Weekend roundup – 19th/20th May
It was an early start for the 1st XI as they made the long journey north to take on Stoneywood-Dyce at People’s Park. Skipper Arun Pillai lost the toss and Carlton were invited to bat first on a wicket that offered plenty of assistance to the bowlers. Early wickets fell and only Tom Simpson (43) came close to coming to terms with the tricky conditions. The visitors were in trouble at 47 for 4 but Simpson and Ally Evans dug in for what turned out to be the biggest partnership of the day at 31. Wickets continued to fall and 97 for 6 became 97 all out thanks in no small part to a hattrick. The home side got off to a steady start but the introduction of Ruaridh McIntyre paid dividends as he claimed 3 wickets to leave Dyce 51 for 3. Evans picked up a wicket and then there was 1 for Rudy Adair to reduce the home side to 64 for 5. Then Evans produced a hattrick of his own to make it 78 for 5. Adair then claimed 2 wickets in 2 balls to secure an 18 run victory in the 23rd over.
The 2nd XI welcomed their counterparts from Grange to Grange Loan. Captain Ben D’Ulisse won the toss and opted to bat first. There was an early run out but most of the top order got starts however no-one went on to make a significant score. David Saul top scored with 41 and there was a useful cameo from Omar Ahmad (23 off 15) to help the home side post 212 for 9 from their 50 overs. Armaan Bedi picked up both openers to leave the visitors 20 for 2 after 6 overs. The next over Ahmad claimed 2 wickets in 2 balls and Grange were in real trouble at 28 for 4. Bedi took a further 2 wickets to reduce the Stockbridge side to 55 for 6 and then Charles Stronach & Harry Simpson picked up 2 wickets apiece to complete the win and bowl Grange out for 81 in the 23rd over.
The 3rd XI were at home at Peffermill for the visit of Clackmannan County. Skipper Brad McKay lost the toss and the Alloa side chose to bat first. Jamie Beattie and Kyle Burgess made early inroads with 2 & 1 wickets respectively to reduce Clacks to 32 for 3. McKay claimed the next wicket and Tom Ritchie picked up another with his offspin to leave the visitors 87 for 5. Dougie Firth was the next to strike and there were 2 more for Ritchie as well as a 3rd for the returning Beattie as Clacks were restricted to 134 for 9 from their 40 overs. The home side lost wickets at the top but were handily placed at 75 for 3. A clatter of wickets, however, saw Carlton slump to 83 all out in the 31st over with Paul Kentish top scoring with 21.
The final game on Saturday saw the 5th XI make the short journey to Craiglockhart to take on Watsonians 4s. Captain Keith Murray lost the toss and the home side chose to bat first. There was an early wicket for Stu Dawson but it took to the 23rd over for the next wicket to fall with Oli Stones the successful bowler. He also claimed the next wicket thanks to a great catch from Kartic Subr to leave the home side 100 for 3. Tom Hathorn then picked up a wicket and runouts from Oli Stones & John Beattie helped restrict Watsonians to 131 for 6 from their 40 overs. In reply Murray & Hathorn Jnr put on 74 for the first wicket before the skipper played on for 39. Iain Hathorn joined his son and put on 48 for the second wicket before Tom was pinned in front for 45. Stones (4*) & Hathorn Snr (24*) saw the 5s home to an 8 wicket win in the 25th over.
On Sunday the 1st XI were on Scottish Cup second round duty at Grange Loan to take on Falkland. Overnight rain delayed the start but when play did eventually get underway Arun Pillai won the toss and chose to bat first. Both openers fell early and when Daniel Da Costa (17) was out off the last ball of the 8th over Carlton were 41 for 3. Wickets continued to fall and when Hugo Southwell (32) was the 6th wicket to fall the score was 71 in the 19th over. Ruari Macpherson (18) and Ally Evans (32) staged a decent fight back and with contributions from Charlie Buchannan-Smith (17) & Rory Allardice (10) the home side posted 158. Evans picked up an early wicket but it wasn’t until the introduction of Southwell to the attack that the next wicket fell with the Fifers 67 for 2 in the 16th over. The skipper then turned to spin and Allardice and Pillai claimed 4 wickets apiece to bowl Falkland out for 111 in the 34th over. That win sets up a quarterfinal tie against either Grange or Aberdeenshire.
The Women played their second WPL fixture against Grange at Portgower Place. Skipper Samantha Haggo lost the toss and Carlton were invited to bat first. 3 wickets fell early to leave Carlton in a spot of bother at 46 for 3 in the 10th over. Haggo and Priyanaz Chatterji then put on 152 for the 4th wicket before Chatterji eventually fell for 92 in the 24th over. Haggo (88*) kept going and helped her side post a commanding 270 for 5 from their 30 overs. The Arrows didn’t have it all their own way with the ball as Grange made 189 for 5 from their 30 overs. Masie Maceira & Chatterji claimed 2 wickets each and Gabriella Fontenla took 1 as Carlton completed an 81 run victory.
The final game of the weekend saw the 4th XI travel to Boghall to take on Linlithgow 2s. Captain Al Murray lost the toss and the West Lothian side opted to bowl first. The skipper fell early but a good second wicket partnership between Chris Sale & Euan Keatinge saw Carlton well placed at 63 for 1 at drinks. Keatinge (20) fell first and then a few overs later Sale (24) went in the face of some tight bowling from the home side. Shreyas Tekale (16) injected some urgency to the innings but the 4s couldn’t produce the required acceleration and posted 115 for 7 from their 40 overs. An aggressive start from the home side was pegged back when Dan Mowat claimed the first wicket to leave Linlithgow 34 for 1 after 9 overs. Benji Risi & Robbie Murray both bowled well and picked up a wicket each to drag things back the Arrows way with the home side 67 for 3 after 20 overs. Unfortunately Carlton couldn’t match the bowling performance of the West Lothian side to defend a sub-par total and in the end Linlithgow cruised to a 7 wicket win in the 26th over.