Cricket: Mighty McCallum leads Grange to big victory

McCallum scored 153 not out at Mannofield as the leaders comfortably defeated the reigning champions by 100 runs to help themselves bounce back from two straight losses to Clydesdale and Uddingson.

The Scotland man's runs – which came just 24-hours after he had faced England in Stockbridge – put him second in the highest innings of the top-flight season table, that honour currently held by team mate Gregor Maiden with 166.

And the victory means they go into Thursday night's Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy semi-final with Marchmont and Saturday's crucial league match with Forfarshire on a high.

Batting first, Grange posted a score of over 300 for the second week running, McCallum's century being added to by 79 from skipper Sanjay Patel as they made 313-5.

Gregor Maiden, omitted from the Scotland team 24-hours earlier, then took three wickets with the ball as the hosts were all out for 213 leaving the Grange team delighted as they headed down the road.

Meanwhile, Carlton's plan worked to perfection as they were victorious at Bothwell Castle by six wickets against Uddingston.

To try to get the hosts' danger man Paul Hoffman out early they opened the bowling with spinner Ross Lyons to take the pace off the ball.

It worked with Hoffman out to the Scotland man in the first few overs, a blow from which Uddingston never really recovered. They were all out for 152 with Lyons getting four wickets and Omar Ahmad and Cedric English bowling well too.

In reply the opening partnership of Fraser Watts and Preston Mommsen carried on where they left off a couple of weeks ago before the latter went on Scotland duty.

Mommsen top scored with 60 and captain Watts hit 55 as the visitors won at a canter.

Carlton wicketkeeper Jamie Kerr said: "I thought we put in a really good performance. The bowlers all stuck to their plans and Ross was unlucky not to get five wickets given how well he performed.

"We have a Masterton semi against Edinburgh on Tuesday and we should go into that feeling good about our cricket."

And Watsonians rounded off a trio of away wins for the top flight clubs when they saw off McCrea FS West by 39-runs at Hamilton Crescent.

Ewan Chalmers, who also scored runs for the National Academy last week in a win over an MCC XI, was the mainstay with 59 and Kiwi Tim Weston also hit a half century.

That, along with 39 from Stuart Chalmers, saw them post 235 all out batting first. The hosts were then bowled out for 196 with Ross Paxton taking 3-37 to keep 'Sonians in the title race.

In the First Division yesterday Heriot's stayed top with a routine win against Penicuik at Goldenacre.

Batting first, Matthew Thomas top scored with 75 and Adam Lockhart-Krause and Anthony Edington also made half centuries as they made 273-5. The visitors were then all out for 125, young Kiwi spinner Thomas the pick of the bowlers with 3-15.

SMRH defeated RH Corstorphine in the derby in the Second Division.

The visitors made 209-8 batting first at Barnton, before they bowled out struggling RHC for 191 to win by 18-runs. SMRH's Richard Hannam took four wickets and captain Rob More hit 68 for the hosts.

Edinburgh lost to West Lothian at home by five wickets after being bowled out for just 132.