SIDELINED Arbroath skipper Greig Peal hailed the experience and attitude of Kevin Ritchie, whose 109 knock provided the platform for a 134-run win over Stenhousemuir.
Peal was ruled out after being hit by a stray ball while fielding in the nets, but said: "It was one of the best knocks I've seen for a while from an Arbroath bat."
New Zealand pro Todd Astle was in form for Aberdeenshire at Penicuik on Saturday.
His leg tweakers earned remarkable figures of five for seven as the home side fell to 97 all out chasing 157. Simon McGillewie had halted the rot at the crease with a fine 51 after the top order struggled.
West of Scotland could emerge as strong challengers on the evidence of their clinical success against rusty Forfarshire. Shire mustered just 113 in response to the hosts' 198 for nine, and they wouldn't have reached three figures without a gutsy last-wicket stand of 26 between Graham Quinn and Graham Black. West pro Grant Robinson struck 59, with only Graham Garden and Amman Bailwal passing 20 in reply.
Stirling County recovered from a jittery start to beat Freuchie at New Williamfield.
County crawled their way to 156, but only Robbie Birrell and Scott Galloway with 22 apiece offered meaningful resistance as the Fifers crashed to 136 all out.
In the Second Division, rookie Safyaan Shariff produced yet another top performance for Dunfermline as they beat Edinburgh by 40 runs. The Largo teenager was snapped up by the Knights as a bowler, but he underlined his all-round talents by hitting an unbeaten 51 in a total of 209.
After Van Vuuren rescued the Stoneywood-Dyce innings with a 67 to guide them to 210, Jan Stander wrecked the aspirations of visitors Renfrew with a five-wicket burst that saw the west coasters slide to 101 all out.
New recruit Kevin McLaren was the key man at Inverleith as Corstorphine beat SMRH.
The all rounder took two vital scalps to help curb the home side to 122, then compiled a watchful 55 not out as RHC won by six wickets.
And at Henry Thow Oval, Dumfries earned a precious away win against Prestwick.
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