The opening weekend of the new Grades cricket season saw Cults, Ellon and Mannofield recording Grade 1 victories, as last year’s champions Bon Accord were held to a nail-biting draw by Stonehaven.  There was also an opening weekend’s victory for Grade newcomers Knightriders.

For Cults Graeme Gillanders made a welcome return to the colours, top-scoring with an undefeated 66 as the Allan Park side recorded a comfortable win over promoted Queens Cross, while a century from skipper Andy Win and three wickets for Fazal Awan were just insufficient to see the Bons to victory at Mineralwell Park.

A high-scoring encounter at the Gordon Park saw the home side knock off a total of over 200 to beat Inverurie; while Mannofield recovered from a shaky start to beat Banchory at the Links, and Grammar FPs gained an encouraging draw at home to Kintore.

In Grade 2 Caledonian overwhelmed promoted Crescent in the quickest result of the day, while Gordonians showed signs of perhaps better things to come against Methlick, and St Ronald hung on to beat a strong Cults Artisans outfit.

In Grade 3 Gordonians made it two wins out of two for the day as they comfortably beat traditional rivals 2^nd Grammar, while 2^nd St Ronald emulated their Firsts with a daw against Ellon at Sheddocksley.  Stuart Kennedy recorded the day’s highest score (140) in Methlick’s defeat of 2^nd Queens Cross.

In Grade 4, as well as Knightriders win over 2^nd Dunecht there were opening weekend wins for Stoneywood-Dyce over Huntly’s Development XI, and for Portcullis away to Kemnay at Bogbeath Park.  School commitments meant 2^nd Mannofield were unable to fulfil their game against Turriff.