RAIN wiped out almost the entire SNCL Premier Division programme yesterday – with struggling Poloc particularly delighted when the elements dictated events at Glenpark.
The basement boys were staring another disaster in the face as they capitulated to 17 for five against title pacesetters Greenock.
Uddingston will fly the Scottish banner today as the Cockspur Cup – Britain's most prestigious club tournament – ent
ers the nationwide phase. The Lanarkshire side head south to face Chester-le-Street in their quest to become the first team from north of the Border to reach the final at Lord's.
As a consequence of their crowded programme, Uddingston's Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with Heriot's at Bothwell Castle Policies has been held over until a fortnight today.
The three other ties go ahead as scheduled today.
Penicuik, who pulled off a major shock by beating Grange in a rain-affected tie, travel to Tayside to take on Forfarshire, who will be without frontliners Ryan Watson, Umair Mohammed and Amman Bailwal.
Favourites Greenock square up to Clydesdale at Titwood in the only all-Premier tussle of the day.
And Ferguslie make the tricky jaunt to the coast to play Prestwick.
• Former England bowling coach Allan Donald believes Steve Harmison's "fear" of the Test arena may prevent him from returning to the biggest stage.
The South African was a key member of England's backroom staff last summer and saw first-hand how the Durham seamer struggled to deal with the pressures of the international game.
In particular, Donald has revealed the nerves that overtook the once-feared paceman during the Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford last June.
And he is concerned that those fears, combined with a lack of understanding about just what made Harmison the planet's top bowler at one point, could spell the end.
"I've never seen a bloke as low as Steve was during that Manchester Test against the West Indies," Donald told the Daily Mirror. "When he came off the field he admitted he was dead scared. He was scared of letting the ball go and he soon realised that Michael Vaughan could not turn to him.
"Sometimes I feel that there is a fear of being on that massive stage. It could be."
Donald added: "Does he know and fully understand how he became the world's No.1 bowler? Or did he just bowl?
"I had my doubts as to whether Harmy really understood how he had got there. That's why inconsistencies creep in."
The full article contains 426 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
