THE last two 100% records in the Eastern Premier were blown away yesterday but it is Grange who are now top on their own following a thrilling tie with Aberdeenshire while Arbroath suffered their first defeat.

At Mannofield, Grange appeared to have taken complete command after reducing ‘Shire to 18-3, professional Lesiba Ngoepe one of the men to depart, bowled for a duck by Gordon Goudie.

However, Chris Venske played a captain’s role as the home side rallied to make a real game of it.

Venske was at one stage 80no in a total of 118-5 and went on to reach a superb 107-ball century with eleven boundaries and three maximums.

He was out for 110 but his effort helped ‘Shire post 223-8, giving his team a glimmer of hope and perhaps casting doubts in the minds of the Grange batsmen.

So it proved as the capital troops, needing 84 from the last twenty overs and with six wickets in hand, were only able to score 83 of them while losing four more wickets, none of their batsmen scoring more than 31.

Meanwhile the loss of a handful of top team regulars proved too big a handicap for Arbroath who slumped to their first defeat at Glenrothes.

Skipper Marc Petrie, spin-twins Ross McLean and Craig Ramsay and hard-hitting batsman Fraser Burnett were among the absentees for the Lochlands men who were bowled out for a meagre 112 at Gilvenbank, Amir Shahzad taking 4-22.

The visitors fought back to claim six Glenrothes wickets but Ben Wilkinson hit 44 as the Fifers consolidated a mid-table position.

Elsewhere, a century from Michael Herdman helped Carlton win their Edinburgh derby with Watsonians at Grange Loan.

The Australian’s unbeaten 108, featuring twelve boundaries and two maximums guided the home side to 229-8 after they had been struggling on 137-7, Andy McKay claiming 3-51 for ‘Sonians who then made a solid start to their reply.

However, when skipper Chayank Gosian struck twice in quick succession to remove Ewan Chalmers and his brother Andrew, Carlton seized control, eventually restricting their rivals to 192-7.

Heriot’s won the second capital derby of the day, scoring 166 before dismissing SMRH for 114 at Goldenacre while Falkland remain rock-bottom after a 78-run defeat at Forfarshire.