Scottish Cricket: SCU knock Aberdeen out of Cup (18 June 1999)

18 June 1999

Scottish Cricket: SCU knock Aberdeen out of Cup

Keith Graham

Aberdeen GSFP have been thrown out of the Scottish Cup by the Scottish Cricket Union after failing to raise a team for their league section fixture against Prestwick on May 30.

Because run rates are often used to decide which teams progress from the league sections to the competition proper, the SCU decided on expulsion rather than awarding points to Prestwick - a move which Aberdeen grudgingly accept.

West of Scotland, scheduled to be Aberdeen GSFP's next opponents can re-arrange their NCA British Club Championship tie against Forfarshire, postponed through rain, for Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the SNCL Premiership, Ayrexpect tomorrow to further advance their cause when they visit Ferguslie, who have shown heavy dependence on Stuart Kennedy in the bowling department.

The New Cambusdoon side have won all but one of their fixtures so far and there can be little doubt that their batting line-up has strength in depth, especially since Bruce Patterson has returned from a frustrating World Cup campaign. The most pleasing aspect has been the form of Colin McCrossan after a two-year lay-off due to illness. The bowling too has been strengthened with the arrival of left-arm seamer Phil Wilson from Cumbria.

Aberdeenshire, starting a run of three successive home games tomorrow when West Lothian are the visitors, will have a wary eye on the weather which has not so far been kind to them.

Carlton, who have exceeded expectations, are also at home, to Greenock. If Dene Hills maintains the form that has brought him three successive centuries, they could cut the high-flying Edinburgh side down to size.

West of Scotland have travel to Raeburn Place to take on a struggling Grange. The current form of Corey Richards and the lack of form shown by home professional Yasa Tillikeratne would indicate another difficult game for the home team, who have lost four out of four.

The front runners in division one, Strathmore, Prestwick and Clydesdale all have home advantage tomorrow, a factor which is likely to leave the top of the table unchanged.

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