ICC/CricketEurope

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There was high drama at Victoria College today, where Scotland staged a recovery which would have made Lazarus proud, coming back from the dead to defeat host nation and debutants Jersey by three wickets.

At 86 for 7, chasing 161 for victory, the Scots were staring down the barrel of a widely unexpected and somewhat ignominious defeat, not to mention the end of their championship hopes, but an outstanding and unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership of 81 between Peter Ross and Andrew Umeed guided their team to victory.

Earlier in the day, in conditions helping the bowlers, Jersey had posted a competitive total of 161 for 6 on a very slow pitch. The Channel Islanders’ rock had been Daniel Cairns, who batted for two and a half hours exactly for his 70, which was made from 120 balls and contained eight boundaries.

Kearns, who eventually was dismissed when he mistimed a lofted drive to cover, batted intelligently and maturely and was brutal with anything short on both sides of the wicket, featuring in crucial partnerships of 51 and 57 with Aiden McGuire (22) and Corey Bisson (18) respectively.

McGuire in particular was looking in good touch before he offered a return catch to Andrew Umeed, who once again impressed with a tidy spell of leg-spin (2-24). Of Umeed’s fellow bowlers, the openers – Peter Ross and Sean Docherty – both bowled tight, accurate and notable spells, picking up a brace of wickets apiece, with neither going for much more than three an over.

Yet, when the Scots began their reply after lunch they were immediately under the cosh, Matthew Cross falling leg before to Alex Cooke’s first ball, while Ross McLean was trapped in front by Alexander Noel a few overs later.

And though Freddie Cox (27 from 38 balls) and Patrick Baker steadied the nerves with a stand of 37 for the third wicket, their good work was almost totally undone by a serious collapse in the middle order.

Five wickets were lost for only thirty-nine runs in, astonishingly, just thirty-four minutes: Cox and Scottish captain Peter Legget fell to Aiden McGuire, Baker became Cooke’s second victum, Charlie Fricker picked up the wicket of Andrew Lewis, while Jack Plomer was run out without facing the ball.

However, from these depths the Scottish resistance began, as Ross (49* from 69 balls) and Umeed (14* from 46 balls), who batted with one another for just over an hour, dragged the Scots ever closer to that showdown with the Irish on Thursday. In the end they reached their target with more than six overs to spare, and the winning runs were greeted rapturously by the relieved Scottish balcony.

If Scotland manage to emerge victorious from the final then they will have Ross and Umeed to thank (for their efforts with both bat and ball, lest we forget), just for getting them there, but their top order will have to pull itself together if such a scenario is to be regarded as realistic.

Jersey, meanwhile, can take immense pride from their performance in a match which, if just a few things had gone their way during its last hour, they probably could and should have won. A victory against the Netherlands tomorrow is far from out of the question.