After a week of heavy rain the black clouds, by and large, stayed away from the lochside, allowing local cricket fans to enjoy another keenly contested first team match.

The spectators included Kiwi Jarad O'Hara, enjoying a family stay in the town.

Jarad played at lochside between 1996 and 1998, when Peter Strydom was professional.

And he enjoyed watching Strathie bounce back from three wickets down with only seven runs on the board to eventually overhaul the Strathearn total of 133, thanks in the main to the power hitting of Blackie.

Strathearn had first lease of the batting track, and, after losing an early wicket to the bowling of Mark Stewart, settled in to build a total they could defend.

G. McKinnie (22) and P. Tramantanas (41) batted sensibly, but there was little in the way of support and Strathmore had all ten wickets down for a total that was very much on the radar.

However, things looked pretty bleak for the home side, with Matty Simpson, Nigel Hazel and Gary Hewitson all back in the pavilion with just seven on the board.

Mark Stewart was then joined by Mike Gourlay and they gradually got the run chase back on track.

Mike Gourlay departed on 18 and Mark Stewart than had Steve Blackie for company, the duo pouncing on the bad balls to put Strathie within touching distance of the winning total.

Blackie opened up the arms on a couple of occasions, one big howk in particular clearing the ropes with a bit to spare, back over the bowler.

Blackie went on to make 53 to add to Stewart's 35, and it was left to Sweeney and Milne to rattle off the few other runs required for a fourth straight Strathie win.

The less said about the second team outing to Glendelvine on the Sunday the better.

On a brute of a pitch a depleted Strathie side was all out for 24, with no batsmen getting anything near to double figures.

In reply, Glendelvine lost three wickets in overhauling a meagre total - although it may have been interesting had Strathie even got near 50!