Scottish Cricket: Dykes stars as Grange make move (12 May 1998)

12 May 1998

Scottish Cricket: Dykes stars as Grange make move

By Keith Graham

GRANGE made a decisive move in Conference A by winning both their weekend games and establishing themselves at the top of the table, defeating West Lothian at home on Saturday and earning a comprehensive victory over Watsonians on Sunday.

Andrew Dykes was most instrumental in their double-header of wins. On Saturday, two wickets in his opening spell unsettled the West Lothian batsmen.

He followed that by adding two more wickets in a second spell and snapped up a further three at Myerside on Sunday.

In Sunday's six-wicket victory Dykes excelled with bat as well as ball in a win which was also notable for the return of George Salmond from injury with an unbeaten 44.

Grange share the lead with Herriot's whose win at Stenhousemuir was engineered by Asim Butt (4-34) and Shahid Aslam (3-44).

Stoneywood Dyce continued their rise to fame with a stunning Conference B victory when they skittled Poloc out for 68, the only resistance coming from Craig McKnight, back from a four-year sojourn in Australia. The Aberdeenshire side now top the table together with Carlton who easily overcame Strathmore's modest total of 104 and West of Scotland who swept to victory over Perthshire.

Best bowling performance of the day came from RHSM's Zahoor Elahi whose 8-18 included a hat-trick as Drumpellier went down by 83 runs.

Clydesdale, playing their first game after last week's floodlight farce, were surprisingly beaten by Freuchie at home in Conference C. Ian Gavin's 54 had paved the way for a total of 191-8, too many for the home team after David Cowan and Graham Welsh had each taken four wickets. Aberdeenshire topped the group after disposing of Edinburgh Accies.

West Lothian followed their Saturday defeat at Grange by overcoming Hillhead at Boghall on Sunday by seven wickets.

9 May 1998: Scotland toil and press Derbyshire

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)