SNCL Mid-season Review

THE season has reached its halfway point and, as the mercury rises going into high summer, so the premier division title race is hotting up nicely.

Aberdeenshire have taken many by surprise, but few can argue that they are anything other than worthy leaders going into the second half of the campaign.

Having lost to Greaves Clydesdale on the opening day of the season, the Mannofield men have put together an impressive run of eight wins on the trot, often emerging from unpromising positions to leave opponents feeling mugged.

The question many are asking is whether Aberdeenshire can go on and become the third team to win the title the season after gaining promotion.

That feat was, of course, achieved by Greenock in 2002 when Neil MacRae, now Aberdeenshire's player-coach, topped the batting averages for the Glenpark side.

It was also achieved by Clydesdale, who, having come second in Division 1 in 2003, won the Premier League for the next two years.

However, if the rest of us are eagerly assessing the Dons' prospects, MacRae steadfastly refuses to get carried away.

"We are honestly not even thinking about the title," said the former Scotland batsman.

"Things could hardly have gone any better but we still feel we are finding our way in the top division.

"We are learning with every game and trying to improve each time we go onto the park.

"The most pleasing thing is that we have developed a never-say-die attitude and that has got us out of some tricky situations.

"But we are only halfway through the season so it is far too early to start thinking about where we will be at the end of August."

If Aberdeenshire are the success story of the season to date, their fortunes are in stark contrast to those of Greenock, whose slump has been alarming.

The Glenpark side were always likely to suffer more than most from early season call-offs, but even the regular absence of Craig Wright, Cameron Borgas, Dewald Nel, Richie Berrington, Moneeb Iqbal and Sean Weeraratna can scarcely account for a depressing return of one win from eight matches.

Even some Greenock supporters admit that their single victory against Ayr was anything but convincing and - almost unthinkably - they may yet find themselves in a dogfight with the Cambusdoon club to avoid automatic relegation.

Elsewhere, Grange remain nicely placed to launch a sustained defence of their title while Carlton will need to improve on a record of four wins, three defeats and one tie if they are to convert potential into achievement.

West of Scotland can be satisfied with their work to date, as can the Scotland U19s, who visit Hamilton Crescent for the final match of their campaign on Sunday.

Clydesdale, Uddingston, Heriot's and Watsonians already look as if they may be vying for the mid-table positions.

MEANWHILE Stirling, Dunfermline and Forfarshire look poised for a fascinating promotion battle in division one.

In New Williamfield, Stirling have a facility worthy of the top flight and, if they can maintain the teamwork which has carried them to the summit of the table, top flight action can be theirs.

Stirling, though, can expect a tough challenge from a Dunfermline side who, in South African Alistair Gray, have the leading batsman in the division - 472 runs at 157.

Another leading batsman - Ryan Watson - boasts the most centuries in SNCL history, his 140* against Arbroath taking him beyond the legendary Sajid Ali's haul of sixteen.

Watson's runs will surely be vital to Forfarshire's promotion push, whereas at the other end of the table Ferguslie may need more than the contribution of their prolific Indian Pravanjan Mullick if they are to avoid back-to-back relegations.

FALKLAND are surprise pacesetters in division two but have been so impressive in the opening half of the season that few would bet against Ryan Hepburn's side finally emerging from the shadow of near-neighbours Freuchie, who show no signs of bouncing straight back following last season's relegation.

Hepburn, whose side will be pushed by Corstorphine and Edinburgh, declared: "Things have gone better than any of us could have hoped and we certainly never expected to be sitting where we are.

"But now that we are top we want to keep things going."

Prestwick and SMRH must look up with envy as they contemplate their own battle for SNCL survival.

But then again, depending on the outcome of the club meeting of July 13 on Cricket Scotland's proposal for league reconstruction, there may no longer be an SNCL in which to survive.
 

Contribution from Cricket Media Scotland