THE first home match of the season proved successful for Dunfermline and Carnegie Cricket Club as they enjoyed a maiden victory following promotion.
The McKane Park club's first XI hosted Carlton thirds, having had their opening match in the East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) Division Two at Westquarter and Redding abandoned because of persistent rain, and emerged with an impressive six-wicket success.
The Edinburgh side took first lease of a good wicket but lost early wickets, thanks to some good bowling by James Honeyford and Johnny Hutton, and found themselves in trouble with their tally at 28 for five.
However, a fine partnership between Paul Kentish, who scored 71, and Amit Bij, who scored 51, saw the Carlton tally pass 100 as they eventually totalled 176 runs.
Dunfermline and Carnegie's reply started well, through skipper Arfan Yousaf and his brother, Raman, the latter making a fine contribution of 45 that was well backed-up by George Olney, whose tally of 66 put them in the box seat.
A decent effort of 22 from Tony Xavier helped the team over the winning line, with Yousaf expressing his delight with the win afterwards, while observing that it was pleasing to achieve the result after the previous week's abandonment.
Carlton 3rd XI (7) 176 (P Kentish 71, A Bij 51, J Hutton 3 for 31, J Honeyford 2 for 14).
Dunfermline and Carnegie (20) 178 for 4, (G Olney 66, R Yousaf 45, T Xavier 25).
In Division Three, Broomhall were unable to build on their impressive opening-day success at Melrose as they lost out to Murrayfield DAFS seconds at The Cairns.
The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first, posting a total of 208 for five thanks to some rapid scoring, which included a half-century from Garuda Ramapriya.
Broomhall chased that score all the way, with Scott Lucas top-scoring with 79, and Ieuan Ward contributing 43 runs, but their final total of 180 left them 28 short as they fell to defeat.
Dunfermline and Carnegie's second XI travelled to Edinburgh South in Division Six but were well-beaten by the home side at Inch Park.
The West Fifers were put in to bat first by their opponents but struggled to score runs quickly, finishing 67 all-out eventually, with Dylan Wood's 14 their highest individual total.
Edinburgh, thanks in no small part to Paul Reddish's 36, passed the visitors' score in just over 13 overs to complete a nine-wicket victory.
Dunfermline and Carnegie 2nd XI (1) 67, (D Wood 14, F Sheikh 3 for 4, A Mohammed 2 for 13).
Edinburgh South (20) 68 for 1, (P Reddish 36).
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