Heriot's aim for title assault as league nears halfway

Hayes van der Berg was feeling under pressure until his knock of 78 against Glenrothes last week. Picture: Greg Macvean

The Goldenacre side have had an up and down campaign to date with four league wins and three defeats to leave them sixth in the table.

In patches they have shown what they can do – the six-wicket win over Arbroath in week two an example – but consistency has been an issue.

Last weekend, with South African Van der Berg hitting 78, they put in a good showing to see off Glenrothes, and now he is hopeful they can go on a strong run with the halfway point in the league approaching.

The 21-year-old said: “I have loved my time at Heriot’s so far since moving down from Aberdeenshire pre-season. We have played some good cricket in spells, but we don’t feel like we have put together a complete performance as yet and we hope that is what we are building towards.

“After defeats in the league and the cup the previous week it was pleasing to beat Glenrothes last time out and for me it was important to get a decent score with the bat because I was starting to feel a bit of pressure.

“Hopefully now I can take the confidence from that innings into the next few games and continue to help the team because we know that if we can get some good runs on the board then we have the bowlers who can cause teams trouble.”

Van der Berg is the top runs scorer for Heriot’s in the league so far with 216, but tomorrow they will come up against the overall top runs scorer in Forfarshire all-rounder Graeme Beghin.

The South African, who hit more than 1000 runs when he played for Edinburgh South in 2013, already has 462 league runs to his name including two centuries.

The Heriot’s bowling attack, led by Adrian Neill who has 16 wickets, will need to keep him quiet if they are to win at Forthill.

For the trip north, Heriot’s captain Keith Morton calls upon Kevin McLaren and Richard Cummine to replace Scott Robertson and Sean Weeraratna.

In the Capital, both Watsonians and Carlton are at home tomorrow.

The Myreside men are hosting Arbroath looking to build on last week’s victory at Mazars Grange. With Andrew Chalmers unavailable Andrew Hislop comes into their line-up.

Andy McKay’s nine wickets in the victory in Stockbridge six days ago took him to 20 for the league campaign and he leads the attack again.

At Grange Loan, Carlton welcome Aberdeenshire with Arun Pillai unavailable due to a holiday. Ruairi Macpherson slots into the line-up for him with Mo Ahmed joining the bowling attack. Omar Ahmad is absent due to work commitments.

Grange are on the road to face a Glenrothes team they defeated in the Citylets Scottish Cup a couple of weeks ago.

In the other top-flight match Falkland are hosting Stoneywood-Dyce.

Leaders SMRH are away to Mazars Grange II in the Baillie Gifford ESCA Championship.

Australian Tom Beaton passed 250 runs for SMRH last weekend and will be looking forward to playing at the Raeburn Place ground where he has already turned out for the Eastern Knights this summer.

The league’s top runs scorer, Daniel Payne (354 runs), will be at Dunnikier with his RHC Corstorphine team-mates.

Second placed Carlton II are at Stuart&Stuart Penicuik while Edinburgh host Holy Cross and Marchmont are away to Kelso.