Being made leader of Carlton has not left Gosain in a spin

Chayank Gosain has just finished another year at university, but the Carlton stand-in skipper admits he is still enjoying learning as a captain on the cricket field.

Chayank Gosain, centre, says the team is capable of putting a strong run of results together

The 21-year-old spinner is officially vice-captain of the Grange Loan outfit this summer, but with Ali Evans on Scotland duty he has stepped up during the last couple of weeks.

Tomorrow, Gosain’s charges are at home to Watsonians in a CSL Eastern Premiership Edinburgh derby looking to bounce back from last week’s loss at Tayside Group Forfarshire.

That defeat, in a match reduced to 39 overs, left Gosain frustrated, but he has not dwelt on it.

Indeed this week he has been playing for the Scottish Universities side down in Cambridge and the Napier University engineering student is excited ahead of the weekend.

“Being asked to be vice-captain this year was a massive honour for me,” he said.

“I have grown up at the club and been involved in the first team for a few years now, so to win the league last year and then be asked to support Evo [Evans] in 2017 was really good.

“I have now been captain a few times and I take my hat off to the guys who have done the role a lot in the past because it gives you a lot to think about on the day during a match.

“You are involved in every ball from start to finish and that can take some getting used to, but I have enjoyed the challenge and there are some really experienced guys around at Carlton to help me out.

“Last weekend up at Forfarshire we didn’t play really badly, we just had a few lapses in concentration with the ball and they cost us in the end.

“Cameron Shoebridge bowled well while Arun Pillai [who made 40 not out] batted well, but we just did not give him enough support.

“It is always annoying to lose, but before that one we had been in a good run of form and a lot of younger guys are getting more used to first XI cricket and we are looking for a strong few weeks coming up.”

Evans will be missing from the Carlton bowling attack because he is likely to be playing for Scotland against Zimbabwe at Portgower Place across the Capital.

Calum Everett looks set to replace the unavailable Shoebridge in the bowling attack.

Carlton sit fifth in the table while last Saturday’s victory over Glenrothes moved Watsonians up to fourth.

They have George Munsey on Scotland duty.

Leaders Mazars Grange are without skipper Preston Mommsen for the trip north to Aberdeenshire.

The hosts defeated SMRH eight days ago on the same ground and with Lesiba Chris Ngoepe, the league’s third highest wicket taker in their ranks, Grange will need to be wary.

Heriot’s and SMRH meet at Goldenacre. The home side are currently third with SMRH ninth.

Mark Watt is on Scotland duty and Mike Evans and Richard Cummine are out of the Heriot’s XI that was named last week for the clash at Falkland that was rained off.

James Hearn and Steve Knox come into the ranks while SMRH will head the short distance from Inverleith looking for a third league victory of an up and down summer.

In the Baillie Gifford ESCA Championship tomorrow, leaders RH Corstorphine face a testing trip to the Borders to take on third placed Kelso.

Edinburgh have been in good form of late to move up to second place and they welcome Stuart&Stuart Penicuik to Campbell Park.

Marchmont are still looking for their first win and they are away to play Freuchie in Fife.