DUNFERMLINE and Carnegie Cricket Club's pre-season promotion aspirations failed to begin on a winning note as they suffered opening day defeats.
The 2024 East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) campaign started on Saturday but the McKane Park club saw both their first and second XI's fall to losses.
Prior to the first balls of the season being bowled, club president, Dejesh Deenadayalan, told Press Sport that there was optimism and hope that both squads could challenge at the top end of their respective leagues.
The first XI are embarking on their first season with South African off-spinner, Patrick Cooper, at the helm as head coach and took on Edinburgh Cricket Club's second XI at McKane.
Despite an improvement in the weather last week, batting conditions were not easy and Dunfermline and Carnegie, who took to the crease first, lost wickets steadily throughout their innings.
Middle order batsman, Vasu Reddy, was in play for most of it, top scoring with 37 runs that took the hosts to a final total of 108.
That provided a platform from which they could attack the batting of their opponents, and Antony Xavier and Muhammad Shafiq claimed four and two wickets respectively, helping to leave the capital side in trouble at 78 for eight.
However, tail enders Usman Haider and Faisal Ali proved to be the heroes for Edinburgh, producing an unbeaten partnership of 33 runs to see them through to a two wicket victory.
Dunfermline and Carnegie (6) 107, V Reddy 37, J Hutton 14, F Ali 4 for 11, A Tahir 2 for 18, M Razzak 2 for 23.
Edinburgh CC 2nd XI (20) 11 for 8, U Haider 23 not out, F Ali 15 not out, S Hassan 15, A Xavier 4 for 19, M Shafiq 2 for 14.
In Division Five, a dramatic batting collapse saw Dunfermline and Carnegie's second XI lose by 159 runs at Livingston second XI.
The hosts batted pretty freely in the contest at Dresselrig, scoring at five runs per over throughout to set a challenging target of 195.
The visitors' innings, however, never really got going and, with none of their batting number reaching double figures, they were all-out inside 20 overs.
Livingston 2nd XI (20) 195 for 5, U Saeed 96 not out, J Karthickey 52, K Piyumal 2 for 20.
Dunfermline and Carnegie 2nd XI (3) 36, A Bukhari 5 for 14, A Shaikh 2 for 6, U Khan 2 for 8.
Elsewhere, Dunfermline and Carnegie's third XI's scheduled Division Eight match, at home to Tranent fifth XI, was cancelled, whilst Broomhall conceded their opening match in Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union, Division Two, at Strathmore second XI.
This Saturday, Dunfermline and Carnegie's first XI travel to Murrayfield DAFS second XI, whilst the third XI are scheduled to visit Livingston fourth XI. The second XI will host Stewart's Melville third XI at McKane Park.
Broomhall are due to play Kinloch third XI at The Cairns, with all matches beginning at 1pm.
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