Nick Boorman's fine debut helps Watsonians to a win double

Nick Boorman took four wickets on his SNCL Premier Division debut as Watsonians defeated the National Academy at Myreside yesterday.

The eight-wicket win, coupled with victory over Clydesdale 24 hours earlier, means that Watsonians and Grange are level at the top with five weeks of an intriguing season to go.

Batting first yesterday, the Academy, without a host of players on under-19 duty, were well set on 138-4 with Marc Petrie and Michael Leask going well.

However, Petrie soon feel to spinner Boorman for 39, quickly stumped by wicketkeeper Euan Stubbs, and the innings collapsed from there on in.

Boorman ended up with figures of 4-27 with captain Steve Paige and Ross Paxton taking two wickets apiece as the youngsters were all out for 170, Leask making 49 not out.

In reply Ryan Flannigan made 55, Tim Weston carved out 54 not out and Ewan Chalmers was unbetaen on 35 as Watsonians won their tenth league match of the summer.

On Saturday spinner Vijay Saisubramanian took three wickets and Flannigan scored 81 as they won at Clydesdale.

The hosts made 228-7 batting first as Kamran Sajid top scored with 42 and Greig Williamson compiled 32.

Watsonians chased the runs down though with Scotland cap Flannigan leading the way. James Easton chipped in with 39 as they won by four wickets at Titwood.

Fellow title chasers Grange were indebted to a first 50 of the season from wicketkeeper Simon Smith to see them home against bottom side Greenock.

Batting first in Stockbridge, Scotland Lions man Willie Rowan top scored with 58 as the visitors posted 188 all out. Grange's new pro Roy Adams took 4-39 and Micky Thomas' good summer continued with three scalps.

Grange's reply did not get off to the best of starts with openers Oli Hairs and Sanjay Patel going for ten and eight respectively.

And when the likes of Mike Powell also struggled it was left to middle order men Stuart Moffat (36) and Smith (50 not out) to win the game for them with three wickets remaining.

Third placed Carlton easily saw off the challenge of McCrea FS West at Grange Loan. Fraser Watts, Preston Mommsen, Cedric English and Blake Dean all hit half centuries as the Edinburgh side posted 321-6 batting first. Mommsen had led the way with 56 from just 59 balls, but it was Australian youngster Dean that stole the show.

He smashed 55 not out from just 25 balls, including two massive sixes, to take his team over the 300 mark.

The visitors, missing Dougie Lockhart, were never in with a chance of chasing the daunting total and were eventually 140 all out. Ross Lyons was the pick of the home bowling attack with 4-22.

Dunfermline Knights leapfrogged Forfarshire in the table with a five-wicket victory at Forthill.

Vice-captain Umair Mohammed top scored with 61 for the hosts, but their 220-9 was not enough as the Knights reached their target with eight balls to spare.

New captain Alistair Gray continued his prolific season with the bat with 44 for Dunfermline, while the man he has taken over from, Gowtham Rai, made 38. However, young Safyaan Sharif was the star with 54 not out.

Uddingston's match with Aberdeenshire was rain affected with the hosts winning via the Duckworth/Lewis method at Bothwell Castle.

Aberdeenshire skipper Neil MacRae top scored with 76 as the visitors posted a respectable 231-4 batting first.

Uddingston got off to a quick start in reply though, pro Ras Priyadarshana keeping up his good recent form with 59, and when the rains came after the 28th over they were on 158-4, 30 runs ahead of the par score.