Scottish Cricket: Promotion race hots up (28 Aug 1998)

28 August 1998

Scottish Cricket: Promotion race hots up

By Keith Graham

THREE top division places remain to be finalised as calculators become as importanct as bats and balls. Stoneywood Dyce need only 10 points from their home Conference B game against RHSM tomorrow to gain first division status, a situation which places extra importance on the toss and the form of key players, such as Steve Knox for the home team and the mercurial Zahoor Elahi for the visitors.

If RHSM can fashion a win then Drumpellier, at home to Perthshire, also come into the frame. If they win, they could pip the Edinburgh side for a top division spot. Equally influential are the teams lower down the pecking order seeking to avoid the ignominy of third division cricket, which gives Perthshire an added incentive not to lose.

Most critical this weekend in Conference C are Clydesdale's visit to Glenpark, their home game against Arbroath on Sunday, Freuchie's visit to Ayr and Aberdeenshire's game at Ferguslie.

Already home and dry, the Mannofield team can still influence who joins them in division one. Next week they travel to Greenock.

Prestwick, favourites to beat Edinburgh Accies at the Oval tomorrow, are also still in contention for the top flight, but they also have the small matter of Sunday's Whyte & Mackay Scottish Cup final encounter with Grange.

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