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PreviewWith the majority of league issues in the Grades now decided, attention this weekend will focus on the Finals of the Turriff Cup and of the Aberdeenshire Cup. Saturday's finals day in the Twenty20 competition at the Duthie Park sees holders Mannofield take on Cults, while in the other semi-final St Ronald will play Small Club Cup winners Ellon. Elsewhere Crathie take on Academy in the one remaining Grade 2 fixture, which could see the home side pip Queens Cross for the second promotion spot to Grade 1, while Academy need 3 points to secure their Grade 2 status for a further years and relegate Fraserburgh to Grade 3. Sunday's Aberdeenshire Cup final at Mannofield sees Bon Accord aiming to repeat last season's league-cup double against relegated Gordonians, while Cults and Banchory will make a fifth attempt to decide their outstanding Grade 1 fixture at the Burnett Park. Following last weekend's results however Banchory are already relegated, while Cults have two games in which to secure runners-up spot ahead of Ellon.
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The final full week of the 2011 season see Bon Accord probably just needing to secure a draw against Mannofield, their co-tenants at the Links, to secure the Grade 1 title for a further year; while Cults will hope to consolidate their grip on second place following games against Stonehaven and Kintore. At the foot Gordonians now look to be down; but Banchory could improve their chances of survival if they are able to beat a St Ronald side, who might be struggling to put out a full-strength side. St Ronald's second eleven meanwhile could join their seniors in Grade 1 if they beat Crathie on Saturday, and champions-elect Inverurie defeat Queens Cross/Stoneywood-Dyce. Fraserburgh may drop to Grade 3 if they lose to Caledonian, depending on the outcome of Academy's final game at Crathie, which had to be postponed earlier in the season due to pitch unavailability, and now goes ahead in a week's time. At the top of Grade 3 Knightriders will go up as champions if they can beat Stoneywood-Dyce, while 2nd Grammar could also make the step up if they beat 2nd Ellon, who are in a 4-way tussle with Banchory, Crescent and Dunecht to avoid the drop to Grade 4, the final outcome of which may not now be known until Banchory play Ellon on September 10th. 2nd Knightriders will complete a league and cup double if they overcome Turriff at Sheddocksley in a re-scheduled league game which could also see the Haughs side edge out Huntly for the third promotion spot.
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As the rain-ravaged Grades cricket season of 2011 drags itself wearily to a conclusion champions-designate Bon Accord should confirm their grip on the Grade 1 title for a further year when they take on second-placed Cults at the Links on Saturday, even though the visitors still have 4 games to play. Banchory and Cults have been particularly affected by the weather this year, their first and only meeting of the season now having slipped back into September following the premature end to last Sunday's first attempt to reach a conclusion. That non-result leaves Banchory perilously poised to avoid relegation for both their teams, and facing a critical game for their Grade 1 future when, weather permitting, they take on Mannofield at the Burnett Park. Gordonians, despite having won through to the Aberdeenshire Cup Final, now scheduled for September 5th, also could find that their return to Grade 1 has been a short one, as they play their final home game against Ellon. In Grade 2 with Inverurie having already effectively secured the championship, and Methlick having a free day, Queens Cross will look to strengthen their chances of taking second spot, assuming they can get through their game at Harlaw; while Caledonian will surely doom Academy to relegation at the Duthie Park, despite Fraserburgh having to face 2nd St Ronald. In Grade 3 victory for Knightriders over 2nd Banchory would virtually assure them of a second successive promotion, while Stoneywood-Dyce could also strengthen their chances of a second promotion if they beat 2nd Gordonians, now probably safe in Grade 3 for a further year following their walkover against Banchory last Sunday. Crescent, Dunecht and 2nd Ellon will continue to fight it out with Banchory to avoid dropping into the bottom tier. In Grade 4, league action is temporarily suspended, with the two form sides of the season, Kemnay and 2nd Knightriders meeting in the final of the Johnston Rose Bowl, won by 1st Knightriders last year. Either of the finalists could still complete a league-cup double, though 2nd Knightriders will be favourites to overhaul the Bogbeath Park outfit when they play their outstanding league fixture against Turriff next weekend.
