WHEN you consider how difficult everybody in the Ryden East Cricket

League found run-scoring on last week's wet pitches, an innings of 90 by

Iain Philip of Stenhousemuir assumes heroic proportions.

While the pro was busy accumulating against the Edinburgh Academicals

attack, the normally prolific Grange just across the road were resorting

to the aerial route, hitting as many 6s in their innings as boundaries

by the low road.

Philip's fine knock ensured comprehensive victory for the Tryst club,

and with it the leadership of the league which they last won seven years

ago.

Lately they have been too far off the pace to mount a sustained

challenge, but that could change this season if Graham Gardner, 13

wickets already in only three matches, and Australian Peter Gardiner,

with nine, continue to bowl so productively.

The team they usurped as leaders, Corstorphine, are visitors at The

Tryst tomorrow, still wounded from the skelping administered by Heriot's

and therefore dangerous.

Breathing down Stenhousemuir's necks are Watsonians, which is all the

incentive Heriot's will need to pull out all the stops when they arrive

at Myreside. These implacable old rivals constitute a league within the

league and their clashes can generally be relied upon to generate an

extra degree of friction.

At the other end of the table, Academicals, together with Kirkcaldy

are becoming dangerously detached. It is difficult to predict much joy

for Accies from their trip to Freuchie whereas it would be a surprise if

Grange were to return empty-handed from their excursion to Kirkcaldy.