Published: Thursday, 7th August, 2008 8:20am

Dunfermline Knights stay in touch with win over Falkland

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DUNFERMLINE Knights demonstrated a steely determination to defeat Falkland on Saturday and stay on the coat-tails of the league leaders.

At McKane Park, the visitors collapsed from 64-2 to 95 all out thanks to fine bowling from Yasar Arfat, Vasu Reddy and Collin Ingram.

But the Knights batsmen were indebted to captain Steven Fryer and Stuart Campbell in recovering from 30-4.

Fryer in particular, with assistance from the tail, played with remarkable determination to take Dunfermline to victory after they were perilously placed at 78-8.

Falkland 95 (Y Arfat 3-11, V Reddy 3-29, C Ingram 2-9).

Dunfermline 98-8 (S Fryer 33no).

The result means that the Knights maintain second place in the table, six points behind Stoneywood-Dyce who won at Dumfries.

This Saturday the Knights play their third match in a row at McKane when Prestwick are the visitors.

The Murgitroyd National Twenty/20 semi-final against Clydesdale at Poloc was abandoned due to heavy rain. This has now been rescheduled for Sunday, 17th August 2008.

Dunfermline 2nd XI maintained their position at the top of the table when their opponents, Grange, could not raise a team.

Dunfermline travelled to Freuchie to take on Glenrothes in this year"s Fife Cup Final.

The Knights dismissed Glenrothes for 134 and then cruised home by 7 wickets with Gowtham Rai top-scoring with 83 not out.

DUNFERMLINE Carnegie beat the weather but couldn"t overcome league leaders Musselburgh in their East of Scotland Division Four match at Pitreavie on Saturday.

Heavy rain putthe game in doubt but a successful mopping up operation meant the game could go ahead, although it was reduced to 45 overs a side.

Carnegie Captain David Mitchell won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Musselburgh to bat.

They began with a flurry of boundaries and aided by some sloppy fielding they brought up the century partnership in only 12 overs.

Even Mitchell, Division Fours leading wicket-taker, was unable to stem the flow of runs as he was whacked for 39 off only four overs.

It was left to Gavin Ross to break the partnership by trapping the opener for 93.

Musselburgh amassed 271-3 off their 45 overs and were in the driving seat.

It got better for the visitors as they reduced Carnegie to 2-2 in the second over with the dismissal of both openers.

Matt Lafferty and Gary Stewart steadied the ship with a fighting stand of 51 but Stewart"s dismissal for a well crafted 42 led to a middle order collapse as Carnegie fell to 80-8.

However Ross and Ralph Thomas showed tremendous fighting spirit with an unbroken stand of 52.

Ross finished on a career best 33 not out as Carnegie finished on 130-8.

Mitchell said Musselburgh were 'easily the best team we have faced this year' and he praised man of the match Ross and Thomas for their ability with the bat.

Carnegie travel to Holy Cross next week.

IN the East League Division 5, Broomhall v Murrayfield DAF III, Broomhall amassed 279-6, 20 pts, J Andrews 103, J Grant 84, I Bold 33.

Murrayfield were 135 all out, 7 pts, L Doherty 4-29, J Grant 3-34, D Hunt 3-21.