Scorecard Scottish Students v MCC, Peffermill, Edinburgh, 4 June.

A strong MCC side took on the Scottish Students at Peffermill, the home of Edinburgh University sport, and the home for many years of the fixture between MCC and Scottish Universities, as this XI was called until 2011. The game was a 'time' game, with lunch and tea breaks all part of the days play. Captain Andrew Brock and coach Iain Stewart, eager to build on the impressive showing of the side in their only fixture so far against the East of Scotland League XI, had Alex Baum in behind the stumps in place of Fraser Boyd as well as giving debuts to Fraser Burnett of the University of Abertay & Arbroath United, as well as Queensland native Cameron Farrell, player-coach at Heriots and studying at Heriot-Watt University.

MCC opened the batting with Alan Simpson, a former opening partner of Scotland legend Bruce Paterson at Ayr Cricket Club, a partnership that was one of the best in Scottish club cricket for many years. Simpson was first to go, caught by Tom McBride at point and bowled by tall paceman Ed Abel Smith, who is being monitored closely by a couple of English county sides. Ewan Chalmers, a graduate of St Andrews University, with a first class half century already to his name in his career, scored 63 in 112 balls for the club, before student skipper Brock took an excellent catch off the bowling of allrounder Keith Allen. Chalmers put on 105 in his partnership with Fergus Black, who attends Ampleforth College and occasionally plays for Freuchie. Black ending on 58 before being stumped by the quick hands of Baum, off Allen's at times sharp medium pace. Gordon Goudie, with 68 Scotland caps to his name, came to the crease at number six and scored a useful 28 before Farrell caught him off Aberdeen University and Stoneywood-Dyce strike bowler, Josh Stinson. Abel Smith came on for a second spell to take the club from 171/5 to 198/9 in 53 overs. His figures of 14-2-37-4 were just rewards for his labours. The MCC deceleration came as captain, the Ex -Scotland and West District batsman Iain Kennedy, wanted half an hour to bowl at the students before tea. Kennedy, who is now chairmen of the Scotland selectors would have been impressed by the fielding display of the Scots and non-Scots in the students line up.

Gordon Goudie struck early for the MCC, vindicating the shrewd Kennedy's decision to leave the declaration until later into the session. Goudie took out Keith Allen's off stump fourth ball with a top class delivery that would have most batsmen turning to walk back to the pavilion. Tom McBride, who scored 84 in the previous Scottish Students game of the summer, remained composed and batted well in the face of some lively bowling from Alsitair Stokes at the pavilion end and Goudie. McBride and Bailwal put on 125 runs for the 2nd wicket, before Bailwal was caught by Black of the bowling of Angus Graham for 56 of 66 balls in 97 minutes. McBride would succumb on 82 as he was run out by the quick fire arm of Black, leaving Fraser Burnett, 23 not out to guide the students home, although he lost Josh Edwards to a smart Alistair Stokes catch off Goudie for 6, and was to be joined by Cameron Farrell at the crease for the final few balls. Scottish Students ended on 201 for 4 in 37. 1 overs. This left the exciting talent of Chris Burns left with his pads on, unused, but the students were more than happy with victory in a fixture their predecessors had one only once in 16 attempts prior to this, in 2004, again at Peffermill.

The Scottish Students look to continue their unbeaten campaign by moving on to play Scotland U19 at West Lothian County Cricket Association's Boghall ground in Linlithgow on Jubilee Tuesday. With Baum taking the gloves for the national age group side, Fraser Boyd comes back in, as does middle order batsman Ed Kneale from St Andrews University. The game is to be played in coloured kit and a pink ball used. It starts at 11am.

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