Aberdeenshire Cruise Local Derby

Aberdeenshire made the shortest away trip of the season on Saturday, away to Stoneywood Dyce in what is usually a hard fought and feisty affair.

Buchan won the toss and elected to bowl at a new look Stoneywood side with overcast conditions and a threat of rain around the ground.

New ball duo of Neill and Buchan caused a variety of problems for the opening batsmen who weathered the storm until the 9th over when Buchan trapped Ali in front for 15.

A frustrating partnership of 38 between Ninan and new recruit Mitchell ensued, with some close calls but no breakthrough. A change in the bowling was required to dismiss Ninan for a gutsy 29 off 80 balls.

This brought the mainstay and top scorer of the Stoneywood innings Bashir to the wicket. In partnership with Mitchell (26), and Conradie, who made an enterprising and at some points downright brutal 51 from 20 balls the Peoples Park side were building a formidable total.

With the score at 188 for 5 at the start of the 40th over and one well set batsmen at the crease the Don's looked to be facing the prospect of a chase exceeding the usual par at Dyce.

But two run outs, three wickets from Neill, two from Cooray, an obstructing the field dismissal for Bashir (75), Shire restricted the lower order hitting and dismissed Stoneywood for 226 in the 46th over.

A revised D/L target of 230 to win from 49 overs was decided and opening pair Howard and Venske took to the field in incredibly blustery conditions.

The two started positively taking the score to 36 off 7 overs before Venske's innings of 27 from 31 deliveries came to an end by King who got the ball to keep low sneaking under the bat of the South African.

Howard and Van Der Berg raced along to 110 inside 17 overs before VDB chipped off spinner Louw to midwicket for 29 off 27.

Howard made a timely return to form returned 10 boundaries in his 49 including 3 successive fours against bowler Kidd before being dismissed caught behind one short of a half century at a strike rate well above his usual Boycott-esque efforts.

With the score on 125-2 after 20 and some work still to do, Tomlinson (14), Reid with a brisk innings of 30 from 24 and Callum Martin with an adventurous 16 from 10 regularly found the boundaries to support Pro Cooray who finished the innings with a sensible 53 from 80 balls.

In passing the revised total at a comfortably quick rate in the 43rd over Shire also ensured there was no bonus points gained by their rivals and ensured the first bragging rights of the seasons rivalry.

Aberdeenshire welcome Arbroath United to Mannofield on Saturday in what is sure to be a tough test of character for the unbeaten side.