Local cricket: Gloves are off for StewMel star Ben Wilkinson as they take on Grange

In the opening two weeks of the season Wilkinson, the 22-year-old Scotland ‘A’ cap who moved to Inverleith from Glenrothes over the winter, kept wicket for his new team.

Then six days ago, in their home match with Stoneywood-Dyce, he took off the keeping pads and opened the bowling.

As well as taking three wickets he scored a crucial 27 with the bat as Stew Mel achieved their first win of the summer.

“Whenever I had played against Stew Mel for other clubs in the past they always seemed like a good bunch of guys, so when I was moving on from Glenrothes and wanted to stay in the Eastern Premier Division I decided to move to Inverleith and I am glad I did,” the former Dunfermline and Heriot’s man said.

“With our first match against Aberdeenshire falling foul of the weather and then being beaten at Carlton we knew that the Stoneywood-Dyce game was a big one and the guys managed to rise to the challenge.

“Having been keeping wicket previously I was perhaps surprised to be asked to open the bowling, but I will do whatever job the team needs me to do and we really came well as a team.

“The victory has given us a bit of confidence, but we know that Grange will be a tough test this weekend and we have to refocus.

“I certainly believe we have the players and team here that can go on and have a good season.”

Grange will travel the short distance to take on Stew Mel likely to be without Dylan Budge after he was called up to the Scotland squad.

Heriot’s are third in the table and will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Forfarshire when they travel north to take on Aberdeenshire.

RH Corstorphine are also on the long road north, taking on Stoneywood-Dyce.

Watsonians, after last week’s tight win over RHC, are off to Broughty Ferry to play Forfarshire while Carlton, with Arun Pillai likely to be leading the team, host Arbroath.

In the ESCA Championship second placed Edinburgh are set to host Kelso tomorrow with leaders Carlton II taking on Mazars Grange II on Sunday.