Andy McKay takes nine from nine in fine Watsonians victory

Andy McKay, left, takes 9 wickets for 9 runs off 6.2 overs as Watsonians see off rivals Mazars Grange. Pic: TSPL

Kiwi left arm seamer McKay took the amazing figures of 9-9 in Stockbridge to bowl out the home side for just 55 as ‘Sonians won by 221-runs.

For the Myreside men it was the perfect response to defeat at Carlton the previous week and now McKay wants the level of performance to remain high.

The 36-year-old, who now has 20 league wickets for the campaign, said: “We have some big matches coming up starting with a home match against Arbroath this coming weekend and the guys must take confidence from this win over Grange and really try and build on it.

“We did not perform as we would have liked against Carlton, but there is a lot of character in this group and we certainly showed that on Saturday.

“When we batted first against Grange we thought that 276 was a pretty decent total, but we know that they have some quality batsmen and that our bowling was going to have to be accurate from ball one.

“It was one of those days for me with the ball when everything went right. I managed to get a wicket early on in their  reply, the ball was swinging and I settled into a nice rhythm and things seemed to just click.

“I had previously taken eight wickets in a match before but never nine, so to get that amount was really pleasing.

“The league is pretty tight right at the minute, and I think that there will be four or five teams in the hunt for the title come the end of the summer.”

Batting first at Raeburn Place, Watsonians progressed nicely to 160-5 before the Chalmers brothers Ewan and Andrew came together at the crease.

They put together a 104-run partnership before the latter was out for 54 and then Ewan, the captain, continued on to make 92 not out.

That led his side to 276-7 against a Grange bowling attack that had to deal with injuries during the match to seamers Chris Sole and Cameron Sloman.

Avinash Yadav and Gordon Goudie both claimed two wickets.

With the in-form Nick Farrar missing, Jonny Brock opened the batting with Ryan Flannigan for Grange, but they fell cheaply to McKay and it was a sign of things to come.

Over the next hour the former New Zealand internationalist delivered a bowling masterclass to leave stand-in Grange skipper Alex Baum and his side stunned.

Ally Sadler also chipped in with one wicket as Watsonians moved to second in the league and made amends for Citylets Scottish Cup and Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy defeats to the same opponents earlier in the season.

Hayes van der Berg led the way with 78 as Heriot’s got back to winning ways against Glenrothes.

Spinners Ryan Brown and Mark Watt both took three wickets as the Fifers were bowled out for 165 batting first at Goldenacre.

South African van der Berg’s knock and 24 not out by Sean Weeraratna then saw Heriot’s home by four wickets.

In a rain-affected contest Carlton lost at Arbroath.

The hosts posted 171-5 from their 29 overs and then Carlton could only make 134 all out in response as they lost by 37-runs.

Forfarshire remain top after seeing off Stoneywood-Dyce by six wickets.

SMRH’s unbeaten start to the Baillie Gifford ESCA Championship continued with a comfortable win at Kelso.

Matthew Angelini’s 44 helped the Inverleith men make 175 all out in the Borders and then they bowled the hosts out for 76.

Carlton II defeated Dunnikier while 78 from Ozzie Malik kept RH Corstorphine in the title hunt with a 171-run thumping of Mazars Grange II.

There were also victories for Edinburgh and Stuart&Stuart Penicuik.

Tonight Linlithgow host Penicuik in the first Masterton semi-final with Grange and Carlton meeting on Tuesday.