Weekend roundup – 17th/18th June

The first game of the weekend saw the 1st XI entertain local rivals RHC at Grange Loan in a match kindly sponsored by Angus & Ann Mair.  Skipper Arun Pillai won the toss and opted to bat first. The Arrows lost 3 early wickets but Gav Murray & Pillai put on 58 for the fourth wicket. Murray eventually fell for 45 in the 27th over with 97 on the board. Ben D’Ulisse joined Pillai and the pair put on 57 for the 5th wicket.  When Pillai (65) & D’Ulisse (14) both were out with the score on 154, the home side were in a spot of bother but Umair Mohammed (27*) and Lewis O’Donnell (18*) took the score to 212 for 7 from their 50 overs. O’Donnell picked up an early wicket but a good second wicket partnership for RHC was developing. It was broken by a run out but the visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over.  Mohammed struck in the 33rd over to reduce RHC to 132 for 3 but RHC were still well set.  After 39 overs the visitors needed just 44 runs with 7 wickets in hand but Pillai claimed wickets in successive overs to give the home side hope of an unlikely win.  Pillai picked up another in the 46th over and then Shujaa Khan took one in the 47th.  In the 48th the skipper got another and a direct hit run out from Rory Allardice in the 49th swung things the home sides way. Needing 17 off the last and no wickets in hand, Pillai competed his 5-for courtesy of a Daniel Da Costa stumping from the final ball to give the Arrows a 10 run win.

The 2nd XI had a short journey to Inch Park to take on Edinburgh South. Harry Simpson was at the helm and the home side won the toss and chose to bat first. They lost wickets at regular intervals with opening bowlers Armaan Bedi & Charles Stronach claiming 3 & 2 wickets respectively, reducing the home side to 43 for 5 in the 18th over. The introduction of spin from Simpson & Max D’Ulisse didn’t provide any let up for the South batters and Carlton bowled the home side out for 77 in the 29th over. In reply,  Zaki Yusaf and Matt Wells put on 43 for the first wicket before the latter played on.  A clatter of wickets then followed including Yusaf for 33 which left the Arrows 46 for 5.  There was more drama as 3 further wickets fell, but the 2s finally got over the line in the 28th over for a 2 wicket win.

The 3rd XI travelled to Falkirk to take on Westquarter & Redding at Bailliefields. Captain Brad McKay won the toss and inserted the home side.  McKay claimed the first wicket in the 10th over and then Hector Murray & Dougie Firth also struck to leave Westquarter 40 for 3 in the 13th.  The home side rebuilt and it took the introduction of Sam Haggo to get the breakthrough in the 26th over with 115 on the board.  McKay came back to pick up the next wicket and there were 2 each for Tom Ritchie and Kyle Burgess as Carlton restricted the home side to 192 for 9 from their 40 overs.  In reply, Harry Hardie and James Stronach put on 48 for the 1st wicket before Hardie was bowled for 26.  Haggo fell cheaply and when Stronach was out for 33 shortly after the Arrows were in a spot of bother at 69 for 3 in the 17th over.  Cam Moore & Ciara Gibson had other ideas as the pair put on 104 for the 4th wicket before Gibson offered a return catch for a well made 28.  Moore was then out for a fine 69 with the finish line in sight and despite losing one more wicket the Arrows got over the line in the final over for a much needed 4 wicket win.

The 4th XI were at “home” at the Meadows, entertaining Holy Cross. Skipper Al Murray won the toss and chose to field first. The visitors got off to a fast start but Hamish Foley claimed the 1st wicket to arrest some of the momentum.  Robbie Murray then took another and Stu Dawson a third to bring things back the home sides way.  However some sensible batting in difficult conditions kept the scoreboard moving for Holy Cross.  Dawson claimed 3 more wickets and there was one for John Gill’s leg spin before Foley & Murray returned to claim a second wicket each and with Chris Sale picking up a runout off the last ball of the 40, the visitors were bowled out for 146.   The home chase got off to a disastrous start with the skipper going in the first over swiftly followed by Robbie Murray & John Beattie.  The 4s troubles with the bat continued and although there were useful contributions from Ben Stronach (14); Sale (27) & Dawson (10) the Arrows were bundled out for 89 in the 31st over to lose by 57 runs.

The 5th XI travelled along the coast to North Berwick to take on Bass Rock 2s at Recreation Park.  Captain Keith Murray won the toss and chose to bowl first.  His young charges stuck to their task well as they restricted the home side to 143 for 4 from their 40 overs.  There were 2 wickets for Atreya Subr, playing only his second senior league match, and 1 for the significantly more experienced Rahul Khadse as well as a run out for Elliot Ambrose, on league debut.  With the bat it looked to be a tall order when Murray went early but the youthful pairing of Tom Hathorn & Benji Risi knuckled down and produced an excellent partnership that broke the back of the chase.  When Risi fell just after hitting his maiden senior 50, there was another quick wicket but Tom Dweck joined Hathorn at the crease and the young Carlton batters continued to move towards the target.  In the end Hathorn (52*) and Dweck (22*) saw the 5s home in the 37th over for an outstanding 7 wicket win.

On Sunday the Women made the short journey to Myreside to take on Watsonians.  Skipper Sam Haggo lost the toss and the home side chose to bat first.  Wickets fell fairly regularly as a good bowling and fielding performance saw the home side bowled out for 94 in the 23rd over.  There were wickets for Maisie Maceira (2); Gabriella Fontentla; Flora Corbin; Charis Scott (3); Ajitha Rajan and Haggo who also chipped in with a run out.  In reply Sarah Beith fell early but Ciara Gibson & Scott broke the back of the chase before Scott fell for an aggressive 43.  Haggo joined Gibson at the crease and saw her side to the target in the 12th over with Gibson finishing on 24 not out.  That 8 wicket win sees Carlton remain unbeaten and at the top of the WPL table after 6 rounds.

Also on Sunday saw the annual Junior Sixes day at Grange Loan.  Six teams of 7 competed across the day, all under the watchful eye of Martin Firth.  The Orange team, led by Shreyas Tekale, eventually came out on top in a highly entertaining day of youth cricket.