Crescent stand in the way of Grammar securing the double this weekend. Grammar need 11 points from the game which means no matter what Bon Accord do at Inverurie they wont be able to catch their rivals. Crescent have Keir Paterson from Portcullis guesting for them this weekend so will be interesting to see how he goes against the solid Grammar batting side. Rob ‘the run machine’ Swiergon returns for Grammar after his holiday Gordonians look to finish their season on a high against Master Blasters at Countesswells without captain Jamil Sheikh. Chamila Perera steps up with the armband in this one. Inverurie go for experience against Bon Accord with Gary Coutts and John Moore returning to the starting line up. Bons should still by missing Mr Malik however Hakhlaq Bashir made his first appearance of the season for the Bons against Siyapa last week and looked like he’d never been away. Runs a plenty are expected at Harlaw as Siyapa meet Knightriders since there was 485 runs scored there last week. Siyapa are still involved in a relegation dogfight, but Master Blasters and Grampian still trail them. Cults will be looking to secure 4th place in the table by defeating Grampian at Allan Park. Grampian’s bowling is their strength, but their batting has let them down from time to time this season however they do have good ball strikers in their ranks.
2nd Knightriders play Methlick at Groats road and with the Knights looking to secure a place in Grade 1 next season and Methlick desperately trying to avoid the drop there is a lot riding on this one. Prasanna Venkatesan has contributed heavily for the Knights over the last couple of games so he’s a danger man with bat and ball. Mark Woodhouse is Methlick’s top run scorer this season so the hopes of the Ythanview could be in his hands.
Grade 3 has unexpectedly been blown wide open by Dunecht hammering 2nd Grampian last weekend, plus a protest around them fielding an ineligible player has resulted in their recent match against 2nd Gordonians being awarded to Gordos. 2nd Grampian go into their last fixture having dropped from a seemingly invincible position at the top of the league, to 2nd place, and facing a tough trip to Crathie as Banchory and Stonehaven could benefit from a Crathie victory. It looks very much like a 4 way shootout for promotion to Grade 2 with Banchory, Stonehaven, Crathie and 2nd Grampian all in the mix. Hopefully the Dunecht hangovers have subsided after their shock victory last week as they make the trip to Methlick. Win or lose I get the feeling that both sides will be on the booze. 2nd Grampian make the trip to Balmoral to play Crathie where Mike Baldry already has 25 wickets to his name this season and he’ll be hoping for a few more to move well clear of his nearest rival Brian Campbell of Stonehaven who has 23. Huntly host 2nd Gordonians and with Ryan Davis and Alex Hounsome in the Gordos team lines that means the Huntly bowlers will have to be at their best. Stonehaven host Banchory and have their wily left handed opening bowlers Clive Hinchliffe and Nigel King available. Brian Campbell Stoney’s king of spin won’t be adding to his wickets tally for this season as he misses out on this one.
The SPCU North East Championship could mathematically have gone to Freuchie or Gordonians, but a Covid outbreak has seen the Falkland versus Dundee High match cancelled, and Falkland therefore win the league and will face Gala of the ESCA Championship in the play off for entry to the Eastern Premier League next weekend. Gordonians go to Strathmore safe in at least 3rd place in the league. They are without Aman Arora and a few of their players will be looking to put in good performances to challenge for the individual SPCU awards. Aberdeenshire will be well fancied at Mannofield against Kinloch who ran Huntly very close last weekend. 2nd Stoneywood Dyce are at home to Huntly needing 4 points to stay off the foot of the table. Freuchie would be expected to beat Arbroath and retain their current runners up position, and finally, Perth host 2nd Forfarshire in what could be the closest encounter of the final round of fixtures.
All Eastern Premier League eyes will be on the result at Meigle as they battle it out with visitors Stewarts Melville to avoid the relegation spot. Stoneywood Dyce are in Edinburgh again to play 2nd place Carlton. Champions Heriots will want to finish off with a victory against City rivals Grange, Arbroath welcome RH Corstorphine and Forfarshire should be too good for Watsonians.