NATIONAL coach Peter Drinnen hailed the character of his Scotland A side after an amazing counter-attack took them within three wickets of another upset in the 2nd XI County Championship.

The Scots began the final day 69 for five in their second innings, needing 92 runs to make Yorkshire bat again, but centuries from Omer Hussain and Ross Lyons turned the match on its head as they formed a magnificent partnership of 170 for the eighth wicket.

Saltires reserve Hussain made 121 and Lyons, batting at No 9, was run out for a phenomenal 100 off 121 balls as he chased a second run. The Scots' eventual dismissal for 335 left Yorkshire needing 176 to win off 31 overs, and the county scraped home with four balls and three wickets to spare. World Cup squad member Lyons took four for 74.

"Today was quite incredible, and we really deserved to get something from this game," said Drinnen. "After scoring 462 on the first day, Yorkshire's players didn't seem to rate our boys at all. We showed tremendous character, and for Qasim Sheikh to score 96 and two others to get centuries in the one game, I'm over the moon."

Meanwhile, Scotland's John Blain and Glenn Rogers starred with the ball as a European select pipped the MCC in a low-scoring gala match at Lord's.

In-form Blain reduced the hosts to 36 for three and finished with figures of three for 38 after Alan Duncan, the former Freuchie all-rounder, led the MCC to respectability with an unbeaten 40.

Left-arm spinner Rogers turned the screw with two for 19 off 10 overs as the hosts posted 183 for seven. Craig Wright's unbeaten 23 then guided the Europeans to a two-wicket victory as they recovered from 33 for five.

Calum MacLeod, 18, took his first senior wickets for Warwickshire in their three-day match against Leeds/Bradford UCCE. Fellow Scot Dougie Brown made inroads with four wickets before MacLeod cleaned up the tail to finish with 3-21.