Weekend preview – 24th/25th May

It’s set to be a busy one this weekend with 6 league games and a 2nd round Scottish Cup home tie to look forward to.

On Saturday the 1st XI are hoping to continue their winning momentum with a trip to the north side of the capital to take on Stewart’s Melville.  Saqib Ali is set to make his first team debut, with Chris McBride and James Stronach returning to the side for the first time since 2024.

The 2nd XI will entertain Grange 2s at Grange Loan on Saturday in an Arrows vs Antlers derby. Will Hardie retains his place in the side off the back of top scoring last weekend away at Gala.

The 3rd XI will hope to build on last week’s victory as they head to North Berwick to face off against perennial promotion winners Bass Rock.  Hamish Foley is available for selection alongside Abhishek Mehta, Shaun Smith and Raghuram Parasur returning for the 3s.

The 4th XI will head east to Tranent and Preston Village where they will play against their 3rd XI.  Chris Sale returns to the side after his 65* steered the 5s to victory last week.  Raj Prabhu, Scott Fraser, Benji Risi, Kartic and Atreya Subr, Stu Dawson and Jake Heller are the other additions to a much changed side.

The 5th XI round off a five game Saturday with a home fixture against TPV 4s at Merchiston  Castle School.  Euan Murray will steer the ship in Keith Murray’s absence, with the Van Der Merwe father-son combination also back in action.

On Sunday the Arrows host Drumpellier at Grange Loan in the second round of the Scottish Cup.  The Coatbridge side currently sit 7th in the Western Premiership First Division.  The last meeting between the two sides was also in the Scottish Cup at Grange Loan, but in 2017 victory earned the winner a spot in the final at Forthill.  In that match Michael Herdmann’s unbeaten 106 set up a 42 run win (by DLS method) for the eventual winners, as the Arrows went on to defeat Watsonians in the final, possibly the most historic day in the club’s recent history.  Harry Simpson and Charlie Buchanan-Smith feature for the 1st XI in 50-over cricket for the first time this season.

On Sunday the Women’s First XI take on Stewart’s Melville at Inverleith in a top of the table clash.  Both sides are currently unbeaten in the WPL as well as Watsonians/Dumfries.  Elsie Fraser and Gabriella Fontenla are set to feature for the first time this season.

Both the Second XI’s and First XI’s fixtures at Grange Loan will be livestreamed on the Carlton CC YouTube Channel.