Weekend preview – 15th/16th June
It’s a massive weekend in the Scottish sporting calendar with the Euros getting underway today and the all important game between Scotland and Australia on Sunday morning. The Arrows have just the 5 fixtures this weekend.
The First XI will welcome 6th placed RHC to Grange Loan on Saturday in a match kindly sponsored by Angus & Ann Mair. The North Edinburgh side finished 8th in the EPL last year, 4 spots below the Arrows. In the match last year 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 from Murray 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, 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 Second XI will head to Campbell Park to take on top of the league Edinburgh CC. Edinburgh were the other club that got relegated from the ESCA Championship in 2023, losing all 15 of their completed games. The away game was rained off without a ball being bowled however at the game at Grange Loan captain Ben D’Ulisse won the toss and elected to bat first. That looked to be a brave decision as the home side were reduced to 20 for 4 in the 13th over. That soon became 41 for 5 but Euan Keatinge (37) and Ben Stronach (33) dug in to ensure the 2s were able to post some sort of score. Some enterprising hitting from the lower order, Charles Stronach (20) & Armaan Bedi (25), helped the home side to 162 for 9 from their 45 overs. In reply Bedi picked up an early wicket but it took until the 14th over and the introduction of Charles Stronach for the second wicket fall. Edinburgh CC took the attack to the bowlers but in the 17th over Bedi claimed another to make it 73 for 3. Stronach claimed his second shortly after and the game was evenly poised at 76 for 4 in the 18th. Chayank Gosain came into the attack and picked up 2 quick wickets to turn the game Carlton’s way. A good 7th wicket partnership tipped things in favour of the visitors but a run out from Dan Potter brought things back in the balance. 2 more wickets fell and that left 11 needed of the last with one wicket in hand. Two 2s made it interesting but Jamie Beattie castled the Edinburgh batter for a fine 6 run win.
The Fourth XI will head to McKane Park to face off against Dunfermline and Carnegie 2nd team. Dunfermline and Carnegie finished 2nd in ESCA Division 6 in 2023 earning them a place in Division 5 for this year. They are currently top of the league with 6 wins from 7 games. The two sides haven’t encountered each other in recent times.
The Fifth XI will take on MDAFs 4s at Roseburn’s artificial track on Saturday. MDAFs 4s finished one position above the Arrows in 4th place in 2023. They are currently one place above the Arrows this year, sitting in 5th place with 4 wins and 2 losses. In the match last year skipper Keith Murray won the toss and chose to bat first (possibly influenced by the late arrival of several of the side from their morning school games). Although Murray fell early Tom & Iain Hathorn put on 53 for the 2nd wicket before a mix up saw young Tom run out for 15. Hathorn Snr departed shortly after for 35 but all the other batters got starts. Martin Robertson (30) & Mike Kennedy (36) put on 64 for the 5th wicket in typically brisk fashion. All that was left was for U14 Hamish Turner to hit 48* off only 31 balls to propel the 5s to 214 for 7 from their 40 overs. With the ball late call up Jake Heller took 2 early wickets but a good 3rd wicket partnership was eventually broken by Turner. Hathorn Jnr claimed the next wicket but a strong 5th wicket partnership threatened to take the game away from the 5s. The skipper turned to Shreyas Tekale and the youngster did the job and picked up the wicket of the set batter in his second over. With 15 needed off the last two overs Turner & Tekale held their nerves, helped by run outs from Aadi Khadse & Tekale, ensured the 5s got off to a winning start in 2023 with a 7 run victory as the home side were restricted to 207 for 7 from their overs.
On Sunday the Mixed Development XI will host Stewart’s Melville at Grange Loan for a 1pm start. John Beattie will captain the side.