Leicestershire call up Mommsen for T20 action

CARLTON will be without Scotland all-rounder Preston Mommsen for several weeks but skipper Fraser Watts is delighted.

Mommsen has been called up by Leicestershire for the defence of their T20 county crown after impressing Grace Road chiefs while on trial in a couple of four-day Championship matches.

Watts, who was also celebrating Carlton’s return to winning ways in the CS Eastern Premier Division, said: “This is great news for Preston and it reflects well on the club and Scottish cricket.”

Watts hailed the accuracy of his seam attack in the wake of the demolition job on Aberdeenshire at Grange Loan. The picture looked far from promising when the hosts were dismissed for just 138, but the bowlers skittled the Mannofield men for a dismal 64. The captain stated: “It was a green track and I wasn’t too worried about our total in the circumstances. I knew that if the seamers put the ball on the right spot we would have a pretty good chance.”

Omar Ahmad was the pick of them, snapping up five for 13, and both Saltires skipper Gordon Drummond and youngster John Hutton were on hat-tricks as the Dons surrendered their last six wickets for 13 runs.

Having challenged for the SNCL title in their opening year in the top flight, Arbroath just can’t get their 2012 campaign up and running. Grange were the latest assailants as they cruised to success at Lochlands. The target of 178 never looked likely to test the capital troops and they eased to victory with seven wickets and eight overs to spare.

Only Calvin Burnett (36) was able to put up any meaningful resistance to the visiting attack, for whom veteran Stuey Davidson starred with three for 28.

Gregor Maiden (43) and Neil McCallum (31) laid the foundations for Grange before Smudger Smith (35 not out) and Stuart Moffat (33 not out) finished the job.

To cap another disappointing weekend for the Tayside clubs, Forfarshire lost to Heriot’s at Broughty Ferry. In spite of a five-wicket haul for Dale Sweeney, the Edinburgh outfit made 228 for eight, thanks mainly to 57 apiece from David Ross and Qasim Ashraf. Brendan Ford (53), Aman Bailwal (30) and skipper Craig Wallace (30) gave the hosts a chance, but the lower order were unable to maintain the momentum.

Stuart Chalmers was in prime form for Watsonians as they maintained their 100 per cent record with an emphatic victory over Stoneywood-Dyce at Peoples Park. Chalmers hit 88 of his side’s 214-6, while namesake Ewan made 64 and Craig Wright 40. Chalmers then claimed three wickets, a feat matched by Mike Legget as Stoneywood were shot out for 94.