A THIRD successive win helped Dunfermline and Carnegie Cricket Club cement their place at the top of the East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) Division Two.

The McKane Park club's first XI continued their fine start to the season following last year's promotion on Saturday with a victory at Edinburgh CC seconds, which added to victories over Carlton thirds and Boroughmuir.

On an awkward wicket at Campbell Park, the West Fife visitors won the toss and elected to bat, which they did so well despite a slow outfield.

Some enterprising shots, which included telling contributions from new acquisition Iain Worth, who top-scored with 26, skipper Arfan Yousaf, who scored 24, and Junaid Iqbal, who scored 23, saw Dunfermline and Carnegie post a total of 156.

That asked the hosts to score a run rate of four an over, which they struggled to maintain as wickets fell at regular intervals, and saw them fall 13 runs short of their target.

Victory leaves Dunfermline and Carnegie with a 100 per cent record from their completed matches, the same as Stewart's/Melville second XI, and Yousaf commented: "It was always going to be a challenging fixture but our batting performance saw a decent total posted, which they struggled to match through some good work by our bowlers."

Dunfermline and Carnegie (20) 156 for 8, (I Worth 26, A Yousaf 24, J Iqbal 23 not out).

Edinburgh CC second XI (9) 143, (Z Ali 31, R Javid 23, O Riyaz 3 for 29, G Olney 2 for 30, M Arslan 2 for 17).

There was also a victory in Division Three for Broomhall, who triumphed over Heriot's third XI at The Cairns.

After two wins from their first three outings, the home side won the toss and put their opponents into bat, who set a useful total of 160.

Broomhall, however, replied well, with Ieuan Ward making 34 at the start of the innings and Chris Hoefling scoring an unbeaten 43, Scott Lucas scoring 31, Joseph Chalmers hitting 28 and Neil Millar contributing 11 as they passed the Heriot's total in 31.2 overs for a seven-wicket victory that leaves them third in the table.

Heriot’s third XI (7) 160, (B Sharmagavavdival 39, S Litster 32, P Ward 4 for 21, C Hawthorne 3 for 40).

Broomhall 162 for 3, (C Hoefling 43 not out, I Ward 34, S Lucas 31).

There was a high-scoring encounter in Division Six between Dunfermline and Carnegie's second XI and Gala seconds at McKane Park, with two centuries being scored.

Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors looked to be in trouble at 95 for four, but a fine mid-innings partnership of 125 took them to 260.

In their reply, the hosts saw a first-wicket partnership of 195 between Steve Rowley and James Spreng give them hope of a shock win, but wickets started to fall and they ended 13 runs short.

Gala 2nd XI (20) 260 for 5, (A Sib 106 not out, A Armit 66, S Rowley 3 for26).

Dunfermline and Carnegie 2nd XI 247 for 6, (S Rowley 115, J Spreng 84).

Meanwhile, Dunfermline and Carnegie's development team were winners by a solitary run at Musselburgh on Sunday, notable for the team fielding three father-and-son partnerships (pictured).

Dunfermline and Carnegie 146 for 6, (S Ahamed 53, J Honeyford 51, A Kings 2 for 21).

Musselburgh 145 for 7, (E Howe 54 not out, H Vema 41, S Ahamed 3 for 31, J Honeyford 2 for 17).