Forfarshire avenged an Eastern Premier defeat to Falkland on Saturday by claiming a place in next month’s CS T20 Cup finals day with a convincing win over the Fifers twenty-four hours later.

Both teams recorded routine semi-final wins against Aberdeenshire and Huntly at Guthrie Park, Brechin, before Aman Bailwal turned back the clock with a wonderful display of his all-round skills in the final. Now 33, the left-arm swing bowler who bats right-handed, represented Scotland at every under-age level yet never made it into the senior side.

Having first injected new life into ‘Shire’s batting effort at a crucial stage, Bailwal then destroyed Falkland’s top order, claiming three wickets in his first two overs without conceding a run.

Early contributions from Harjeet Brar (46) and Callum Garden (43) put Forfarshire on course for a huge total before three quick wickets brought Falkland back in contention. Bailwal steadied the ship with a 14-ball 19, allowing Jack Hogarth with a run-a-ball 20 and James Girolami to propel the Broughty Ferry side to a winning tally. Girolami bludgeoned 27 from only 12 balls as ‘Shire posted 174-5.

It looked like a par score until Bailwal dismissed Kyle Jacobs with the second delivery of Falkland’s innings before the left-armer then proved too good for Steven Meikle and Zane Schlebusch in his second over.

At 1-3 the Fifers were as good as down and out and, while Jarryd Lookwhy (42) and Logan Briggs (27) stalled the victory charge, Falkland succumbed to 99 all out in the 19th over. 

Forfarshire will be joined on finals day by Clydesdale for whom Richie Berrington played an astonishing innings – even by the Scotland captain’s remarkable standards – in a comfortable Rowan Cup final victory over Uddingston at Langloan. Berrington hit no fewer than FOURTEEN mighty sixes in an imperious performance which yielded 113 runs from only 36 deliveries, the century coming from 33.

His 154-run stand for the second wicket with Wasim Qureishi (46) propelled ‘Dale to 209-5. Uddingston refused to capitulate in an unlikely chase, having notable contributions from Mo Awais (38) and especially Berrington’s former team-mate Ross Lyons who was unbeaten on 52 from 34 deliveries as Uddy closed on 141-9, Robert Cathcart having claimed 4-18.

THEY may have stuttered against Falkland last time out, but normal service was restored as Eastern Premier champions Heriot’s cruised to victory against RH Corstorphine at Royal High School on Saturday. The league leaders were bolstered by the return of Mark Watt and Matthew Cross, and the Scotland duo inevitably played their part in a five-wicket success.

Indeed, the pair combined to remove two of Corstorphine’s top three batters, Watt teasing both Owen Gould and Tyler Stagg out of their crease, and Cross completing the stumpings. Gould, opening the batting in place of the absent Liam Naylor, had top-scored with 72 including six boundaries and four sixes while Stagg contributed 23.

Watt went on to claim 3-33 while Gavin Main and James Dickinson had two wickets apiece as the champions’ impressive bowling options kept them on top.

A defiant 47-ball 57 from Robert Thompson helped the home side to 245-9 from their allocation, a tally which looked at least 30 runs short.

So it proved as Heriot’s were rarely troubled in easing to their target with five wickets and more than eight overs in hand.

Watt and Cross contributed 24 and 36 but were over-shadowed on the day by Dougie Voas who offered a controlled 50 before Vian Maritz stroked eight boundaries and two clearances in top-scoring with 58, and stand-in skipper Josh Elliott completed the job with 41no.

With just five rounds of matches remaining the question is: who – if anyone – can catch Heriot’s.

The most likely would appear to be their local rivals Grange who took advantage of an Arbroath batting collapse to win by six wickets at Lochlands.

Denied the chance to face Heriot’s by last week’s rain, Grange will rely on others to take points from their rivals but, in the meantime, they can only take care of their own business.

They did so quite impressively when they restricted Arbroath to 246, claiming the last five home wickets for just six runs.

The home side were given a brisk start by skipper Iain Wort, the former Grange all-rounder making a 34-ball 41 with seven boundaries and a six before chasing a wide one from Robbie McGlasham to be caught behind.

However, together with Jack Plomer’s patient 22, a platform had been set from which Arbroath’s middle order could thrive.

Darryl Sinclair and Cameron Brown did just that with a 135-run stand for the fifth wicket, the former stroking 67 while Brown took charge in racing to 72 from only 56 deliveries with seven boundaries and two maximums.

However, when Brown became the first of Ben Davidson’s three victims and Sinclair was run-out soon after, the home side capitulated, Davidson and Jack Jarvis going through the tail as Arbroath failed to use five of their allocated overs.

Grange were always in control of their chase, getting there with 6.1 overs to spare, Jarvis demonstrating his explosive batting prowess with five boundaries and four punishing maximums in a 72-ball 85 while fellow Scotland cap Jasper Davidson leading was unbeaten on 69 as the visitors won with more than six overs to spare.

Falkland’s improving league fortunes continued twenty-four hours before Sunday’s defeat when they carved-out an impressive win over Forfarshire at Scroggie Park.

A month ago the Fifers were still looking for their first Eastern Premier victory of the season – now Dan Styer’s side have three victories under their belt.

They broke their duck on the last weekend of June by beating Edinburgh South, stuttered against Carlton the following week before following-up with the shock result of the season in beating champions Heriot’s.

On Saturday they bounced back from last week’s washout with an impressive all-round display against ‘Shire.

After being sent in to bat the Fifers were in a bit of bother on 53-3, Steven Meikle, Kyle Jacobs and Jack Henderson all clean-bowled by the impressive Imran Saim who bowled a superb ten-over stint yielding 3-24.

Falkland desperately needed a major contribution, and it came from Asif Khan who entered the action at the fall of the second wicket and batted through the remainder of the innings for a brilliant 101no.

He faced 114 deliveries and struck eleven boundaries and a maximum, the best support coming from Jarryd Lookwhy (43) and Logan Briggs (21) as the home side reached 232-9.

‘Shire’s reply stuttered from the start, and when Julian de Jager picked-up the prize wicket of in-form Callum Garden for a top-score of 53, the writing was on the wall, the visitors all out for 160 in the 37th over.

De Jager and Briggs each claimed 2-34 before Jacobs cleaned-up the tail with 3-7.

Elsewhere, Harry Armstrong scored his second century of the season but it wasn’t enough for Stewarts Melville who suffered a five-wicket defeat to Carlton at Grange Loan.

Armstrong’s 121-ball 103, featuring seven fours and four maximums, propelled his side to 246-8 but Carlton responded with significant contributions from Angus Guy (68), Arun Pillay (50) and Dan da Costa (53no) to win by five wickets. 

Meigle remain favourites for relegation after they went down by six wickets to Edinburgh South at Inch Park.

THERE was a standout performance in the North East Championship where Scotland star Safyaan Sharif entered the record books again with a match-winning performance for Perth Doo’cot. Sharif, who earlier this month became the country’s leading wicket-taker of all time, claimed remarkable figures of eight wickets for just seven runs. 

His effort helped Doo’cot shoot out St Modans for just 37 before completing an easy ten-wicket win. Sharif now holds the Perth club’s best bowling and batting records following his 190no against Dundee HSFP last season.