Injury-plagued Burtt leaves toiling West to head home

Burtt endured a torrid spell at Hamilton Cresent, pulling a hamstring early on which caused him to miss two weeks before having to deal with an ingrown toenail issue. He then injured his achilles tendon against Clydesdale two weeks ago which forced him to miss last week's match with Uddingston.

The problem was set to keep him out of action for another month so the club and Burtt decided it was best that he headed back to his homeland after eight league matches in which he amassed 139 runs and took nine wickets.

McCrea FS West enter today's showdown with Forfarshire second bottom in the table and were bowled out for 63 last week by Uddingston.

Forfarshire pro Kelby Pickering is also heading back to his homeland, although, unlike Burtt, he will be available to play his last match for the Angus side today. The Australian, who has been a great influence at Forthill in the last season and a half, is returning Down Under tomorrow where his wife has secured a job.

Meanwhile, Dunfermline Knights host leaders Grange at McKane Park as they embark on three matches in four days that could make or break their promising season. The Fifers have impressed since their promotion from the First Division, winning six out of their 10 top-flight matches to date.

Skipper Gowtham Rai and his troops know that a win is imperative today if they are to keep their slim title hopes alive, while tomorrow they travel to Clydesdale to try and complete their Scottish Cup quarter-final at the third time of asking. Then on Tuesday night they host Forfarshire in the final of the Caledonia section of the Murgitroyd Twenty20 event, with the winners heading to the national finals.

The Knights are unchanged for the Grange match, with South African pro Alistair Gray looking to add to his amazing 663 league runs so far this term which has included four centuries.

Grange head across the Forth Road Bridge with Mike Powell and teenage batsman Henry Edwards added to the team that defeated Carlton seven days ago. They replace Stuart Davidson and Drew Weir in the line-up with the club having high hopes for Edwards who has one more year left at Fettes College. At the start of the season he hit 35 not out to help the Stockbridge outfit see off the Eastern Academy.

Second-placed Watsonians welcome back vice-captain Euan Stubbs for the visit of Uddingston to Myreside. Wicketkeeper Stubbs replaces Andy Learmonth. Uddingston travel east without the services of Sameer Zia.

The in-form opening batsman, who has 305 league runs under his belt this summer, has work commitments so Bryan Clarke looks set to open with Paul Hoffman. Fifteen-year-old Ryan Dunne comes in for his debut.

Carlton's stand-in skipper Steve Gilmour has named an unchanged side for the visit of Clydesdale to Grange Loan.

That means Ani Majumdar, Nathan Pietsch, Nick Hunt and Tom Clarke are given another top-team chance, with the latter having taken four wickets against Grange last time out.

Clydesdale, who bounced back from defeat to McCrea FS West with a win over Greenock a week ago, will be looking for a repeat of their league and cup wins over the same opposition already this term.

Bottom side Greenock host Aberdeenshire at Glenpark with both sides coming off the back of defeats to Clydesdale and Dunfermline Knights respectively.z