Western Warriors took advantage of their home double header to claim pole position at the outset of a new CS T20 Blitz campaign.
The re-formatted event will see each of the three regional sides entertain their rivals in three mini T20 festivals.
And on a day which was initially interrupted by rain before enjoying glorious Glasgow sunshine, Richie Berrington’s Warriors threw down the gauntlet with two impressive wins – proving in the process that they could both chase a target and defend one.
First up for the Warriors was a clash with reigning champions the Eastern Knights whose captain George Munsey elected to bat first in overcast conditions at Titwood.
It looked like a sound decision as the skipper and Michael Herdman took the attack to the home bowling attack.
The pair put on 66 for the first wicket in quick time before Carlton’s Herdman, having raced to 35 from just 25 balls with four boundaries and two maximums, was caught by Adil Raza off Ross Lyons.
Mark Watt was bowled soon after by his Scotland team-mate Berrington before Munsey also departed for what proved to be a top score of 44.
The Watsonians batsman, in superb form this season in all formats, had made 44 with four boundaries before edging Hamza Tahir to Dave Stafford.
It was left to Tom Foulds to see the innings through with a rapid 28no which allowed the champions to set a testing 138-4.
Further rain meant the Warriors’ target was revised to 99 from 11 overs and then 74 from eight and Mo Awais, on his home track, led the way with a sparkling 32.
The Clydesdale opener faced just eighteen deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a maximum, before he fell to Ali Evans.
There was a stutter for the home side when Neil Smith and Lyons fell in quick succession but Riyaad Henry hit three of the six balls he faced to the boundary as the Warriors won by six wickets.
Having chased, the Glasgow-based team were even more clinical in defending as Caley Highlanders were sent to a heavy 58-run defeat.
The match looked to be in the balance when Aberdeenshire’s South African pro Lesiba Ngoepe took five wickets to restrict the home side to 132-8 from a full 20-over allocation as the weather turned kinder.
Berrington provided the innings of the day with a typically classy 57 while Stafford, a late call-up to the squad, contributed a valuable 23.
Caley’s run-chase never got off the ground as the Warriors bowlers applied a stranglehold and they were all out for just 74 in the 15th over.
The consolation for the Highlanders is that they will have home advantage at Forthill when the competition resumes on August 13.
