Peet spins into record books with a magnificent seven-wicket haul

Spinner Charlie Peet recorded the best ever bowling figures in a one-day representative fixture for any Scotland cricket team when he took seven wickets for 12 runs on Saturday for the men’s under-19s.

Charlie Peet: Led from front

Over Friday and Saturday, 16-year-old Mazars Grange and Stewart’s Melville College player Peet took eight wickets to help the national age-grade team get their World Cup European qualifiers off to a flying start in the Netherlands.

On Friday he took one for 34 as Scotland defeated the hosts by three wickets in Rotterdam. Then on Saturday in the same city, Peet took a sensational seven for 12 against Jersey to help his side record a 122-run win in Scotland’s second game of the tournament.

That amazing spell of bowling included a wicket maiden and a triple wicket maiden.

He is hitting great form at just the right time and under-19 captain Angus Guy said: “I am really pleased with the way that the guys have played in the first two matches and Charlie has really led from the front.

“It is now up to us as a team to regroup and keep our standards high in the remaining matches to come because every game will be tough.”

Peet may just be 16, but he has been in and around the Grange first XI squad for the last couple of years along with fellow under-19 squad members Tom Mackintosh and Jamie Cairns.

Indeed, last year Peet played a big part as his club team won three trophies and senior players in the Grange set-up like player/coach John Blain and captain Preston Mommsen rate him highly. Another Grange player who is a current full Scotland cap, Dylan Budge, said of Peet: “Charlie really impresses me as a player because he is always willing to learn from each match he plays and he is never afraid to make mistakes.

“He’s become a key part of our team in the last couple of years and you sometimes forget how young he is given he is playing first XI cricket.” 
Last year Peet explained how he and his older brother Freddie got hooked on cricket from a young age. “We’ve been around the Grange club for many years because of our dad Nick, he used to play there and then he started to coach the juniors so we got involved then and have not really looked back,” he said.

“I have been lucky enough to be involved with the first team and it is quite an easy team to come into with so many good players around you.”

Under-19 joint head coach Cedric English said: “Charlie is a real talent, he has a good temperament when he is out there on the pitch and he is always thinking how he can outfox the batsmen.”

Scotland U19s return to action today against France as they look to remain in 
pole position to make it to the age-grade World Cup in South Africa.