An undefeated knock from prolific opener Fazal Awan, backed up by 72 from skipper Andy Win , saw Bon Accord place one hand firmly on the Grade 1 title for a further year, as they ran out 100-run winners against Cults at the Allan Park. Facing a total of 277 for three, Cults were never really in the hunt, and despite 87 from Sreedith Devadas, and 21 from Kaoil Laghate, fell well short of the target required.

At the other end of the table meanwhile, Grammar FPs improved their chances of Grade 1 survival and pushed Inverurie closer to the drop with John Lord scoring 65 and John Eagles taking four wickets at Kellands Park, while Ellon’s run of form was brought to an end against Banchory, as Sajid Hasan and David Itter again combined to steer the Burnett Park side home despite a knock of 32 and five wickets for Jonathan Barrett.

At the top of Grade 2 St Ronald comfortably overcame a struggling Crathie side; but Anchorians’ recent run of form came to a dramatic end as they were dismissed for just 31 by Methlick, S. Murphy returning seven wickets for 17; while both Corry Bowie and Mark Oldham finished undefeated as Fraserburgh ran out nine-wicket winners over 2nd Banchory.

In Grade 3 2nd St Ronald eased passed Dunecht, with K Imran once again leading the way with the bat, while Academy were held to a draw by 2nd Grammar at Rubislaw.  A draw was also the result recorded at Kintore, where the home side playing a second team fixture despite the fact that their first team game had been postponed fell 6 runs short of victory against 2nd Methlick, anchored by an undefeated innings from Andy Stalker; while at Ellon there was a win for the home side, despite a century from 2nd Gordonians’ Shahram Memon.

Thundery showers to the north and west of Aberdeen arrived too late to help Gordonians, all three of whose Grade sides all went down to defeat, the Grade 2 and 3 sides failing to compile 100 runs between them; as in Grade 1 Cults continued their move up the table, Javaid Masud ripping the heart out of the FPs’ batting while bottom-placed Kintore clung on to gain a draw against leaders Bon Accord despite the visitors’ 42-over declaration.

Elsewhere in Grade 1 Ellon continued their sound start to the season, as Mannofield slipped back further following defeat at the Links; while a half-century and four wicket haul from skipper Sajid Hasan steered Banchory to a morale-boosting win over Stonehaven at Mineralwell Park.

At the Duthie Park it was a day for quick finishes, 2nd Gordonians’ defeat by Academy in Grade 3 being followed within the hour by Grade 2 leaders Cults-Artisans going down to a surprisingly comfortable defeat by home side Caledonian for whom H Saraswat was once again in good all-round form.  With Methlick’s game one of those voided by the rain, St Ronald were able to move up the table following their victory over Arrowdawn Gordonians at King’s College; while in the day’s only other result Fraserburgh secured a walkover against Crescent.

At the top of Grade 3,  2nd St Ronald continued their winning form away to their rivals of last season 2nd Queens Cross at Harlaw; while in Grade 4 an undefeated half-century and three wickets from 14-year old Rahul Chandu saw Kemnay to victory over the youngsters of Huntly Highlanders; and another solid all-round performance from Portcullis skipper K. Nair saw the town side to an eight-wicket win over 2nd Mannofield; while P. Bijl took eight for 14 as Turriff crushed 2nd Dunecht at the Haughs, N. Smith and A. Mirashi each recording half-centuries for the home side in their total of 238 for six.

For almost certainly the first time in its existence the Turriff Cup Final was completed before the end of August, as Mannofield beat Kintore at the Duthie Park to retain the trophy they previously won in the deferred 2007 final played at the start of this season.

R van Oorschot was adjudged the Man of the Match for wrapping up the tail of the Kintore innings by the umpires who, as throughout the past season, were funded by the proprietor of the Tillydrone Kebab House.

Elsewhere, 2nd Banchory beat Turriff to take the runners-up slot and go up with 2nd Kintore who take the Grade 3 champions title, while at the foot 2nd Grammar FPs beat Stoneywood-Dyce in a game, which nevertheless looks to have condemned both sides to Grade 4 next year.

The latest heat wave to hit Aberdeen brought forth a spate of draws in the lower grades on a day which saw Inverurie inflict a surprise defeat on local rivals Kintore at the Castle Park, and Bon Accord make up ground following another century from the prolific bat of Fazal Awan.

