Grange face the biggest obstacle to their title bid

Earlier in the summer the Capital outfit had won their first six league matches before they were defeated by 55 runs at Titwood and they know they cannot afford another slip-up as they aim for their third title in five years.

All-rounder Gregor Maiden is still missing for Grange with a broken thumb and the rest of the team was set to be finalised today by skipper Sanjay Patel.

The first XI will go into the match buoyed by a number of the club's youngsters doing well at various levels this week. Zander Muir and Will Edwards have been in the runs for Scotland under-15 at the European Championships in Holland and Oli Hairs hit a century for the Lions against Warwickshire.

Meanwhile, leaders Watsonians head north without all-rounder Craig Wright for the match against Aberdeenshire.

Spinner Vijay Saisubramanian replaces him in the line-up - he took three wickets against Grange and Clydesdale respectively during July.

Back in June Watsonians defeated Aberdeenshire in quick time at Myreside, captain Steve Paige taking six wickets as the opposition were bowled out for just 90. However, 'Sonians will be not taking last year's champions lightly with Tyler Buchan in superb form having taken 24 wickets in the league this summer. Pro Michael Parlane is also in good form, the New Zealander having scored 84 not out in last week's victory over Forfarshire.

Carlton may be all but out of the title race but stand-in captain Steve Gilmour believes there is still a lot to play for over the next four weeks, starting tomorrow with a home match against Forfarshire.

Last week's defeat to Dunfermline Knights saw the Fifers leapfrog the Grange Loan men into third place.

And, with four Scotland men expected to miss most of this month's domestic action, Gilmour wants the young players being given a chance in the first XI to enjoy the experience.

He said: "Last week's result was not a good one, but it wasn't as one-sided as the scorecard suggested. At one point we had them four down for 53 before their pro Alistair Gray got going. In the end he batted really well for 128 but, if we had taken either of the half chances he gave us, then the match might have had a different outcome.

"The likes of teenager Rajan Bhopal are given another chance this week, while others such as Tom Barrett, who scored a century last week for the twos, are just waiting for a chance and there is plenty to play for in the next few games."

Seamer Mohammed Habib comes into the team tomorrow in place of spinner Tom Clarke. The former has taken a lot of wickets for the second XI in recent weeks and deserves his chance according to Gilmour, while batsman Oli Tame will play his last match having completed a work placement in Edinburgh.

In the First Division, Heriot's travel to Drumpellier in a match which could be crucial to the outcome of the title race.

Heriot's are second after last week's loss at Stirling County, while Drumpellier are fourth. The Goldenacre men will be wary of Drumpellier's overseas amateur Syed Shahabuddin who hit 121 against them earlier in the campaign before rain forced the abandonment of the match.

Bottom side Penicuik host Stirling County at Kirkhill and will be wanting to forget July as quickly as possible. During the month they lost all four completed matches, three of them by more than 100 runs.

SMRH's Jon Kent amazingly lies eighth in the Second Division batting table despite having only played five matches and he will be looking to continue his runs spree tomorrow at home to Renfrew.

The South African pro only arrived back at the Inverleith club for his second stint at the end of June, but has since scored 427 runs and has an average of 142.33.

Spinner Andrew Brock is also in good form and took three wickets for just seven runs last Sunday as the National Academy defeated Greenock in the top flight.

RH Corstorphine are away to leaders Dumfries, while bottom side Edinburgh are at home to Ferguslie.

In the East League, Division One league leaders Watsonians II will have to watch Grange II's Douglas Philip who has smashed two centuries in the last two weeks in a match that should be a cracker at Myreside.