Castle main man as Carlton welcome Arbroath after midweek T20 boost
Aussie all-rounder aiming to build on impressive debut for Grange Loan side
Australian Michael Castle made a sensational debut for Carlton on Thursday night – and he will be keen to take that form into today’s CSL Eastern Premier Division clash with Arbroath United.
The 28-year-old all-rounder from Sydney only arrived in Edinburgh this week as player/coach for the Grange Loan outfit.
But the left hander wasted no time in getting to work, hitting 181 not out off just 72 balls in Carlton’s comfortable victory in the Twenty20 Masterton Trophy event against Edinburgh CC.
He comes in for a league bow at home today, replacing Ruairi Macpherson in the side to face Arbroath.
The Angus side travel to the capital without the unavailable Shaun Christie, so in comes 24-year-old seamer Craig Ross for a top team debut.
Third plays first at Forthill with Forfarshire playing Heriot’s. Both teams won two matches last weekend in league and Scottish Cup and as a result this one promises to be a cracker.
Mathew Parker comes into the Forfarshire side for Chris Greaves.
The visitors are unchanged and key to Heriot’s hopes will be the performance of spinner Ryan Brown, who has six league wickets to his name in 2018 already.
Second-placed Mazars Grange have won three matches in the last seven days in various competitions and have blooded a number of youngsters.
One of those is 17-year-old wicketkeeper Patrick Ritchie and he keeps the gloves for the trip to Glenrothes.
“The team has made a good start to the league season, but we know that there is a long way to go. Last year the guys were disappointed not to win a trophy, so we are all focused on trying to do that by just taking things one game at a time,” Ritchie said.
With Safyaan Sharif with Derbyshire, Vasu Reddy will lead the Fifers while Asdaq Raja comes into the team.
Aberdeenshire are fifth and they host bottom side Stewart’s Melville at Mannofield.
Findlay Anderson is into the home XI for Lewis Munro.
Elliot Foster returns for RH Corstorphine as they get ready to host winless Watsonians at East Barnton Avenue.
Sam Flett has also received a boost ahead of the derby with news that he will be involved with the Eastern Knights for the first time tomorrow.
Watsonians’ bowling attack is bolstered by the return of former Scotland man Dewald Nel while young talent Callum Martin also comes in.
They replace Brendan O’connell and Tom Pratt from the side defeated at Grange.