On Sunday the conclusion of the G2 Bon Accord Cup will be fought out between Queens Cross/Stoneywood-Dyce and Cults-Artisans at Methlick 175 reads
With the Grades programme for this weekend featuring a set of league fixtures the reverse of which have already been washed out, as well as the first of the season's cup finals, everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed for a full programme on both Saturday and Sunday to prevent the season having to be extended into September. At the top of Grade 1, current leaders and last year's champions Bon Accord take on third-placed Stonehaven, while Cults who have moved ahead of the Mineralwell Park side into second place have games against Kintore and Banchory, the latter of whom themselves need a win over Grammar FPs on Saturday to hoist themselves out of the relegation zone. In Grade 2 Inverurie should have no difficulties in beating Academy, but Methlick and Queens Cross are currently separated only by average runs per wicket in the race for the second promotion spot. Fraserburgh have meantime slipped below Academy in the race to avoid relegation. With 2nd Grammar having dropped points during the holiday season, Knightriders and Stoneywood currently occupy the two promotion spots in Grade 3, with Knightriders able to claim a second successive league-cup double if they beat 2nd Methlick in Sunday's Reid Cup final at Inverurie, following the teams' league fixture on Saturday. Crescent and 2nd Ellon at present occupy the two bottom spots, but that could change if 2nd Gordonians lose to Crescent on Saturday, or 2nd Ellon can beat 2nd Banchory. The final round of games in Grade 4 sees 2nd Knightriders hoping to claim the first leg of a league-cup double at home to third-placed Huntly, while Kemnay will claim the second promotion spot if they beat 3rd Gordonians at Bogbeath Park. If Knightriders defeat Huntly then Turriff, also playing at Sheddocksley, could also claim promotion if they beat 2nd Mannofield. In addition to the Reid Cup Final, Sunday sees a number of re-arranged league fixtures from the card washed out on July 9th, and also the first of the remaining two quarter-finals in the Turriff Cup Twenty20, as Bon Accord take on St Ronald in a game washed out last weekend.
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Although four rounds of games still remain, the destination of at least three of this season's league titles in the Aberdeenshire Grades look already to have been determined. In Grade 1, Stonehaven's loss of form over the last month has left Bon Accord with a healthy lead at the top of Grade 1; and a further maximum points haul is anticipated for the Links-based side against Banchory on Saturday. Stonehaven meantime will hope to hold onto second place at home to a Kintore side who have struggled to hit the heights this season; while Gordonians and Grammar FPs face each other at Countesswells in a match which is vital if either are to avoid relegation. In Grade 2 leaders Inverurie could virtually ensure themselves of the title if they can dispose of Caledonian; while in the race for second spot Queens Cross take on Cults-Artisans in a preview of the Bon Accord Cup Final in a game switched to Sheddocksley; while Methlick will hope to keep their own challenge for promotion to the top league on course away to Crathie. Fraserburgh and Academy meet at the bottom of the table. In Grade 3 Knightriders remain on course for a second successive promotion away to 2nd Gordonians, while 2nd Grammar and Stoneywood-Dyce could strengthen their chances of also going up if they can beat Crescent and Dunecht respectively. Kemnay, despite their surprise loss to Portcullis last weekend, should have enough power to beat 2nd Mannofield in Grade 4, while 2nd Knightriders and Turriff will be expected to remain in the other two promotion spots, away to 2nd Kintore and Portcullis respectively. Sunday sees the remaining quarter-finals of the Turriff Cup, to establish who goes thorough with Cults to the finals day at the start of September; with a slight question mark over whether the Ellon Banchory game will be moved to make way for Banchory's outstanding league 1 game versus Cults, a date for which is still proving a matter of dispute between the two clubs, as neither currently wishes to field two teams on a Sunday.
