Cricket: Charles wins out in battle of the Legget clan

As the match reached its conclusion there was the engaging sight of Charles, 24-year-old middle brother, bowling for Carlton while Mike, 26, and Peter, 19, occupied opposite ends of the crease.

In the event the outcome was settled by a superb piece of fielding from Toby Bailey scoring a direct hit to run out Peter Legget and close the Watsonian innings on 166 – and though he was denied a prestige scalp it was quite sufficient for Charles to be part of a winning line-up.

“I had a stress fracture of the L5 [Lumber 5] vertebrae in my back 18 months ago and took the whole of last season off and am only Just coming back,” said Charles.

“I was still in a back brace until December as doctors tried successfully to avoid surgery and things have improved sufficiently for me to not only win back a place in the Carlton team but do some triathlons as well.

“The injury was caused probably by a combination of my bowling action and also practising indoors where the lack of ‘give’ in some types of flooring can induce stress.”

Explaining his decision to decamp from Watsonians to Carlton a few years ago, Charles said: “The year I left school I played for Watsonians but didn’t feel there was an opportunity. It came down to either making an opportunity for myself or going somewhere else.

“I played in Australia that winter then on returning Cedric English, who had coached me at Merchiston Castle School and was part of the Carlton team, invited me to make the switch.”

Wins like that achieved on Saturday offered further vindication and Charles was in no doubt about the decisive moment which swung the game and has left Watsonians in second place on run-rate behind Barclays Wealth Grange. “Ewan Chalmers has been in such great form that getting his wicket was pretty important.”

In fact, Ewan Chalmers was settling into a solid partnership with namesake Stuart Chalmers when caught by Bailey for 47 to become one of four victims for spinner Umair Mohammed.

Soon after Stuart Chalmers departed one ball after being dropped and when Mark Yellowlees sportingly walked to a catch at slip by Gordon Drummond after the umpire had  declined to raise the finger Watsonians were effectively finished.

“It was important to show we could beat the top team even though we are probably out of the race after three early defeats,” added Charles Legget. “That’s three wins in a row and everybody is contributing.

“Momentum is building and after Ewan Chalmers fell the bowling of Umair and Preston Mommsen in a spell between the 30th and 40th overs really tied them down. Three or four wickets fell for almost no runs.”

Had there been a man-of-the-match prize then contenders would have included Toby Bailey (he took a blow to the helmet when fielding at short leg but shrugged aside the incident), Mommsen for a sterling knock of 84 to help rescue Carlton from 64-5, and Umair.

“Mentally it was important to get 207 runs on the board and to do that Preston dug in and had guys bat around him

“As for the bowling Umair is off to Australia for the winter and should return an even better player.”

With Grange still to confront them on the final day Carlton are certainly cast as the league’s kingmakers although it looked as though their luck was out early on when Steve Gilmour was dismissed in bizarre circumstances.

A no-ball presented a free hit but attempting a second Gilmour was stunned to see his stumps thrown down from long on by Watsonian pro Jean Symes.

Fortunately for Carlton Toby Bailey (23), Jamie Kerr (20) and Charles Legget (14 not out) added to a knock of 27 from opener Fraser Watts and the winning total was set.

Barclays Wealth Grange took advantage of what was Sonians’ first slip in either league or Scottish Cup with an eight wicket win over Forfarshire at Forthill.

Neil McCallum (77) and Sanjay Patel (53) posted unbeaten half centuries while it was a good day for Gregor Maiden with an innings of 37 to add to three wickets which helped restrict Forfarshire to 187-9.

Kiwi Brad Kneebone hit 52 for Heriot’s but was powerless to stop them slipping to defeat at Aberdeenshire.

In the First Division SMRH defeat Edinburgh Accies by 76 runs.