Cricket: Weston masterclasses light up Watsonians Premier challenge

KIWI professional Tim Weston has been hailed as a key figure as Watsonians bid for the third straight Scottish Cricket Premiership win, against champions Aberdeenshire, at Myreside tomorrow.

After taking time to settle in new surroundings Weston, who turns 28 on Sunday, has hit form with a vengeance. Scores of 113 not out in a five-wicket win at Clydesdale followed by 69 as Greenock were seen off last week have propelled the New Zealand Central Districts captain into the top 10 run-makers for the season so far while 'Sonians have climbed to fifth in the table.

Skipper Steve Paige, who returns along with Euan Stubbs, said: "As soon as our president concluded negotiations to bring Tim across as pro he couldn't contain his delight at the calibre of our latest signing.

"Tim has a wealth of experience to offer on and off the pitch and it is really starting to show. In New Zealand he has a first class batting average of 40 and represents his region in four day, one day and twenty:20 cricket."

'Sonians lost home and away to Aberdeenshire last season but look well placed to reverse the trend.

However, Paige is cautious, saying: "The Aberdeenshire captain, Neil Macrae (ex-Grange) has a tremendous cricketing brain and was all-rounder of the year in the last SNCL awards. Tyler Buchan is taking plenty of wickets (11) while Michael Parlane is proving a very useful professional."

In fact, Parlane is averaging more than 50 in the league this term.

"It took us a few weeks to gel with four new faces but things look to be happening now and the aim is to keep building," added Paige.

While full internationalist Ally Evans and under-19 cap Charles Legget return to the Carlton line-up along with Saltires bowlers Ross Lyons and Gordon Drummond it is going to take something special to upstage man-of-the-moment Omer Ahmad at second place Forfarshire.

Making his first league appearance of 2010 in the win over Dunfermline last week bowling first change Ahmad took the competition's initial six-wicket haul. That followed a five-wicket display in signing off the 2009 campaign.

Modestly playing down his success, Ahmad, a policeman whose Howden Hall station 'beat' includes the Carlton ground, says: "I was fortunate to find myself hitting the same spot and hopefully this can lead on to something."

And the former Edinburgh CC player whose victims all fell to catches in returning 6-12 off nine over added: "I'd certainly like to play representatively and moving to Carlton three years ago was about testing myself at a higher level." Two of the catches fell to Jamie Kerr but the keeper is also making a name for himself with the bat, three not out innings having hoisted his average to a spectacular 196.

Grange put their 100 per cent record on the line at Greaves Clydesdale in what skipper Sanjay Patel anticipates will be the "hardest test of the season so far" given the return of Saltires Omer Hussain and Majid Haq to the home ranks.

International 'keeper Simon Smith will have a late fitness test so Chris Murphy, who deputised in last weekend's narrow Grange win over West, stands by.

In Division One, Heriot's have doubts over Steve Knox (thumb) and Jed Case (knee) for the home clash with Drumpeller. In Division Two, RH Corstorphine await Dumfries while Imans Edinburgh and SMRH visit, respectively, Ferguslie and Renfrew.