COMPETITIVE cricket is set to return for two West Fife clubs this weekend as they get set to make a step up the divisions.

Dunfermline and Carnegie Cricket Club and Broomhall will both bowl their opening balls in the 2022 East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) league season on Saturday.

Both the McKane Park side’s first XI, and their counterparts from The Cairns, are moving up a level this term having both secured promotion in 2021.

Dunfermline and Carnegie, coached by Steve Rowley, will play in the ESCA Division Two following an outstanding season last year.

They won all 13 of their matches played in an historic campaign to take the Division Three title, while Broomhall were also celebrating after clinching promotion from Division Four.

Both clubs continued their preparations at the weekend, with Dunfermline and Carnegie travelling to play Clackmannan County at The Arns.

Having put up an encouraging display the previous weekend at Western Premier side Stenhousemuir, which ended in defeat with the hosts having four wickets in hand, Rowley’s team recorded a fine victory.

A 100-run win was recorded, which saw Rowley make 50, Geet Grover 36 and Tony Xavier 27 in a total of 205 for seven across 40 overs.

Clacks struggled to maintain the required run-rate of five an over against a varied Dunfermline and Carnegie attack, which saw father-and-son partnership, president Martin Honeyford, and left-arm seamer James, collect five wickets between them with figures of three for 17, and two for 11, respectively.

They face a step up in standard when they travel to Falkirk to play Westquarter and Redding in their opening match, and Martin said: “It was another good workout but now we have the league programme starting.

“Over the past two weeks, around 26 players have seen warm-up action, and there have been some good performances.

“Westquarter are always tough opponents but. hopefully. the team will be ready for the test.”

Dunfermline and Carnegie’s second team, who also won promotion last season, open their Division Six campaign at home to Old Comtemptibles and they warmed up with a match against Glenrothes on Saturday.

The McKane Park side batted first and made 144 for nine, in 30 overs, with 36 runs coming from Dejesh Deenadayalan; 27 from skipper Alan Leitch; and 19 from James Spreng.

Glenrothes struggled to score quickly at the start of their innings but a mid-innings partnership of 80-plus saw them home with an over to spare.

Broomhall were also in friendly action on Saturday, travelling to play Freuchie Cricket Club’s seconds, and they will face a competitive double-header to open their season this weekend, away to Melrose in Division Three on Saturday, and then at home to Callander in the Challenge Cup on Sunday.