Friday evening cricket returns to The Grange today as Eastern Knights continue their bid to win back the Tilney Group T20 Blitz title from Western Warriors.
Stevie Gilmour’s men have their tails up after back-to-back wins over the wobbling Warriors in both white-ball formats, a seven-wicket T20 success at Titwood having been followed by a comfortable 20-run Pro50 victory at Cambusdoon last weekend.
The capital troops certainly start favourites but coach Gilmour isn’t counting any chickens and said: “We are looking forward to another tough game against the west. Although we have had the two wins against them we can’t take them for granted.
“They have some very dangerous players in the likes of MacLeod, Berrington and Lyons.”
Despite several call-offs, Gilmour, though, is delighted with the quality at his disposal and the current form of some of his key players.
Dylan Budge in particular has surely pushed himself into contention for selection for this month’s internationals with some sparkling displays at regional and Scotland A level while former national skipper Preston Mommsen is in line for a cap recall.
With Andrew Brock out injured, Mommsen will captain the Knights in this evening’s game while James Dickinson returns along with Joe Kinghorn-Gray.
Gilmour added: “It’s great to have so many Knights players in form and we will be looking to continue the momentum we have built.”
Meanwhile, the Warriors, having started the season with a morale-boosting win over the Knights in the Pro50, find themselves bidding to recover from four defeats on the trot.
They are boosted by the return of Scotland star Matthew Cross while there are first call-ups for Stirling duo Brandon McMullen and teenager Tom Bradburn, son of the national coach Grant.
Warriors coach Andy Tennant said: “We have to be honest and admit that our out-cricket simply hasn’t been good enough in the last few games.
“But the lads have worked hard and I believe we can bounce back from the recent setbacks.”
Knights: P Mommsen c, G Munsey, M Carson, M Castle, D Budge, H van der Berg, J Dickinson, J Foulds, P Ross, M Watt, A Evans, J Kinghorn-Gray.
Warriors: R Berrington c, M Awais, C MacLeod, M Cross, T Bradburn, D Stafford, R Henry, R Lyons, B McMullen, A Raza, M Rao.
