Drumpellier will today bid for their second giant-killing act in a week when they head to Grange Loan to take on Eastern Premier champions Carlton in the semi-finals of Scotland’s blue-riband knockout tournament.
The Western First Division outfit pulled off one of the biggest shocks in recent times last Sunday when a side languishing second bottom in the Western First Division dumped mighty Grange at Langloan.
In a low-scoring encounter, Hayden Sweet’s 59 and four wickets from Will Leslie were the standout contributions in a thrilling ten-run win, Drumps successfully defending 143 to stun the highly fancied capital troops.
Runs are likely to be more plentiful at the Edinburgh venue where there have twice been scores in excess of 300 in the Eastern Premier this season.
But that may suit the stroke-making of Drumpellier’s South African duo Sweet and Zander Erasmus.
Carlton, though, for whom Australian Michael Herdman is the leading all-rounder in the Eastern Premier, will start strong favourites to reach their second final in recent times, the Grange Loan side having lost the 2013 final to Grange.
As if to emphasis the gulf between the two sides, Drumpellier yesterday lost to Weirs to remain deep in trouble in their league while Carlton upset Grange’s hopes of winning the Eastern Premier title.
A Drumpellier spokesman said: “It was a brilliant achievement by the guys to beat Grange last week and the result has given the whole club a lift.
“We know nobody will expect us to beat Carlton but we’ll just go through there, enjoy the occasion and give it our best shot.”
Meanwhile the other semi-final sees Heriot’s entertain Watsonians in what is both a repeat of the 2012 Scottish Cup final and a dress rehearsal for this season’s Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy final.
Heriot’s took the silverware five years ago and may hold a slight psychological edge having also won a low-scoring encounter in the league at the same venue earlier in the season.
Both sides go into the clash in high spirits following convincing league wins yesterday.
