Sheridan keen to duck out of award

Perhaps Googlies should not express a particular allegiance, but we have to admit to being pained by the predicament facing Poloc at the wrong end of the First Division table.

There is always a friendly welcome guaranteed at Shawholm and hopefully the players can extricate themselves from their situation. Still, it is nice to see they have not lost their sense of humour.

A "Webbed Feet" award is being promoted, with those who fail to trouble the scorer being dubiously "honoured". Top of the table at the moment is our old friend Keith Sheridan who has recorded an impressive six ducks this league campaign (that is four up on last year already so the spinner is obviously improving with age!).

Maybe there is some clever psychology at work here since having hit top spot, Keith responded last weekend with an impressive knock of 56 to top score against Dunfermline.

Such is the way things are going for the club that his innings was not enough and the Fifers still won, pushing Poloc deeper into relegation danger. Still, there is a clutch of games remaining so hopefully Sheridan can pick up his webbed award and still help steer Poloc to safety.

It is getting to that stage of the season when silverware is within grasp and there will be relief or relegation for others. On that note Googlies was intrigued to hear the fur has been flying at Glasgow High Kelvinside after a difficult season for the Old Anniesland Club.

Call-offs have wrecked their season in the top flight of the Western Union, leaving them at the wrong end of the table. Injuries are one-thing, but some of the excuses for 1st XI players being unavailable have frustrated the powers that be at GHK. This, according to their website, is the range of last minute excuses that have been used: babysitting, camping, corporate hospitality, job interview, golf, missus said I can't play, s*******, dinner party clearing up, moving house, nobody asked me. The first is acceptable and the last is understandable given some of the performances this season. But as for the rest,..do they have dinner parties in Anniesland?

There were a few eyebrows raised down in Northampton last week when Bob Woolmer spent some time in the nets working on the technique of a Saltires batsman. Nothing wrong with that, you might say, given that the ICC's high performance director was travelling with the Scots last week and he is tasked with helping them develop the game.

However, it seemed strange to some onlookers that he spent so much time working with a certain Rahul Dravid, a Test star whose technique is hardly open to much criticism. Especially, says our spy, when Kyle Coetzer, a teenager poised to make his NCL debut, was padded up waiting to enter the nets and probably would have benefited from Woolmer's help considerably more.

Profile - Neil MacRae (Greenock) The Glenpark batsman was born in Liverpool, but has been a Scottish international since 1995. Recalled to the Saltires set-up last week, the 31-year-old is one of the most successful club cricketers of recent times and an elegant opener.

He captained Aberdeenshire to a clean sweep of domestic honours in 1996 before moving to Greenock in 2000, where he has contributed significantly to their recent haul of honours. Currently the third highest aggregate run scorer in the Scottish National Cricket League.

Cricketer of Week The domestic plaudits and vital league points went to Grange last weekend with Roddy Smith and Steve Knox each compiling centuries as the Edinburgh side recorded the highest total in Premier Division history - 329-6 against Aberdeenshire.

To add to a terrific team performance David Cox showed his devastating ability as a strike bowler by taking seven wickets for 16 runs in just over nine overs. The win moved Grange to within touching distance of regaining the championship and in most weeks any of that trio could have been named cricketer of the week.

However, this week's case of beer, courtesy of Coors Brewers, the official beer supplier to Scottish Cricket, goes to a South African who enjoyed a memorable week in Scottish colours against top quality English opposition. Jon Kent hit a brilliant 115 not out for the Saltires last Sunday as he helped the team to a morale-boosting NCL victory over high-flying Sussex and the Stewart's-Melville/Royal High all-rounder followed up with a 78 not out against Hampshire 24 hours later. He couldn't repeat the feat against Northants, but for his efforts down south, the beer is on Jon.

Copyright 2003 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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