ALMOST TOO CLOSE TO FORECAST

WHO WILL WIN NORTHERN DIVISION TITLE AT CRUDEN BAY

Home advantage might just tip the scales in favour of Aberdeenshire in the Northern Division inter-county women’s matches against title-holders Perth & Kinross, Northern Counties, champions in three of the past four years, and Angus at Cruden Bay over the next three days of match-play.
It’s a close one to call and a title-winning case could be made out for three of the four teams.
Perth & Kinross, who finished with a 100% record at Crieff last year when they won the divisional title for the first time since 1982, have two members of the Scotland side for the European team championship in Italy – Roseanne Niven (Crieff) and Emily Ogilvie (Auchterarder) – in their line-up.
Worth recalling though that it was Alexandra Bushy (Strathmore), pictured above, and Fiona Ramsay (Crieff), with 11 1/2pt out of a possible 12 between them, who were the key players for P&K 12 months ago.
Aberdeenshire’s Michele Thomson is also in the Scotland women’s team for the first time and a reserve for the GB&I team for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent at Fairmont St Andrews..
Shire need Michele to play as well as she did in taking Spanish wonder girl Carlota Ciganda to the last green in the quarter-finals of the “British” last weekend. And they also need Alford’s Laura Murray to play to her undoubted potential.
Northern Counties were bidding to win the Northern Division title four years in a row when they had to settle for the No 2 spot behind Perth & Kinross last year. Teenager Kelsey MacDonald will win more matches than she loses and she should get strong support from Kerri Harper and county champion Jenny Milne.
The divisional champions at the end of play on Monday will go forward to the four-cornered contest for the Scottish county championship at Tulliallan from August 31 to September 2.

TEAMS
ABERDEENSHIRE – J Harrison (Cruden Bay), L McLardy (Murcar Links), L Murray (Alford), D Pocock (Murcar Links), M Thomson (McDonald Ellon), C Thomson (Murcar Links), C Wilson (Murcar Links), S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies).
ANGUS – H Anderson (Downfield), D Dewar (Monifieth), F Gilbert (Carnoustie), F Millar (Carnoustie), S Raitt (Forfar), A Ramsay (Kirriemuir), M Summers (Panmure Barry), K Sutherland (Royal Montrose).
NORTHERN COUNTIES – K Harper (Inverness), A Ingram (Fort William), K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), D MacLeod (Inverness), E Manson (Thurso), J Milne (Elgin), M Smith (Tain), L Walker (Nairn Dunbar).
PERTH & KINROSS – A Bushby (Strathmore), G Lambie (Dunkeld & Birnam), E Muirhead (Pitlochry), R Niven (Crieff), E Ogilvy (Auchterarder), F Ramsay (Crieff), Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) J Yellowlees (Murrayshall).

PROGRAMME
Saturday: Angus v Northern Counties, Aberdeenshire v Perth & Kinross.
Sunday – Aberdeenshire v Northern Counties, Angus v Perth & Kinross.
Monday – Perth & Kinross v Northern Counties, Angus v Aberdeenshire.