Cricket: Carlton Master Grange to lift the silverware

For long periods it seemed an under-strength Grange side would take the spoils especially when openers Cameron Coles and Ken Rae put on 71 chasing a total of 127.

However, momentum dramatically swung Carlton's way after Ross Lyons was introduced to the attack and the Saltires left arm spinner delivered with a vengeance claiming figures of 3-12 from his four overs to sensationally blunt the Grange offensive.

It was a close run thing for the man-of-the-match award since eventual winner Coles proved potent with the ball (2-29) but surpassed himself with the bat in making 58 including 1x6 and 7x4s off 48 balls making the most of twice being dropped when playing pull-shots. That Lyons failed to get individual recognition rankled afterwards with winning skipper Fraser Watts, who said: "How Ross didn't get man-of-the-match (awarded by the umpires) is beyond me. It was a game-turning performance from him in every sense.

"Overall, though, we were scratchy and found ourselves winning ugly."

The contest oozed key moments including a superb run-out by Watts darting in from point to throw down the stumps from an acute angle to dismiss Iain Worth while there was debate around the boundary over the lbw decision given against acting Grange captain and former Warwickshire _stalwart Mike Powell when he'd scored only a single.

In the Carlton innings - they won the toss - the 19th over, by Coles, was also significant as it produced four runs and four wickets, two of them run-outs.

Similarly, Carlton enjoyed a spell where three Grange wickets fell for the addition of just four runs midway through. Initially it seemed Carlton would seize the initiative as Watts and fellow Scotland opener Preston Mommsen set off at a rare pace before the last named gave one of three brilliant catches taken behind the stumps by Simon Smith.

Watts continued to dominate on his way to 32 in a partnership with Cedric English (6) and when he was out Blake Dean injected further momentum on the way to top scoring for Carlton with 36.

Every time Carlton looked like pulling away, though, Grange drew on splendid fielding skills with 13-year-old William Edwards covering acres of ground fielding behind the wicket and Iain Worth taking a remarkable diving catch.

Eventually the hosts staggered across the line well contained by Andy Wilson's four overs going for a mere 13 runs.

Nevertheless, with the more recognisable bowling attack particularly in the pace department - Grange were short of a string of regular bowlers in particular - 127 looking a challenging total. From the start Coles and Ken Rae began to eat away at the target with the 50 coming up in the seventh over - two less than Carlton took to achieve the same landmark.

Lyons broke through in taking a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss Rae for 17.

Coles, meanwhile, charged ahead helped by 16 runs from a single Legget over until Lyons, by now operating from the Morningside end, enticed him down the pitch to provide a straightforward stumping for Jamie Kerr.

At this stage there was still no sign of any imminent collapse but Iain Worth was run out after appearing to be called for a second and Powell's demise was possibly vital.

Grange's challenge ebbed away with Smith being caught by Drummond at the second attempt.

The final three overs saw Grange require 30 runs that was always going to be beyond them and 13 were needed off Legget's bowling at the death. It was never remotely a possibility.