AYR created a massive shock last night with a thrilling win over title favourites Grange at Raeburn Place.

The Cambusdoon side, dismissed by many as relegation certainties, produced the sort of battling performance which suggests they could defy their critics.

They had looked out of contention after being skittled for 110 but a remarkable fightback saw Ayr restrict their hosts to 108.

Former New Zealand Test star Matt Horne was Ayr's hero with bat and ball, hitting a defiant 68 in the face of some tight Grange bowling in which Horne's compatriot Warren McSkimming was the standout with 5-15. Andi McElnea was Ayr's second top scorer with just 11 as Grange took command.

However, Horne then led the visitors' fightback with three wickets for just six runs from his 10 overs while the Grange top order committed cricketing suicide.

The home side slumped to 79-9 before further drama saw Johnny Gray and Keith Meakin carry their team within three runs of victory before falling agonisingly short.

Meanwhile, in the match of the day, Uddingston recorded a comprehensive victory over an understrength Ferguslie side at Bothwell Castle Policies.

A week after outplaying Poloc, Ricky Bawa's men were again in irresistible form in carving out a 10-wicket win.

Bawa, having won the toss, invited the visitors to bat first and Uddingston soon took a grip on proceedings.

Bawa and Paul Hoffmann kept things typically tight while Ferguslie, deprived of the services of David Harper and Majid Haq, struggled to get the board ticking. Harper, the Guyanese-born all-rounder, remains at the centre of an eligibility probe by league officials and his runs were badly missed as were those of Haq who was busy swotting for final accountancy exams.

In their absence David Stafford, an 18- year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, was promoted to the first team and handed the responsibility of opening the innings with skipper Stuart Murray. Stafford stuck in well for a hard-fought 29 but the bowlers always had the upper hand in an innings which yielded just 171-8.

Hoffmann sent down 10 threatening overs which brought a deserved return of 3-15 but he was more than matched by Gavin Bradley who claimed 4-21.

It was left to Omer Hussain to do the bulk of Ferguslie's scoring with an unbeaten 59 from 73 balls. Richard Rutnagur also made 34 but there was always a feeling that Uddingston would not be unduly troubled in chasing their target especially with Ed Cowan eager to build on last week's century.

The New South Wales opener did not disappoint and, together with Scotland U20 star Scott Dalgleish, embarked on a partnership which sealed an easy success. Cowan, who headed straight from the ground to Derby where he will turn out for the Saltires today, was 12 short of a second successive ton when Uddingston secured victory with 14 overs remaining.

The Australian had faced 108 balls and stroked 13 boundaries but just as impressive was the performance of Dalgleish whose unbeaten 65 came from 101 balls and included eight fours.

Champions Greenock kick-started their title defence with a comfortable win over Poloc at Shawholm. Saltires seamer Sean Weeraratna claimed four wickets to help restrict the Glasgow side to 140 before Tim McIntosh and Richie Berrington led the reply.

In division one's top game West of Scotland proved too strong for Forfarshire at Hamilton Crescent. The Partick club posted 198-9, which included 28 from Gordon Goudie.

Goudie, who could feature for Saltires at Derby today, then made an early breakthrough when he claimed the wicket of 'Shire skipper Peter Drummond for five.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals before Goudie ended a stubborn last-wicket stand between Graham Black and Graham Quinn.

Corstorphine opened their second division campaign with a six-wicket derby win over SMRH.