Penicuik team on Chalm offensive

Published on Tuesday 10 June 2008 10:21

PENICUIK cricket captain Stuart Chalmers admits his side face a "massive challenge" in tonight's Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy second round tie at Myreside against Watsonians (6.15pm), but it is one he is relishing.

And no wonder he is keen to get back out in the middle given that he is fine touch with the bat. An unbeaten century from the skipper helped the SNCL First Division side chase 257 to beat SMRH in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

Chalmers knows Penicuik will be underdogs tonight in the Twenty20 encounter against top-flight opponents, however, he said: "The guys enjoy paying this form of the game. We know Watsonians have some good players, but who knows what will happen in a one-off tie."

Unfortunately for Penicuik bowler Jamie Mitchell and batsman Mark Fraser look set to miss out with back injuries picked up over the weekend.

Their absence will give East Academy talents Cammy Crawford and Grant Davidson the chance to step up to the top team. Key men are likely to be Chalmers, Willie Morton and his son Keith. The trio know the ground better than anyone with the former duo on the ground staff at Myreside and the latter, who is a current Scotland under-19 player, having played all his school cricket there for George Watson's College.

Meanwhile, skipper Gordon Drummond is set to return to boost the Watsonians side.

Scotland internationalist Drummond has been struggling with a hamstring injury for a few weeks. However, the one match he did play in before the problem flared up again was the Masterton first round win over Heriot's three weeks ago, showing his class with 85 off just 56 balls.

The home side are without young all-rounders Ewan Chalmers and Ryan Flannigan who are down at Belber Meadows playing for Scotland A against Derbyshire second XI this week, while Euan Robertson is unavailable.

In come Sri Ramani, Ally Fleming and Steve Paige to the team that lost to Greenock in the SNCL Premier Division on Saturday.

It is likely that Euan Stubbs and Dave Stewart will open the batting again, but the side named looks like it could bat a fair way down the order with the likes of Ramani, who has been setting Baillie Gifford East League Division One alight this summer, and Swami Rajagopal ones to look out for.

Batsman James Easton, who scored a superb 96 when Watsonians beat Penicuik in the final of this event back in 2003, said: "It is a big boost to have Gordon back in the side and we are looking forward to a tough contest, Penicuik always push us hard."

Elsewhere tonight in round-two ties, last season's runners-up Grange host East League outfit Fauldhouse at Raeburn Place and Nick Murden takes his Edinburgh Accies side to Stenhousemuir.