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As the Grades cricket season moves into its final phase, last week's results mean that current title holder Bon Accord remains strong favourites to retain their Grade 1 title for a further season, as well as competing for a league-cup double. Although not having a 100 per cent record, the Bons have done more than enough to keep ahead of the other competing sides, most of whom dropped points last weekend; and should prove too strong for Kintore at Castle Road on Saturday, as well as being fancied to beat Grammar FPs in their Cup semi-final on Sunday. Stonehaven, Cults and Ellon will hope to keep their outside chances in the league open as they take on Gordonians, Mannofield and Banchory respectively. At the top of Grade 2 Inverurie have opened a healthy advantage, and could place one hand firmly on the league title if they win at home to Crathie; while Cults-Artisans will battle it out with Caledonian at the Allan Park, and 2nd St Ronald will be fancied to get the better of Academy. Methlick meantime could move into the second promotion spot if they beat Fraserburgh. In Grade 3 top takes on bottom as Knightriders entertain 2nd Ellon, while Dunecht will hope to go one better than last week's draw when they entertain 2nd Gordonians; and Stoneywood-Dyce could remain in contention for promotion if they beat 2nd Banchory. 2nd Knightriders, Kemnay and Turriff meantime occupy the three promotion spots in Grade 4 and all will be fancied to take full points on Saturday. Sunday's cup semi-final programme sees St Ronald take on Gordonians, and Bon Accord play Grammar FPs in the semi-finals of the Aberdeenshire cup, while Crathie play Cults-Artisans and Academy meet Queens Cross-Stoneywood-Dyce in the semi-finals of the Bon Accord Cup. Ellon Gordon travel to Glasgow to play Victoria in the final of this year's Small Clubs Cup. 169 reads
Given the number of games already void, or having now to be re-scheduled, everyone will be hoping that a full programme of Grades cricket will be possible at the weekend, although pitches are expected still to be damp following the recent monsoon conditions. In Grade 1 Stonehaven, who have slipped back from their all-conquering form of the first two months of the season, will be hoping not to fall back further as they take on St Ronald at Mineralwell Park, while leaders & current champions Bon Accord have a re-run of their recent Turriff Cup game against Gordonians at the Links, now again available for cricketing purposes. Cults, whose ground almost certainly would have been unplayable, are fortunately away to Ellon and also without a game at Grade 2 level as they would have been due to play Anchorians, who withdrew at the start of the season. Despite dropping points a fortnight ago Inverurie should prove too strong away to Fraserburgh at the East Links, while Queens Cross will maintain contact with the leaders if they beat Academy in a game switched to Kellands Park. Knightriders take on 2nd Grammar in the game of the day in Grade 3, while in Grade 4 Kemnay clash with Turriff at the Haughs. Sunday sees the start of the cup semi-final season with 2nd Methlick playing Dunecht, and Knightriders taking on 2nd Gordonians in the Reid Cup; while Ellon make another attempt to play their Small Clubs Cup semi-final against Dollar. St Ronald play Gordonians in their re-arranged Grade 1 game at Countesswells, ahead of the two sides meeting in the semi-final of the Aberdeenshire Cup next weekend. Cults will play Huntly mid-week in the first of the quarter finals of the Turriff Cup Twenty20.
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Weather permitting - a big "if" this season - a further attempt to decide the two outstanding Aberdeenshire Cup Quarter finals will be made this Sunday, with Gordonians taking on Kintore at Countesswells with the winners due to face St Ronald, while Mannofield make a third attempt to complete their fixture against Bon Accord at the County Ground for the right to play Grammar FPs in the other semi-final at the end of the month. In Saturday's league programme meanwhile Bon Accord face St Ronald at Kings, while Stonehaven face Mannofield in a game relocated to the Duthie Park as tidying up works continue at the Links; and Cults should strengthen their position at home to Grammar FPs. Kintore could face a stern test at home to Ellon. 2nd Grammar face traditional rivals 2nd Gordonians at the top of Grade 3, where Knightriders are expected to prove too strong for 2nd Stonehaven in a repeat of the opening weekend of the season; while at the top of Grade 4 Kemnay clash with 2nd Knightriders in a preview of next month's Johnston Cup Final. 202 reads
Limited pitch availability on Sunday means that only one of last weekend's washed out cup games will be able to go ahead at the weekend, the Race for Life at the Links having now been scheduled to run on into the mid-afternoon, and therefore knocking out the prospect of play between Mannofield and Bon Accord, now provisionally pencilled in for Sunday 10th. Grammar FPs meanwhile will make a second attempt to decide their quarter final at Sheddocksley home to Stonehaven, while Gordonians face Ellon in the Small Clubs Cup.
