by Jim Stark

THERE was disappointment for Dunfermline and Carnegie Cricket Club last Saturday as their keenly-anticipated top-of-the-table match was called off.

The McKane Park side had won each of their opening five games in their East of Scotland League Division Three campaign, as had Hawick and Wilton, who were due to visit West Fife.

However, after COVID-19 hit the Borders side midweek, leaving five of their players self-isolating, the East League management committee decided to cancel the fixture.

It left Dunfermline and Carnegie downbeat, with president Martin Honeyford commenting: "This was an eagerly-awaited game between the two top teams in the division.

"With both sides unbeaten, something had to give on Saturday but alas COVID, which saw last season wiped out, struck the Hawick camp and put paid to the game with it being treated as if it had been rained off.

"It has proved very frustrating for our players who have been enjoying a good spell of form.

"However, we just have to focus on going to Holy Cross Accies this Saturday and keeping our 100 per cent record intact."

In the matches that were played, however, Broomhall strengthened their challenge in Division Four with a convincing win over Carlton's fourth XI at Inch Park, Edinburgh.

Ieuan Ward hit a century for the second successive game as the visitors piled up a big score in being asked to bat first.

Ward hit 140, out of a total of 215, playing a wide variety of attacking shots, on a batting strip that was far from easy.

Carlton struggled to maintain the five-an-over run rate needed and, when Paul Gudgin came into the Broomhall attack, wickets tumbled and they finished well short of their target.

Broomhall (20) 215 for 4 6, (I Ward 140, D Firth 3 for 19).

Carlton 4th XI (6) 112, (I Hawthorn 40, P Gudgin 4 for 16, T Lucas 2 for 13, P Ward 2 for 14).

Dunfermline and Carnegie's second XI made it back-to-back wins in Division Seven with an eight-wicket victory over Watsonians' fourth XI in Edinburgh.

The home side occupied the crease well in batting first but struggled to maintain a good run rate against steady bowling from the visitors.

They batted 38 overs but only managed to score 93, which did not really tax the Dunfermline and Carnegie attack, who passed the target in 22 overs.

Mohammad Yousuf hit an unbeaten 42 and John Parsonage 20 in a highly-successful run chase.

Watsonians 4th XI (3) 93, (L Ferguson 20, D Wood 3 for 18, G Coles 2 for 15, J Honeyford 2 for 16).

Dunfermline and Carnegie 2nd X (20) 94 for 2, (M Yousuf 42 not out, J Parsonage 20 not out).