Big Bash star Beaton enjoying promotion bid with SMRH

The 25-year-old batsman is a former Australia under-19 skipper and in late 2015 and early this year he was turning out for the Melbourne Renegades in the top class Twenty20 tournament in his homeland alongside the likes of West Indies legend Chris Gayle.

Also in his squad in Melbourne were the likes of Australian internationalist Aaron Finch and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

As a result he has played a lot of high level cricket so it was something of a coup for SMRH to be able to get him to Inverleith for the 2016 season in the second tier.

So far in four matches in the league SMRH are unbeaten and last week against Stuart&Stuart Penicuik Beaton scored 60 and took three wickets.

They are second behind RH Corstorphine and tomorrow they are travelling to take on Edinburgh at Campbell Park.

Beaton said: “When the opportunity arose to come over to Scotland it was something I was really interested in because I knew it was a lovely country and one of the great things about cricket is that you get to play abroad.

“The guys at SMRH have been really great with me so far and made it easy for myself and the family to settle here in Edinburgh. On the field I know the guys are determined to win the league and return to the Premiership so hopefully I can help them do that.

“I am also doing quite a bit of coaching with young players around the Capital and that is something I really enjoy.

“Playing with the Renegades back home was brilliant and I tried to learn as much as I could from the internationalists around me. They were all great guys and playing in front of sold out stadiums was a real buzz.”

Beaton has also turned out for the Eastern Knights in the regional tournaments since his arrival in Scotland.

Elsewhere in the Championship tomorrow, the top side RH Corstorphine are down in the Borders to take on Kelso.

Holy Cross take on Carlton II at Arboretum, Mazars Grange II host Dunnikier and Marchmont are on the road to Kirkhill to play Penicuik.

Meanwhile, in the CSL Eastern Premiership the leaders Watsonians head to second placed Carlton in what should be a cracking derby.

Both sides won in the league last week and for the Grange Loan encounter they make two changes each.

Watsonians travel with Schalk Conradie making his first XI debut after some good performances for the second team. He will keep wicket while Fraser Sands comes in for the unavailable Martin Versfeld.

Carlton are without Gordon Drummond and Ali Evans so in come Ruairi Macpherson and Calum Everett.

Mazars Grange are in fourth place and they have Neil McCallum back as they prepare to take on Heriot’s at Goldenacre.

With the former Scotland man returning to the XI, Raj Routray drops out and it will be interesting to see where Gordon Goudie is in the batting line-up given that he has hit an amazing 177 runs in the last two league outings.

Grange bowlers Harris Aslam and Chris Sole will be feeling in fine fettle having been included in the Scotland ‘A’ squad for next week’s three day match with Ireland ‘A’ in Ayr which begins on Monday.

Heriot’s head into the match on the back of a defeat against Watsonians, but they nearly pulled that one back from the brink and Adrian Neill’s seven wickets in that one have earned him a call-up to the Scotland ‘A’ squad alongside team mate Mark Watt.

On Sunday a number of local clubs also complete a busy weekend with Citylets Scottish Cup round two matches.

Amongst the ties is Heriot’s against Ferguslie at Goldenacre.