Aberdeenshire will take on ESCA Championship winners Edinburgh South in a play off for entry to the Eastern Premier League at the expense of Watsonian who have become detached at the foot of the league with only one round of EPL games left. Aberdeenshire will travel to Dalnacraig on Saturday with the result of their game against Dundee High being more relevant to the hosts who could still drop into the relegation places if results don’t go their way, but Shire will want to keep up their winning momentum for the play off match on 7th September.
Jack Nixon was at Huntly last Saturday as Aberdeenshire secured the SPCU North East Championship title.
Sunshine, Cricket and Chocolate Cake by Jack Nixon
Brian Johnston, the late, legendary BBC cricket commentator would have just loved the occasion on which a league title was won on a beautiful summers day on one of the most attractive grounds in Scottish cricket.
But most of all, the former presenter of Test Match Special would have appreciated the fine tradition of a cricket tea, still provided in the North East game, especially when home made chocolate cake was on the menu. He would also have been impressed by the fact of Huntly Cricket Club’s caterer was not only a leading member of the junior section of the Castle Park set up but only 12 years of age, though demonstrating the confidence of any London West End chef, as he expertly sliced chocolate cake portions which Johnston would have certainly approved of.
Grant Myron-Petrie, one of three cricketing brothers at Castle Park may not yet be a teenager, or still to break into the club’s first team, but if his cricketing skills match his culinary ones, the youngster will have to decide whether he is to be a cricketer, or a chef in later years. He may indeed have another string to his bow, as during the match with league winners Aberdeenshire, he was seen to be flicking a football around with no little skill, but all the while keeping an anxious eye on the progress of his two brothers Lewis and Michael were making in the vital Strathmore and Perthshire Union game.
In the event, it was a very focused Aberdeenshire side who under the shrewd captaincy of David Gamblen recovered from being reduced to five wickets down for a mere 19 runs to post a respectable 151 on a tricky, testing track, mainly due to highly responsible knock of 48 from Lewis Munro.
Munro has clearly benefitted from a winter in Australia, laying claim to being one of the top all rounders in North East cricket.
Should Shire go on to win their play off game against Edinburgh South, he will then go on to grace the Eastern Premiership, the top club league in Scotland.
The home reply was led by Jack Mitchell who has effectively turned the Castle Park side into a highly competitive unit since coming back from Stoneywood-Dyce. His classy knock of 37 was, however, not enough to see his side home, as Gamblen kept the pressure on the hosts who fell 24 runs short, enabling the Mannofield men to claim their first league title in years.
Stuart Grant, the Shire president was able to relax, even smile after what has been a very successful season in which they have lost only one game, which was to derby rivals and SPCU runners up, Stoneywood-Dyce at Peoples Park.
The fact of two Aberdeen teams, finishing first and second in the league is an encouraging sign that cricket in the region is hopefully on its way back to former glories, including Shire’s league and cup double in 2009.
In the meantime, we shall watch the progress 12 year old Grant makes at Castle Park.