OF the 14 batsmen who occupied the crease at Grange Loan on Saturday, only three scored fewer runs than Ross Lyons.
But it was quality, not quantity, that counted for the Saltires all-rounder as he steered Carlton to a famous Lloyd's TSB cricket Premiership victory over FS McCrea West by a five-wicket margin.
The left-hander notched eight – but the first ball
he received was a lofted drive through long-on for six followed immediately by a straight hit for two and that was sufficient to seal overall success with four deliveries from visiting pro Andy Ellis to spare.
To describe this win as unlikely would maybe not quite be an understatement, but it did seem for long enough as though the outcome would hinge on one of several superlative pieces of fielding by West.
The victim on that occasion was Carlton skipper Cedric English (59), who saw a drive from batting partner Stevie Gilmour brilliantly deflected on to his stumps by Mohammad Kashif, the Dutch World Cup spin bowler.
At this stage, Fraser Watts (71 from 69 balls) had just been caught in the deep by Greg Watson. And, when Gordon Drummond holed out to the same player, Carlton still needed 39 from four overs.
Even with light fading – ten minutes were lost late on in an abortive attempt to locate a ball hit into an adjacent garden – Gilmour (16) and Jamie Kerr (12 not out) took Carlton to the point where they still required 20 off 12 deliveries and then eight runs from the last of the 30 overs allocated to each side in the rain-affected clash.
Enter Lyons who, with minimum fuss, produced two mighty swats that belied his relatively lightweight frame. Whether that will contribute to kick-starting a Scotland career that has stalled on 36 caps since England's visit to Raeburn Place last August remains to be seen, but the 24-year-old spinner also weighed in with 2-23 from six overs which appeared to give him particular satisfaction.
"If I am going to get back into the Saltires side it will probably be through my bowling, so I was pleased to contribute in that department," he said.
Indeed, Lyons' intervention to remove Watson and break an opening partnership which had put on 81 with the first 50 coming in just eight overs was badly needed.
And, while Dougie Lockhart went on to make 67, it was Lyons who struck another hammer blow for Carlton by having pro Andy Ellis caught by Watts for 21.
"We reeled West back in during the middle of their innings then let them get away towards the end in posting 177," said Lyons, adding: "Fortunately, both Fraser and Cedric batted brilliantly and having seen us lose to Clydesdale in the final over this season and tie with Grange it was encouraging that this time a really tight encounter went our way.
"Certainly, West made us work hard throughout.
"While we put down a couple of chances in the field they proved themselves one of the most alert sides around, particularly Ian Young, their skipper."
The catch by Watson that did for Drummond was especially notable as it required a full-length dive after a ten-yard dash while equally memorable was Dion McCall's take to dispose of Steve Gilmour as it involved running downhill at a respectable trot.
Against that background, it said much for Carlton that they rose to the challenge at the expense of highly disciplined opponents whose biggest concession was one over that went for 14 runs.
Summing up his brief but match-winning knock, Lyons said: "In his previous over, Andy Ellis was banging the ball in on a good length so I thought I'd set myself for a hit to the short boundary and fortunately it came off."
Carlton lie seventh in the table and, with Watsonians similarly successful in the last over, the stage is now set for a memorable clash between the pair this Tuesday at Grange Loan in the Masterton Trophy twenty:20 semi-final.
The full article contains 685 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