The backlog of local and national competitions means that the quarter finals of the Turriff Cup Twenty20 will also now be put back, with 7 August having been identified as the default reserve date, though Bon Accord and Ellon will try to decide their much delayed first round game at the Links on Wednesday night with a 6pm start. Meantime the league season embarks on its second half with leaders Stonehaven looking to maintain their 100 per cent record away to Banchory, while Bon Accord face a tricky home game against Ellon, and Cults travel to face Gordonians at Countesswells. read more 288 reads
With the last two weekends having been completely washed out in Grade 1, everyone will be hoping that the weather relents sufficiently to allow a full programme of league and cup games to be completed at the weekend. The weekend's programme sees Stonehaven away to Grammar FPs both in the league and cup, while Bon Accord face two tough games, away to Cults in the league on Saturday, and against Mannofield in the quarter-finals of the Aberdeenshire Cup on Sunday. Despite some challenges to player eligibility in the previous round, the Association's two survivors, Ellon and Gordonians, also go head to head in the second round of the Small Clubs Cup on Sunday, following Saturday's league encounter. This means that Gordonians' Aberdeenshire Cup game v Kintore has been postponed by a week, as has been long-standing practice for fixtures involving a club's senior grade side where a club is committed to a fixture in a nationally-scheduled competition in which teams from Grade clubs are eligible to participate. In Grade 2 leaders Inverurie have home advantage against Cults-Artisans while Crathie entertain Queens Cross, and 2nd St Ronald travel to Fraserburgh; while in Grade 3 the leaders Knightriders are away to 2nd Banchory.
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Weather permitting this weekend should see a resolution to most of the outstanding league issues in the Aberdeenshire Grades, with the final full Grade 1 to 3 programme on Saturday being followed by a number of re-arranged fixtures on Sunday. At the top of Grade 1 Bon Accord have effectively already secured the title, irrespective of the outcome of their final two games against Stonehaven, on Saturday, and Inverurie, next month; while at the foot it will again be the two promoted clubs – Gordonians and St Ronald – who drop back into Grade 2. At the top of that league meanwhile it seems fairly certain that Grammar FPs will go up as champions; but any one of Queens Cross, Methlick or 2nd Cults could go up with them, depending on the results of their last two games. Artisans meanwhile look favourites to go down with 2nd Kintore. Saturday’s games between Grammar and Methlick, and Queens Cross & Caledonian will therefore be crucial. In Grade 3 it looks like Anchorians and 2nd Gordonians to claim the two promotion spots, with Crescent meantime in third spot; while at the foot it looks like Kemnay to go down with either Dunecht or Turriff. 2nd St Ronald could snatch the league 4 title, and secure a league-cup double, if they win their outstanding game versus 2nd Grammar, who themselves headed the table for much of the season, although 2nd Queens Cross, the current league leaders who have finished their programme, probably have done enough still to go up, even if only in second spot. read more 401 reads
As the grades cricket season enters its final two months, speculation is mounting as to whether Bon Accord will go through the league season with an unblemished record, and make a clean sweep of all the trophies for which they are eligible. Their victory over closest rivals Cults in last weekend’s only scheduled game between the two sides in the league – play having been washed out on the opening day of the season – means that they now have a healthy 20 point percentage lead at the top of Grade 1; and they are unlikely to be troubled this weekend by Gordonians, whom they have already defeated in both the Small Clubs and Turriff cups as well as the league this season. Cults meanwhile face a potentially tricky trip to play Stonehaven at Mineralwell Park; while Ellon, who have moved above Cults into second place meantime, host Mannofield at the Gordon Park. Inverurie travel to Banchory, while bottom side St Ronald take on Kintore, who are surely due a run of good results after an indifferent run of league form earlier in the season. At the top of Grade 2 leaders Grammar FPs should prove too strong for a struggling Artisans side; while a close encounter is anticipated between second-placed Crathie and third placed Queens Cross. Methlick and 2nd Banchory will look to maintain contact with the leaders away to 2nd Cults and 2nd Kintore respectively. read more 523 reads
