and Aayush Das with Ken Yahathugoda and John Dickinson moving up from their 2nds to fill those big shoes. Gordos will expect to put in a better batting performance than they did at Huntly last Saturday but it is their bowling attack led by Saraswat and Srinivasan that could literally swing the game in their favour. Stoneywood Dyce 2nd XI welcome Kinloch to Peoples Park with expectations high for a first win of the season. Huntly had their moments in their defeat to Gordonians last Saturday so expect a close game as they go to Forfar to face a strong Strathmore side as 2 of the best captains in the league, Messrs Mitchell and Sweeney, try to motivate the talent at their disposal.Elsewhere, Falkland should bounce back with victory against Arbroath, someone will register their first league win as Forfarshire 2nds play Dundee High, and Freuchie will expect to win at Perth Doocot who were thrashed to all parts in a midweek T20 by Forfarshire for whom Michael Leask made 198 out of 322 for 3. 

Gordonians travel to Stirling on Sunday for the ECB Vitality under 15s finals day where they are drawn against Grange in the semi final. The winners will play either Clydesdale or Perth Doocot in the final. Gordos skipper Adi Hegde will be hoping they go one better than their under 13s who were well beaten by Carlton in their semi final of the equivalent national cup last Sunday. Gordonians did post a far bigger score against Carlton than Clydesdale who were rolled over in the final.