The Eastern Premier League has really got off to a great start – and there are five more big games to come on Saturday in week four of action.
RH Corstorphine had a good weekend last time out with away wins over Stewart’s Melville in the league on Saturday and Prestwick in the Scottish Cup on Sunday respectively.
They then backed those results up with a win over Morton in the Masterton Trophy T20 event on Tuesday at home at Barnton – and in those three outings George West took nine wickets with his off spin.
An all-rounder who grew up in South Africa and Yorkshire, West spent five years boarding at Fettes College in Edinburgh whilst his parents lived in the former.
He then had a spell travelling and playing cricket in Australia before the pandemic came.
“Ahead of this season I was keen to get back into my cricket again, something which I had always enjoyed at school and in my short time playing in Australia,” the 22-year-old explains.
“I know [RHC skipper] James Dickinson and Johnnie Brydon, so they got me down to pre-season training and I have enjoyed being part of the club so far.
“Last weekend, backed up by Tuesday evening, will hopefully give us a bit of a confidence boost and the team, which has a few new faces in it, can hopefully build from here.
“It has been nice for me to take a few wickets in the recent games too, but in the Stewart’s Melville game [when he took 5-30] others like Arun [Anil who took 0-18 from his 10 overs and put the opposition’s run chase on the back foot] laid the groundwork and I was just lucky to be able to help finish the game off.
“I want to try and help the team out by scoring runs going forward too and we are looking forward to Saturday’s league match up at Forfarshire.
“They have been in good form this season so we will have to click as a unit if we want to get a result up there.”
As West mentions, Forfarshire have been in good form and they top the division right now.
For the Forthill meeting, RHC have Robert Thompson coming into the team for Sean Fischer-Keogh who is unavailable while the hosts have Fergus Duncan and Jack O’Neill in for Michael Leask (Scotland duty) and Fraser Ross.
Teenager Jack Jarvis could be a key man for Gen!us Grange this season – and he certainly heads into their away trip to Stoneywood Dyce in excellent recent form.
Last Sunday, opening the batting, the 18-year-old all-rounder scored 144 off 108 balls with the bat as he shared in a 276-run opening stand with fellow centurion Angus Brown in a triumph over Meigle in round one of the Scottish Cup at Portgower Place.
Then on Tuesday evening Jarvis was at it again, making 97 off just 44 balls at the top of the order – including five fours and nine sixes – as his side opened up their Masterton Trophy T20 campaign with a comfortable victory over Thorntons Penicuik at Kirkhill.
“It has been nice to get some good scores under my belt in recent games and those two wins came off the back of a crucial one in the league against Carlton last Saturday,” the player, who was part of the Scotland under-19 squad at the World Cup in the West Indies earlier this year, said.
“There are quite a number of young players in our squad at the club now and that is exciting and we all want to step up to the mark and play our part in a successful season this summer.
“The next wee while is going to be crucial because we have players like Dylan Budge, Chris Greaves and Chris Sole away with Scotland in the USA and we know that we all have to take responsibility with them missing.
“Stoneywood Dyce have had a good start to this season, so we know it will be a tough game this Saturday and we’ll have to be at our best.”
Jarvis came through the junior ranks at his local club Livingston before he joined Grange while he was attending Loretto School.
He is now studying at Napier University and has just finished first year focusing on business, meaning his focus for the next few months is on his cricket.
“I have enjoyed first year of university and because I am part of the dual career programme it allows me to give time to my studies and to cricket which is a good blend,” he adds.
For this one, second placed Stoneywood Dyce have Nikhil Ninan in for Leighton Collins and Jamie Rodger in for Lennard Bester who is injured.
Last year’s champions Heriot’s are without Scotland men Matthew Cross, Gavin Main and Adrian Neill while Mark Watt is with Derbyshire ahead of their Vitality Blast campaign as the Goldenacre side get ready to host Stewart’s Melville.
Peter Ross, Fraser Proud, Michael Shean, Tom Bacon and Rory Martin are added to their XI.
Stewart’s Melville defeated Edinburgh CC in the Masterton Trophy T20 event on Thursday evening ahead of this Edinburgh derby.
There is another all-Edinburgh meeting at Grange Loan where Carlton host Watsonians.
They both had Scottish Cup round one wins last Sunday while Carlton, the holders, began their Masterton Trophy T20 tournament defence with a home victory over Edinburgh Accies on Thursday evening.
Jacob Onyekwela comes into the ‘Sonians XI after good form for the second team while Akarshan Arora and Harry Shivmangal return to their team.
Falkland and Arbroath are both searching for a first league win of 2022 and they meet at Scroggie Park.
Steven Meikle, Graeme Watson, Ryan Jennings, Jack Henderson and Kacy Clement come in for the home side with young Lyle Robertson skipper in Adam Ferguson’s absence.
Luke Hayes and John Salmond come into the Arbroath line-up in place of Craig Ross and Chris Robb.
Saturday, May 21’s fixtures:
Forfarshire v RH Corstorphine (Forthill)
Heriot’s v Stewart’s Melville (Goldenacre)
Carlton v Watsonians (Grange Loan)
Stoneywood Dyce v Gen!us Grange (People’s Park)
Falkland v Arbroath (Scroggie Park)
RH Corstorphine’s George West is pictured
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