One consequence, though doubtless unintended, of the weather disrupted start to the current Grades season has been an effective extension of the six-game window within which players can, with Management Committee approval, move between clubs. This practice seems to have increased markedly over the past two seasons, with one Grade 4 side alone already having lost four players this week and now beginning to express concern at its ability to complete the season. Saturday’s Grade 1 programme meanwhile sees top sides Bon Accord, Cults and Kintore all looking favourites to take full points off lower-placed opposition; while St Ronald will hope to kick start their season away to Inverurie. In Grade 2 Crathie face the lengthy journey to Methlick, while at the opposite end of the spectrum Grammar FPs travel the 100 yards to face near neighbours Queens Cross, and Fraserburgh entertain Artisans. 2nd Gordonians’ game in Grade 3 is re-located from Countesswells to Sheddocksley, because of the School sports, with 2nd St Ronald taking on Stoneywood-Dyce in Grade 4 at the same venue; while the second strings of Queens Cross and Grammar cross with their first teams to play at Rubislaw. Sunday sees the opening round of the Turriff Cup with Cults facing Kintore in the tie of the round, while holders Mannofield have a bye, and Bon Accord travel to Banchory. 307 reads
One consequence, though doubtless unintended, of the weather disrupted start to the current Grades season has been an effective extension of the six-game window within which players can, with Management Committee approval, move between clubs. This practice seems to have increased markedly over the past two seasons, with one Grade 4 side alone already having lost four players this week and now beginning to express concern at its ability to complete the season. Saturday’s Grade 1 programme meanwhile sees top sides Bon Accord, Cults and Kintore all looking favourites to take full points off lower-placed opposition; while St Ronald will hope to kick start their season away to Inverurie. In Grade 2 Crathie face the lengthy journey to Methlick, while at the opposite end of the spectrum Grammar FPs travel the 100 yards to face near neighbours Queens Cross, and Fraserburgh entertain Artisans. 2nd Gordonians’ game in Grade 3 is re-located from Countesswells to Sheddocksley, because of the School sports, with 2nd St Ronald taking on Stoneywood-Dyce in Grade 4 at the same venue; while the second strings of Queens Cross and Grammar cross with their first teams to play at Rubislaw. Sunday sees the opening round of the Turriff Cup with Cults facing Kintore in the tie of the round, while holders Mannofield have a bye, and Bon Accord travel to Banchory. read more 454 reads
Cricket in the Aberdeenshire Grades resumes at the weekend, with new sponsors for the leagues and the Umpires Panel in the form of the Cinnamon and the Shahbaaz Tandoori Restaurants respectively. In Grade 1 there is an early clash between two of the top sides as Bon Accord take on Cults at the Links; while last season's Grade 2 champions Ritson Smith Gordonians start their Grade 1 career away to Ellon. Inverurie have a home local derby against Kintore, while St Ronald who led Grade 2 for almost the whole of last season before being pipped at the post on the final day start with an away trip to Stonehaven. Mannofield play a re-shaped Banchory side in the day's remaining top flight game. In Grade 2 last season's two relegated sides, Caledonian and 2nd Cults, meet at the Allan Park; while of the sides to step up from Grade 3 2nd Banchory play Artisans at the Duthie Park, Methlick take on Queens Cross at Lairds in a game between two of the sides fancied to make a challenge for promotion during the season, whilst 2nd Kintore take on Crathie on a rescheduled match on Sunday 26th. In Grade 3 promoted 2nd Gordonians entertain 2nd Ellon at Countesswells; while relegated Academy and Kemnay will hope for a recovery of form against Crescent and promoted 2nd Stonehaven respectively. read more 705 reads
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