Winning the toss, the Stonehaven skipper had no hesitation in deciding to bat and his openers didn't disappoint.
On a flat pitch, Bruce Findlay and Steve Crozier took the score to 63 when Crozier was caught for 32 in the 17th over. After his big score the previous week David Crozier was unlucky to be out LBW for 9 but has done enough this season to catch the selectors' eyes to be given a run in the 1st XI.
At number four, Barry Milne played intelligently, punishing the bad ball on his way to 30 until he was caught in the 35th over. At the other end Mr Findlay had been quietly accumulating runs since the beginning and together their partnership was worth 84 runs. By now Thistle were 182 for 3 when Captain Dave Long came to the crease. Struggling for form lately he nevertheless marshalled the innings to its close and would finish on 14 not out. When Bruce Findlay finally departed, bowled for 72, and Paul Hay went first ball, David Long Jnr. played a quick fire 14. Knowing the declaration was near he was caught for 14 trying to push the score on. Thistle declared on 205 for 6 after 42 overs.
After tea Dunecht faced an uphill task made all the harder as in-form bowler Dave Long Jnr. struck early. A sharp catch to keeper Bruce Findlay had M. Worsley walking for 2 and fellow opener A. Moat was bowled without troubling the scorers.
Their replacements H and C. Duncan fared better. Daniel Colvin, 0 for 13, replaced opener Calum Findlay who had also bowled a tight spell, 0 for 12, without success. After a period of consolidation for Dunecht, with the score on 36, Nigel King struck with his 8th ball and never looked back with a devastating attack that would knock the fight out of Dunecht. He bowled C. Duncan for 15, A. Carlson for 3 and then H. Duncan for 29.
Spinner David Crozier produced a run out when Dunecht Skipper McBurnie hesitated mid-pitch and then bowled T. Dennison for 2. When Clark was caught, no score, off Nigel King's bowling all resistance collapsed. A diving catch at silly mid on by Skipper Long off Crozier's spin accounted for T.Walden, no score, and Nigel King rounded off his day with a "Michelle" (5 for 11) when he bowled A. Robinson for nought leaving Dunecht 65 all out in the 30th over. Match ball was sponsored by the Marine Hotel.
Thistle remain top of the league but face Portcullis next week in what could prove to be the ultimate decider of who will win their league.