After the disappointment of a 6 run loss in week 5, the 1st XI travelled to deepest Fife to meet a Falkland side one place below us in the league.
Batting first in glorious weather after winning the toss, Oli Hairs was bowled behind his legs after a promising start with five boundaries in his 23. Zack Place then fell immediately with the total on 30 and a rebuilding job was required. Skipper Mike Carson and Andrew Brock carried out that task admirably, adding 64 before Andrew was caught for 30. Mike, with Andrew Chalmers for company, added a further 86 to take the total to 180. Andrew then hit a full-toss to extra cover on 23 and was followed 10 runs later by Mike for a boundary-laden 91. Following his dismissal, another wicket fell with the total at 198 for 6 after 35 overs. At that point Harry Shivmangal and Lachlan Hillis came together. Both played sensibly and, with the assistance of numerous extras contributed by the Falkland bowlers and fielders, they safely negotiated the remaining overs - Harry ending on 31 not out and Lachlan 39 not out. Lachlan’s innings was his best for the club, while their unbroken partnership of 91 was a record for the 7th wicket in the 1st XI - the previous best being 90 registered against Melville College FP as long ago as 1946! The club record for this wicket is 134 by the 2nd XI, with not only the 2nd XI but also the 3rd and 4th XIs having recorded partnerships greater than the 1st XI for this wicket.
In reply to our challenging total of 289 (which included 44 extras and also benefitted from several dropped catches) Falkland took up the chase against our opening attack of Tom Pratt and Lachlan Hillis. The former took a very early wicket, with both our openers restricting the scoring to only 22 runs in the first 10 overs. At 60 for 2 after 20 overs the opposition was struggling to make inroads towards the target. Three wickets fell for 10 runs to reduce Falkand to 126 for 5, meaning a further 164 runs were required with 16 overs left if they were to chase down our total. After a hard-hitting innings by the opposition’s Scotland-qualified overseas amateur of 49 in 32 balls, including 5 sixes, in a partnership of 59 delayed the end - the last five wickets fell for the addition of 27 runs and a much-needed league victory was secured. While the margin of that victory - 77 runs - was satisfying, it could have been even more comprehensive had a number of catches offered been held. Tom Pratt ended with an excellent return of 3 for 23 in his allotted 10 overs, principal support being provided by Gregour Carr and Gareth Weatherall with two wickets each.

Going into the game against Clackmannan County at Myreside sharing the lead in the ESCA Division 1 table, the 2nd XI was looking to add to its record of four wins in the five games played. On winning the toss and deciding to bat, Rory High and Douglas Voas put together an opening stand of 56 before Rory fell in the 11th over. Three wickets then fell for 5 runs after the hundred was passed, before Euan Robertson, firstly with George Baltzer and then with Jake Amis, featured in partnerships of 48 and 60 respectively before he closed the innings - and reached his half-century - with a six and the total on 226 (for 6). Douglas also made a half-century, with Parker Neame, George and Jake adding twenties. The opposition scorecard makes interesting reading. Only two of their batsmen reached double figures in contributing 105 of their eventual all out total of 146. The bowling honours went to skipper Alan Sievewright (4 for 33), Rory High (3 for 35) and Calum Martin who took 2 for 8 in 7 overs. Mention must also be made of Parker Neame’s contribution behind the stumps with four victim – 3 catches and a stumping. And so, the side successfully retained its position, jointly with Edinburgh South, at the top of the league table.

Meanwhile, at Craiglockhart, the 3rd XI took on Linlithgow 2nd XI looking for a second league victory following three successive defeats. Things were not looking promising when the opposition, who had elected to bat on winning the toss, reached 100 for the loss of only one wicket. At that score, Jonathan Potton took two wickets with successive balls. With the dismissal of the Linlithgow top-scorer for 49 by Jonny Ramsay, four wickets were down with the score on 113. In the next six overs the remaining six wickets fell - five of them to Jonny, including a hat-trick - for 14 runs. This is the first hat-trick in the 3rd XI since Oli Robertson’s against Hawick & Wilton in 2016. Jonny’s figures of 6 for 18 are the best for the side since Oli Robertson’s 6 for 17 in that same Hawick & Wilton match. Angus Cousin led the response with 25 but, with four wickets down for 49, the match was in the balance. Enter skipper Ross Martin who, with support from Ross Millar, took the score to 95 when both were dismissed for 32 and 10 respectively from successive balls and the match had taken another twist. However, youngsters Henry Teall (12 not out) and Josh Belfer (9 not out) - with the aid of 10 wides and a couple of byes! - saw the team home to a very welcome victory.

The 4th XI has had a difficult time in Division 7 this season and travelled to Inch Park to tackle Edinburgh South 3rd XI. After winning the toss and inviting the opposition to bat first, the bowlers were put to the sword. Alec Fair gave the side initial hope with the first wicket and the score of 23 but, thereafter, the opposition batsmen were in almost complete control and after their 40 overs had amassed a total of 311 (for7) with one of their players ending on 139 not out. This is the highest total recorded against the 4th XI, although 306 runs were conceded against Edinburgh 3rd XI in 2015. Alec, Akash Suresh and Ben Sievewright all took a couple of wickets. In response, only captain Ewan Robertson reached double figures, with extras which contributing 20 towards our total of 52. All-in-all a very chastening outcome for everyone in our side.

The Women’s team faced Grange in their first home league match of the season after two difficult away fixtures. Winning the toss at Myreside, Grange put us into bat. Our batters are not ones to waste overs – having finished 9 down in our first match at the end of our overs and all out on the last ball of our second match, we repeated that feat here. This time however we posted a notably higher total of 126 with Emily Tucker once again leading from the front, making 30 off 25. Our star with the bat this week, to her own surprise as much as anyone’s, was Bel Russell-Lynch who made a career best 39 from 55 balls. Savannah Pearce, with 4 for 24, and Isla Derry, with 3 for 30, both bowled very effectively for Grange, Savannah claiming a triple wicket maiden in the final over. Watsonian put in an excellent team performance with the ball and in the field. The early Grange wickets fell cheaply with a run out and two caught-and-bowleds leaving Grange on 17/3 in the seventh over. Grange captain Catherine Edwards and wicketkeeper Ruth Poole steadied the ship, combining for a 47 run partnership before Poole was run out by Bel for 19. Edwards fell a couple of overs later to an outstanding catch by our captain Victoria Gadd off the bowling of Elizabeth Abbey for 29. Each Grange wicket added a few runs but the Watsonian total never looked in significant danger, Grange finishing on 91 all out. No less than eight Watsonians bowled, seven of them taking wickets. It was wonderful to see a highly effective combination of youth and experience as five schoolgirls joined with six of our more established ladies to winning effect.

(Many thanks to Stewart Oliver for writing the review of the men's matches)