Preston Mommsen yesterday stroked a superb unbeaten century to demonstrate what Scotland are going to miss following the surprise retirement of the former national captain.
Grange star Mommsen opted to end his international career late last year to pursue business interests.
That he is still in his prime as a batsman was obvious to anyone who watched him compile a masterly 156 to heap more misery on his old Carlton team-mates as the reigning champions slumped to a second consecutive defeat at Grange Loan.
Mommsen’s effort, supported by an excellent half-century from Neil McCallum, helped Grange post an impressive 310-4 to set up victory by 84 runs.
Following the early loss of Fraser Watts, Carlton’s reply was spearheaded by Michael Herdman but when the Australian holed out, six runs short of a century, the game was up.
A week after successfully chasing 340 Aberdeenshire were brought back to earth when they were dismissed for just 100 against Watsonians at Myreside.
George Munsey did the bulk of the damage with three wickets and the Scotland man completed a fine day’s working by guiding the capital troops to a seven-wicket success with 41no.
Arbroath pacemen Calvin Burnett and Elton Willemse had three wickets each as SMRH were bundled out for 102 at Lochlands, paving the way for a seven-wicket win for the Angus side.
Forfarshire, fancied by many to challenge, slumped to a second defeat as Heriot’s ran out winners by 26 runs at Forthill thanks largely to 86 from Hayes van den Berg and four wickets each for Ross Brown and Adrian Neil.
Glenrothes got the better of the Fife derby at Scroggie Park where they ran out winners by 20 runs.
Meanwhile Majid Haq scored a century as RH Corstorphine claimed an East Championship win over Carlton 2.
Haq, who moved from Western Premier Champions Clydesdale during the close-season to take on the role of player-coach, demonstrated all his class in scoring 109 of his side’s 235-6 in a 46-run win.
There were tributes around the country prior to the start of play to cricketing stalwart Sandy Strang who died earlier in the week and one of his former clubs, Ferguslie, appeared to be up against it when Neil Smith scored a century for Ayr at Cambusdoon.
With Kiwi Michael Papps contributing a swift half-century, the home side were able to reach 241 all out.
It would have been more but for the hat-trick with which Haroon Tahir brought Ayr’s innings to an abrupt halt.
However, Ferguslie, for whom Strang used to deliver inspiring team-talks when the chips were down, responded in a manner of which their old colleague would have approved.
None more so than Michael English, who moved closer to a senior Scotland call-up, with a superb unbeaten 134 as the Paisley side fashioned an impressive win with three overs to spare.
Richie Berrington was again the main man as champions Clydesdale cruised to a six-wicket win against Kelburne at Titwood.
The Scotland all-rounder first claimed five wickets to restrict the Whitehaugh side to 174 and then raced to 74no to add to last Saturday’s unbeaten 139.
Moneeb Iqbal led East Kilbride to victory over Greenock at Torrance House, the former Scotland man stroking a composed 84no with thirteen boundaries to secure a five-wicket success.
Iqbal had earlier taken the wicket of Greenock’s top scorer Sailesh Prabhu for 41 but youngster Kess Sajjad was EK’s best bowler with 4-30 as the visitors were dismissed for 188.
Meanwhile at Shawholm, Poloc continued their promising start to the campaign with an exciting 6-run win over Uddingston while Prestwick also have two wins from two after Fraser Macdonald’s half-century helped the Ayrshiremen to a four-wicket win over Dumfries at the Henry Thow Oval.