His was one of three undefeated centuries to be recorded in Grade 1 with Tim Donald and Wajahat Ali putting Caledonian’s attack to the sword at Burnett Park, while Cults skipper Amol Saxena turned in another fine all round performance in his side’s defeat of Ellon to remain on course for retaining their league title.  Elsewhere Mannofield beat 2nd Cults to enhance their chances of again surviving in the top flight along with Inverurie at the expense of the Allan Park’s Second Eleven.

Defeats for Bon Accord and Stonehaven were the main surprises of the latest round of games in Thistle Sports Grade 1, on a day when a dammp pitch at Kellands Park led to the voiding of Cults' game versus Inverurie.

At the Links Bon Accord were dismissed for just 117 by Ellon, Henry Woolridge-Gordon proving the match-winner with a haul of four wickets followed by an undefeated half-century as the Bons' run machine for once failed to click; while at Allan Park Stonehaven's lingering chances of winning the title almost certainly disappeared, as 2nd Cults gained vital points in their attempt to retain their top flight status at the expense of Inverurie and Mannofield, the latter of whom fell just short of overhauling Banchory in a high-scoring draw at Burnett Park follwing a century knock for the home side by Phil Potter.

The weekend's monsoon rains held off long enough for another full programme of league games to be completed in the Thistle Sports Grades, on a day which saw no fewer than five centuries being logged in the lower divisions.

Two of these came at Countesswells with Aditya Barthakur and Tariq Butt each reaching the magic milestone, as promotion-chasing Gordonians ran up 296 for three off 40 overs but were still unable to force victory against Fraserburgh; while the day's other centurions were Charles Woolridge-Gordon for 2nd Ellon, Jeremy Skedge of Crescent, and Stuart Davidson of 2nd Kintore, the last-named still finishing on the losing side as Chris Forbes of Anchorians fell one short of being the day's sixth centurion in a high-scoring game in the Duthie Park.

Wins for Stonehaven, Bon Accord and Kintore mean that current title holders, Cults, are for the meantime condemned to playing catch up in Grade 1 for once.

With a century from Jonathan Barrett also leading Ellon to victory over Banchory, this season's Grade 1 looks like being one of the most closely contested for a few seasons; while Mannofield gained valuable points ahead of Caledonian, 2nd Cults and Inverurie in the lower reaches of the table.

Fazal Awan was once again Bon Accord's match-winner in the clash at the Allan Park, top-scoring with 78 and taking four wickets as the visitors rattled up 238 for six before bowling their arch-rivals out for 161.

A dramatic day in the Thistle Sports grades saw Cults and Bon Accord both lose their previously unbeaten records at the top of Grade 1, while Caledonian bounced back from their recent woes to tie with Banchory, 2nd Cults recorded their first victory at Grade 1 level, and in Grade 4 there was an undefeated double century.

For 1st Cults only Steve Morrison recorded a significant contribution with the bat as Jonathan Barrett with four wickets and Scott White with three, following on his joint top score of 36, combined to dismiss the current chmpions at the Gordon Park.

NPOWER NATIONAL VILLAGES TROPHY - SCOTTISH REGION 3rd ROUND

Kintore 107-8 (D. Anderson 30, A.Stalker 25; S. Gourlay 3-28, K. Hutcheon 2-16). Freuchie 108-2 (R. Birrell 49no).

ABERDEENSHIRE CUP - PRELIMINARY ROUND

Culter Curry Bon Accord 267-9 (F. Awan 80, Shaffiq 28; A. Starling 3-82, Moinelq 4-57). Banchory 207-9 (P. Potter 73, W. Ali 60; Shaffiq 2-15).
2nd Cults 176 (E. Spearman 60, E. Lee 40; S. Middleton 4-47, R. Greenfield 2-25). Ellon Gordon 177-5 (C. Watson 66no, L. Borstlap 41; Raul 2-46).

BON ACCORD CUP - PRELIMINARY ROUND

In all three players recorded centuries - South African D van der Vrley helping to improve Mannofield's position in the lower half of Grade 1, despite their being unable to close out victory against Banchory; while B Webb scored an undefeated 102 for Methlick in their victory over Kemnay, and Chris Forbes scored 107 and took three wickets against Turriff, but still finished up on the losing side.