Cricket: Mommsen and Flannigan go 50-50 as title race hots up

PRESTON MOMMSEN and Ryan Flannigan both showed why they have forced their way into the Scotland set-up as they hit half centuries on Saturday to keep their respective sides firmly in the SNCL Premier Division title race.

Mommsen, who is in Holland this week with his country, made 58 as Carlton defeated Aberdeenshire, while Flannigan made the same score as Watsonians won their sixth match on the spin with a comfortable defeat of Dunfermline Knights.

At Grange Loan, the visitors had made 237-5 batting first, young seamer Ally Evans taking three wickets for the hosts.

Fraser Watts and Mommsen then got Carlton off to a good start and, after Mommsen had completed his half century, Stevie Gilmour was going well. However, after they and others got out, it was left to Gordon Drummond and Omar Ahmad to see the match through.

Drummond made 26 not out and Ahmad 18 not out as they eventually made it home by two wickets.

Over at Myreside, 'Sonians bowled out the Fifers for 136. Captain Steve Paige took 3-29 and Mike Legget took the key wicket of pro Alistair Gray.

In reply, Euan Stubbs departed early for six and Tim Weston made just seven, but Flannigan – capped twice against India A last week – and Ewan Chalmers put on a 93-run partnership as the hosts won by seven wickets.

Grange are still leading the top flight after another century from teenager Oli Hairs helped them to a comfortable victory over Forfarshire in Stockbridge.

Hairs' 135 hoisted his team up to 267 all out batting first and then Stuart Davidson claimed three scalps as the visitors, who had been going well in previous weeks, were all out for 141.

Penicuik tasted victory for the first time this summer in the First Division as they saw off Stenhousemuir by 20 runs at Kirkhill.

Batting first, the hosts posted 196-8 before Kris Steel took four wickets and captain Keith Morton bowled a miserly spell as the visitors were dismissed for 176.

In the Second Division, the return of South African Jon Kent failed to inspire SMRH as they went down by 16 runs to Edinburgh at Academy Park.

Arslan Mir scored 85 for Edinburgh in their 238-8 and captain Greg Bissett made 69 for SMRH, but they fell just short.

RH Corstorphine lost by 40 runs at Ferguslie and are second bottom.