Cricket: Watsonians bowler puts his own wicket chase aside

Pace-setter Stuart Chalmers today urged Watsonians colleagues to send professional Tim Weston on his way home to New Zealand with another valuable win in the battle for Scotland's cricket premiership.

'Sonians have slipped 1.33 per cent behind leaders Grange ahead of entertaining Carlton at the start of a three-match run-in which could see Chalmers emerge as a key figure.

With 30 wickets to his credit so far, the 27-year-old Saltires seamer is four ahead of Paul Hoffman at the top of the individual bowling charts and said: "There are all sorts of incentives including getting a win for Tim, who has really come good the longer the season has gone on. Any success I've had has been down to a lot of work over the winter with (Scotland coach) Peter Steindl and also Craig Wright (ex-Scotland captain); technical stuff like bowling closer to the crease has got me swinging the ball a bit more.

"Last season, I was with Grange and we narrowly missed out on the title (by 2.54 per cent to Aberdeenshire) but it looks like being an even closer finish this year.

"So, it is important we keep winning and, if Paul Hoffman were to roll over Grange when he faces them at Uddingston tomorrow and overtakes me in the individual stakes, I wouldn't worry in the least so long as Watsonians went back to the top."

The winter move across the Capital has taken Chalmers to Myreside where he works as a groundsman.

"Occasionally, friends wind me up when I get wickets at home claiming it is because I spend my working week doctoring the pitch to suit my bowling style.

"Things reached a head with some text messages after I'd taken five wickets against Greenock in what was probably the highlight of my season so far. Certainly, having had a taste of international cricket with Scotland (two caps against Canada) last year, I'm keen to get back on that scene but I know it means producing the goods for not only Scotland Lions (2nd XI) and also Watsonians. What better time than with the title at stake?

"Matches between ourselves and Carlton are usually tight and this was shown when we let them get away from us in the first half of the season then gradually reined then back in, mainly through Craig Wright, who took his fifth and last wicket in the final over with three runs required for victory.

"After international coaching commitments Craig is back tomorrow and that's timely. Although our reserve strength is good he'll be needed with Carlton likely to field an in-form Ally Evans along with other proven performers such as Preston Mommsen, who hasn't been available for Scotland against Afghanistan this week, Steve Gilmour and Cedric English."

That Scotland encounter, incidentally, accounts for Ryan Flannigan and Ewan Chalmers of the Watsonian regulars while Fraser Watts and Ross Lyons are Carlton absentees.

For Grange to remain top of a league in which Dunfermline lie third some ten per cent off the pace will probably mean reversing an astonishing first-half defeat by Uddingston despite posting a target of 340-5.

Simon Smith is on Saltires duty and Neil McCallum is a massive doubt for Grange due to an achilles tendon injury.

In Division One, leaders Heriot's can move closer to the title by winning at NVT Poloc while SMRH bid to make it six wins in a row at home to RH Corstorphine in Division Two which also sees Edinburgh head for West Lothian.