Cricket: New title challengers emerge

NEW life was injected into both the Western and Eastern Premier Divisions yesterday as leaders Clydesdale and Watsonians slumped to defeat, writes William Dick.

At Titwood, Clydesdale suffered two early blows when first Haroon Sher was bowled by Ricky Bawa and then Paddy Balfour was trapped in front by Calum MacLeod. However, from 36-2 skipper Zeeshan Bashir and Saltires star Majid Haq launched a recovery which took the hosts into three figures.

The pair did enough to hoist the total to 222 – a tally which looked good enough when Uddingston lost opening pair Paul Hoffmann and Amir Gul cheaply.

However, MacLeod and Sri Lankan professional Ras Priyadarshana formed a match-winning partnership, both scoring 76 to dishearten the Dale bowlers.

MacLeod’s brother Alan then provided the coup de grace with a hard-hitting 31 as Uddingston won in the penultimate over.

West of Scotland stayed in the title hunt after a nine-wicket demolition of stuttering Stirling at New Williamfield.

Meanwhile, across in Edinburgh, Watsonians tasted defeat for the first time as reigning SNCL champions. Carlton demonstrated their own title credentials at Grange Loan with a match-winning 84 from Preston Mommsen for a total of 207-9 in response to the visitors’ 166 all out. Mommsen’s innings produced a remarkable recovery as his side was sitting on 76-5 at one point.