A late collapse by the hosts, however, meant their opponents won by four wickets and clinched the SNCL Division One championship.

'Muir had won convincingly at Mannofield earlier in the season but, after being put into bat first on a difficult wicket, they soon lost Thomas Ferrier for two with the score on five.

John Dirom and Craig Thyssen dug in, though, and moved the score on to 58 before the former departed, caught for 14.

The middle order of Peter Moses, Graham Gardner and Jeewan Ramroop then batted steadily, the pick of which was a 29 from Gardner.

They helped Craig Thyssen, who looked in superb touch and on his way to a fourth century of the season and a second against the visitors, to advance the total on to 153 for five. And, when captain Ian McDonald joined the professional at the wicket, a score of 200 plus was looking well on the cards.

However, Thyssen departed on 84 which turned out to be the highest SNCL individual tally on a day of low scores.

He was closely followed by a needless run out to McDonald just two runs later and, as they say, the wheels came off the innings with a bang.

From what had been a healthy position, Stenhousemuir collapsed to 179 all out – the pick of the Aberdeenshire bowlers being their New Zealand pro Todd Astle, with six for 57.

The target set looked insufficient, albeit on a slow and difficult wicket, but the Stenhousemuir bowlers were still determined to make use of the conditions and force the visitors to fight for the runs they required for victory.

After Navid Aktar removed Reid for four with the score on 13, the other bowlers chipped in with regular wickets.

Two wickets each for Bowes and Ramroop – including the prize scalp of Astle for 24 – and one for Angus, reduced the visitors to 123 for six and it was very much 'game on'.

However, it was not to be 'Muir's day and an unbeaten stand of 57 between McRae and Thomson saw the visitors home, albeit with fewer than two overs to spare, leaving Stenhousemuir to rue their earlier collapse.

And while Aberdeenshire knew they had been in a battle their reward was promotion back into the SNCL Premier League after a three year absence.
This Saturday 'Muir are away to West of Scotland.