SNCL Premier Division Week 10 preview

CLYDESDALE v ABERDEENSHIRE
Clydesdale remain the only side to have beaten league leaders Aberdeenshire but Colin Mitchell, their manager, has warned it will not be easy to repeat the achievement. Aberdeenshire are up there on merit and have shown they are a quality side, said Mitchell. We will have to match their commitment and desire if we are going to compete. Meanwhile, Neil MacRae, the Dons player coach, is looking for his side to extend their winning run to nine games and avenge that opening day defeat. MacRae said: The first game against Clydesdale was one we could have easily won but the guys have learned from what went wrong that day and we have put together a good run which we want to keep going. Clydesdale are without Majid Haq, who is on Scotland duty, but the Titwood side were given a boost during the week when wicketkeeper Andy Hislop returned from Loughborough UCCE. Another keeper, Colin Smith, returns for Aberdeenshire but the former Scotland player is unlikely to reclaim the gloves from Scotland U19 star Matthew Cross who has impressed behind the stumps during Smiths absence.
Prediction: Revenge for Dons

CARLTON v GREENOCK
Carlton showed something approaching their true form in beating West of Scotland last week. However, continuity of selection remains a problem for the Grange Loan side who are without Scotland duo Gordon Drummond and Fraser Watts. Their absence places an extra onus on skipper Cedric English and all-rounder Ross Lyons both of whom have been in prime form. Prime form has eluded Greenock all season and they start the second half of the campaign in unfamiliar territory near the foot of the table. Like their hosts, Greenock are without two key performers in Richie Berrington and Moneeb Iqbal.
Prediction: More woe for Greenock

HERIOTs v AYR
In-form Heriots are aiming for their third win on the trot against an Ayr team whose search for an elusive first success goes on. However, the Alloway side came agonisingly close to breaking their duck against Watsonians last week and home skipper Steve Knox is wary of visiting professional Michael Papps. Knox has encountered the former Kiwi international on numerous occasions while wintering in New Zealand and said: Papps stands out as the best player I faced year on year over there. He is a top quality performer and someone we will have to watch. But our own form has been excellent and confidence is high. Ali Farooq replaces Ged Case in the home line-up while Ayr expect to be unchanged.
Prediction: Papps to lead Ayr to shock win.
 

UDDINGSTON v GRANGE
Uddingston are bidding to arrest a mini-decline which has seen them lose their last two games. However, that will be easier said than done against a Grange side who have moved menacingly into second place and who welcome back Scotland all-rounder Gregor Maiden after a two-week absence. Stuart Davidson is also back in contention and will undergo a late fitness test. Allan Wise, the Australian professional, returns after playing for Sussex 2nd XI during the week. Iain Stewart replaces the unavailable Imran Adrees for the home side who will again rely on the in-form professional Tom Plant to provide them with a solid start.
Prediction: Champions to stay in contention

WATSONIANS v McCREA FS WEST
Watsonians hand a top team debut to batsman Ben Fox who is promoted to replace Scotland debutant Ewan Chalmers following back-to-back half-centuries for the second eleven. The Myreside club are also boosted by the return of wicketkeeper Euan Stubbs and batsman Dwayne Batchelor but James Easton misses out with a hamstring injury and George Cairns drops out. West, bidding to avenge their opening day defeat at Hamilton Crescent, will be on the usual lines.
Prediction: Watsons in a close one.

Forfarshire pro Kelby Pickering is confident the absence of master-bat Ryan Watson will not hinder the club's quest to launch the second half of their First Division campaign in positive style.

The Broughty Ferry boys - whose season has been spotted with inconsistency - make the trek to Penicuik without Watson, who is on Scotland duty up at Mannofield.

But Pickering believes they should still have enough talent to continue their sequence of league successes against the south Edinburgh outfit.

He said: "We have been looking pretty strong with the bat and making some excellent totals.

"Of course, we would rather have Ryan in our ranks, however we should be good enough to get the result we want."

Watson's remarkable 140 left Arbroath shellshocked and underlined Shire's intention to launch a late promotion bid from third place.

And Pickering reckons the Penicuik match, coupled with next week's tussle with Stenhousemuir, will go a long way towards the destiny of the team this term.

He added: "If we don't do well in these matches it will make it very hard for us to close the gap on leaders Stirling County and second-place Dunfermline.

County and the Knights have emerged as the joint surprise packages of the season but they face awkward journeys today.

Stirling - boasting a six-in-a-row streak - head for the Granite City to take on Stoneywood-Dyce, who got back on the winning trail against Poloc last time out.

And Dunfermline will start as clear-cut favourites to take care of fallen giants Ferguslie, who prop up the table.

Arbroath have been through a wretched few weeks and they will be determined to kick start their campaign on home turf against Drumpellier.

The Angus lads have a psychological advantage thanks to the memory of beating the same opponents on their own patch on the opening day of the season.

NVT Poloc will try to get back on track against Stenhosemuir at the Tryst who have also had a difficult few weeks

 It seems that only a bizarre sequence of results can deny Falkland a dose of glory in the Second Division - and they will certainly be fancied to snuff out the challenge of basement boys Prestwick at Henry Thow Oval.

However, cricket is a sport which throws up shocks on a regular basis and the seasiders will be inspired by their plight, so the Fifers must be on their guard.

Freuchie are clinging to their mid-table status in the wake of a roller-coaster opening half and they know they will need to raise their game to have any prospct of beating Corstorphine in the capital.

In the other fixtures APD Dumfries will look to get their promotion challenge back on track against Weirs at Albert Park and Edinburgh will look to do the double against West Lothian

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