Cricket: Opportunity Knox for Heriot’s skipper eight years after losing final

The game between Heriot’s and Carlton at Goldenacre on Sunday was always set to be a tight affair, but no-one could have imagined just how tight.

Indeed, when Carlton’s innings – in reply to the 198 posted by Heriot’s – was cut short at 65-2 in 20.5 overs because of heavy rain, the sides were  actually tied.

The umpires then retired into a room to clarify the rules and it transpired that Heriot’s were seven runs ahead on the Duckworth/Lewis method when a countback took place to the end of the 20th over.

The rain continued to fall and, with no prospect of any further play, Carlton skipper Fraser Watts shook Knox’s hand and Heriot’s players and supporters celebrated.

Knox said: “Ideally we would not have liked to win in a rain-affected game, but that is the way it goes and we are just delighted to have made it through.

“In our innings, we always wanted to get over 200, and although we fell just short we still felt we had a good chance.

“Our bowlers then started well and only when the drizzle began to fall did I start looking at the Duckworth/Lewis scores. I knew after 20 overs that we were ahead, but when [Michael] Herdman hit a six off Kevin McLaren in the 21st over I panicked a bit.

“Once the rain became too heavy to continue I thought the umpires did a great job to make sure everything was correct, while Fraser and Carlton were very sporting in defeat.”

Heriot’s should have Peter Ross back from Australia, where he has been on duty with Scotland’s under-19s, in time for the September 2 final at Clydesdale against either Watsonians or Stenhousemuir.

Knox, who played in a losing final for Grange in 2004 against Greenock, added: “The guys have played some really good cricket this summer and it is great to get Heriot’s to a final. We are all excited about it.”