Falkand held to rare cricket draw

Lyle Robertson won the toss and asked Carlton to bat.

The opening was slow but steady and 106 runs were on the board before the first wicket fell in the 30 over.

Carlton then stepped up a gear or two and reached 222, a total which would have been a great deal less but for 32 extras.

There was also a remarkable piece of good sportsmanship when, with a Falkland player on the gound injured, Fraser Burnett of Arbroath refused an extra run after he had taken a single.

In reply, with the conditions now more favourable for batting, Steven Meikle and Jack Henderson saw Falkland off to a good start, but it was not until professional Harsha Cooray came in that Falkland felt that they had a good chance of winning.

A good stand of 91 between Cooray and Euan Sloan almost saw Falkland home, but Sloan was run out, and with the last ball about to be bowled, Falkland needed two runs to win and one to tie.

Devon May was only able to score one run, and a tie was the result - something that is comparatively rare in cricket.

A clubs spokesman said: “It was a good perfromance from Falkland.

"The attitude was exactly right, and in some aspects of the game, notably ground fielding, they were far superior to their Edinburgh opponents. This tie, and the 15 points gained, coupled with Arbroath's defeat does a lot to easy relegation worries. Falkland were a little disappointed at not winning, but it was a remarkable game of cricket played in good weather. It was also played in the right sporting spirit throughout and both teams emerge with much credit.”

Stoneywood-Dyce visit Falkland on Saturday, and as it is Falkland's sponsors’ day, we hope for a big crowd and a sunny day.

Scoring: Carlton 222 for 7 (F Burnett 56, S Khan 50, T Simpson 40, J Henderson 3 for 37, L Robertson 3 for 44)

Falkland 222 for 6 (H Cooray 75 not out, E Sloan 36, S Meikle 35, J Henderson 34).