Grades Results 2nd/3rd August 2008

With the games involving Cults and Bon Accord both off due to waterlogged pitches, there was little major movement in Grade 1 at the weekend, though Kintore beat Ellon to improve their percentage in second place.  At the foot meanwhile, 2^nd Cults went down to Banchory in one of the day’s three ten wicket defeats; while Caledonian despite an improved performance fell 5 runs short of beating an Inverurie team, whose recent form looks to have secured their Grade 1 status for a further season.

At the top of Grade 2 Gordonians were the main beneficiaries, since although they could only draw against Artisans, despite Barry Watt carrying his bat for an undefeated century, the two clubs ahead of them, St Ronald and Grammar FPs, both lost, the league leaders taking just five points from their game against Methlick.  Meanwhile Kemnay also recorded a comfortable victory over Academy, in a game which may not see the home team avoid relegation but dragged the Duthie Park-based visitors closer to the danger line themselves.

In Grade 3 Turriff and 2^nd Banchory both won, but 2^nd Kintore’s game at Ellon was another of those to fall victim to the weather; while at the foot there was a rare victory for 2^nd Grammar, beating a Dunecht side still struggling to field a consistent team, while Stoneywood-Dyce and 2^nd Methlick also lost.  An innings of 69 from Mike Shearer saw Crescent beat Anchorians at the Duthie Park.

In Grade 4 2^nd Stonehaven gained the small number of points they needed to secure the league title with a week in hand; and will now look forward to trying to complete the double when they play Portcullis in the cup final in a fortnight’s time.