Cricket: Decision time for Watts as Carlton impress all round

The Grange Loan outfit go to Watsonians in the Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy on Thursday evening before travelling to Forfarshire on league duty on Saturday. The busy few days ends on Sunday with a Scottish Cup second round tie at home to Clydesdale.

And, with a number of players in top form and the likes of Scotland duo Gordon Drummond and Ross Lyons set to be back to feature in these three matches along with others such as Bryn Lockie, Watts' selection meeting after training tomorrow evening may take longer than usual.

Watts, who top scored with 122 as Carlton dominated the Knights at Grange Loan, said: "There are a lot of guys in the club playing really good cricket at the moment and they are making it hard for me to leave them out of the first XI. For example, Omar Ahmad came in for the Knights match and stole the show with six wickets and, with others returning this week, it is certainly going to be tough to know which eleven to go with in our various upcoming matches.

"I thought our performance against Dunfermline was pretty impressive in all departments. I was disappointed with myself for not going on and getting an even bigger score, but the way the bowlers performed meant that 278 was always going to be enough against a team who had been going well themselves."

The day had not started that well for Carlton though, seamer Stevie Elder pulling out in the morning due to a finger injury to be replaced by Ben Stewart.

However, batting first the hosts looked set to post a total of over 300 for the second week running. With 14 overs remaining opener Watts was still at the crease and he and overseas amateur Blake Dean were going well. They both got out in quick succession though as Dunfermline's bowlers fought back after some early struggles.

The Carlton innings lost a bit of impetus after that but wicketkeeper Jamie Kerr did provide some late fireworks including two fours and a superb six in the last over. He finished on 46 not out as they posted 278-8.

The Knights' reply got off to the worst possible start when the experienced Wayne Sullivan was run out superbly by Australian Dean trying to go for a quick single.

In the seventh over Cedric English then managed to grab the key wicket of visiting pro Alistair Gray, caught in the slips, and, when skipper Gowtham Rai then fell to the same man two overs later, the Fifers were struggling on 43-3.

Enter Omar Ahmad to the action. Last summer he took 7-30 in one league match and on Saturday he managed to end up with 6-12 after some accurate bowling to help bundle Dunfermline out for just 118.

Elsewhere in the top flight Grange are still top after a home win over McCrea FS West.

Grange had been 132-8 at one stage at Raeburn Place before 44 from Stuart Davidson helped push them up to 210 all out. In reply the visitors made a good fist of the chase, but Grange's bowlers kept their cool to see them home by nine runs.

At Glenpark Ewan Chalmers returned to the Watsonians side with a bang, hitting 77 in a match reduced to 25-overs-a-side to guide them to victory.

'Sonians made 215-5 and Mike Legget then took four wickets as the hosts were restricted to 137 all out.

Heriot's won the top-of-the-table clash in the First Division, seeing off Stirling County by 90 runs, but Penicuik lost at Stoneywood Dyce.

Edinburgh, SMRH and RH Corstorphine all lost in the Second Division.