The Grades cricket season enters its final month at the weekend, with attention focussing on the outcome of the various knockout competitions as well as the outstanding league, promotion and relegation issues.
As regards the former Gordonians start a sequence of three weekends in which they could make a clean sweep of the junior cups, while their higher-placed league opponents, Knightriders, 2nd St Ronald and Cults-artisans will look to complete league and cup doubles – or in the case of Cults a promotion and cup double.
Sunday’s Johnston Cup Final is at Inverurie, as is the Bon Accord Final a week later, with the intervening Reid Cup final between 2nd Gordonians and 2nd St Ronald at Methlick.
Also on Sunday Bon Accord and Mannofield will make a further attempt to complete their Aberdeenshire Cup semi-final for the right to play Ellon Gordon on 29th August with Banchory carded to play a Turriff Cup Quarter-Final.
In Saturday’s league programme meanwhile, Bon Accord get an early preview of what could be the Cup Final when they take on Ellon at Gordon Park, while their co-tenants at the Links, Mannofield could face a tough challenge against Cults Cosalt. Queens Cross and Grammar FPs meet at Harlaw in a game which could effectively seal the relegation of the former; but might give Grammar FPs renewed hope of avoiding the drop if Inverurie’s recent drop in form continues away to Stonehaven.
In Grade 2 St Ronald will want to bounce back to winning form against Fraserburgh, while Anchorians and Cult-Artisans will continue to battle out for second spot at the Allan Park. Gordonians could push Crathie closer to the drop at Countesswells.
In Grade 3 2nd St Ronald already looked nailed on for the title, and Academy will fancy beating 2nd Kintore to consolidate their hold on second spot; while in Grade 4 the in form book favours wins for Stoneywood-Dyce, Portcullis, Kemnay and Knightriders all of whom face opposition from the lower part of the table. Turriff have a blank day ahead of the Annual Horse Show.
The Grade Select play in the final of mPower Three Counties Cup on Monday evening at Forfar.
wytbu8 Jul 29 2010 - 6:25pm
