KIPLING's admonition about keeping your head when all around are

losing theirs was brought vividly to life on Saturday in a dramatic

final over at Raeburn Place, where Edinburgh Academicals met Carlton.

Needing four runs from the last two balls for the better of the draw,

but with Nos.10 and 11 at the wicket, Derek Cavellini played the ball to

Dave Loudon at square leg. The batsmen hesitated, then sped off in panic

for a run that was no longer there.

Loudon calmly whipped the ball back to wicketkeeper Richard Eglinton,

who just as nonchalantly removed the bails and ran out Richard

Bannerman.

Their coolness netted Academicals their first Ryden League victory of

the season while dealing a hammer blow to Carlton's title aspirations.

It was a gutsy performance by Accies, who got their heads down and

grafted for a challenging 181 for seven from 55 overs which pivoted

around Willie Tait's half-century.

Carlton hardly looked up to the task except when Jim Govan and Tim

Downey were together, but their partnership was shattered when Govan was

run out, one of four such dismissals in their innings.

They could have done with some of the dynamism which Johnny Everett

brought to the Grange innings as they chased Watsonians' 168, featuring

53 from Mike Leonard. Everett hit his first three deliveries for 4, 4,

and 6, and galvanised the final dash for victory by eight wickets. Jim

Love contributed another major innings, hitting 86.

Freuchie must have thought they were on to a good thing at Union Park

when they rolled over Corstorphine for a mere 52, Dave Cowan returning

figures of six for 22. But what a fright they were given. The winning

runs came with only two wickets left.

Heriot's had eight down in pursuit of a modest Stenhousemuir total at

Goldenacre. They had to settle for a draw with the majority of points

going back to The Tryst.

The winning points stayed at Barnton as Kirkcaldy again failed to

reach three figures.