Stew-Mel record first win as Sweet helps to tame Carlton

Sam Flett showed why he has been on the fringes of Eastern Knights action this year with 95 for RH Corstorphine

With rain around on Friday night it was doubtful if the matches being played in the Capital would get underway on time.

However, groundstaff across the city did a good job and at Grange Loan, Stewart’s Melville knew that they had to produce a positive result against Carlton to give them something to build on.

They had won a Masterton Trophy game in midweek against Musselburgh and that gave Greg Ruthven’s men the confidence to go on and get a first league triumph of 2018.

Despite their batting woes of April and May, the visitors won the toss and decided to bat first.

A 67-run opening partnership between Kyle McCallum and Hayden Sweet set them up nicely before Ruairi Macpherson took the scalp of the former for 38 and the wheels came off a bit.

Adeel Raza was the star of the show for the home side taking 5-26 as Stewart’s Melville limped along to 138 all out, professional Shaylen Pillay top scoring with 42.

Defending that total, Stewart’s Melville knew they needed early wickets overseas amateur Sweet was the man to do it taking 2-23; Kyle McCallum took two wickets in one over with Kris Steel, 2-14; Ruthven 1-27, and Sam Tait 1-25. And despite 71 from professional Michael Castle, Carlton were all out for 127, losing by 11 runs.

Stewart’s Melville skipper Ruthven said: “It feels great to get our first league win of the summer.

“We had a small total to defend, but we applied pressure from the off with some accurate bowling and a real will to win.

“I am really chuffed for the boys as they have worked hard for this.”

At East Barnton Avenue, Grange were making it six wins from six to stay top of the table.

Sam Flett showed why he has been on the fringes of Eastern Knights action this year with 95 as RH Corstorphine made a solid looking 251-7 from their 50 overs.

Tom Foulds led the way for Grange with 2-34.

Grange’s innings was played under ever darkening skies, so they knew they had to stay above the DLS score.

Gordon Goudie and Nick Farrar fell early, but 48 not out and an unbeaten 49 from the in-form duo of Dylan Budge and the captain Preston Mommsen put them in a good place.

They had reached 129-2 from 29.1 overs when things were halted by the weather, leaving the visitors with an 18-run win.

Heriot’s showed the battling qualities that helped them to the title last year, winning a very tight match at Glenrothes to leave them second in the standings.

After his midweek Masterton Trophy century, pro Hayes van der Berg was at it again, hitting 94 to help his side post 182 all out batting first. That had not looked a likely score when they were 55-5.

Glenrothes’ hopes of a first league win of 2018 were pinned on skipper Safyaan Sharif.

He scored a half century, but wickets kept falling around him and - after he hit a big six – they needed 10 runs off the last two overs with just one wicket remaining.

Heriot’s captain Keith Morton held his nerve though, bowling the Scotland man for 84 to give the Goldenacre men the win. Morton finished with 4-26.

Mike Carson made 99 for Watsonians as they posted 228 all out against Arbroath at Myreside. The visitors made it up to 79-2 in reply before the rain came and the clash was abandoned.