Nick Ross catch a blinder as Blues hold out Prahran

Carlton’s ‘wily campaigner’ makes vital runs and takes a classic grab as the Blues take a crucial win at Toorak Park.

Carlton players sing the song after holding out Prahran.

What do they say about catches?

Of course they win matches.

In Tuesday’s first-versus-third Premier clash at Toorak Park, Carlton’s Nick Ross took a spectacular catch that had a large say in his team’s victory over Prahran.

Run-happy Prahran opener Nick Blaich had zipped to 21 off 22 balls when he cut hard at Carlton quickie Cameron Stevenson.

He was entitled to think he had his fourth boundary.

But Ross and his right hand intervened: he dived low at short point and held on. Blaich tossed his head back in disbelief. “What a catch!’’ came a call from the grandstand.

Prahran legend John Malligan, watching from the boundary, called it a cracker.

In a match reduced to 32 overs, the True Blues were chasing the Blues’ 5-152 and came in short at 8-148, despite another rousing innings from Lachie Bangs.

The left-hander cuffed 51 from 54 balls, including a six over cover that looked to be little more than a push through the line.

While he was there Prahran could fancy running down its target. But in the 31st over he hit a full toss from Carlton captain Evan Gulbis straight to Xavier Crone on the mid-wicket boundary.

Prahran needed 11 from the last over, but off-spinner Tom Smyth closed it out for the visitors.

Brought on in the late overs as a pace-off-the-ball measure against swinging bats, and operating around the wicket, he conceded only 13 runs and caught and bowled Matt Wilcox for seven.

Stevenson (2-23 off six), Gulbis (1-22 off six), left-arm spinner Eddy O’Sullivan (0-24 off seven) and Matt Wilson (2-32 off five) did their bit too to hold up the hosts.

Paceman Xavier Crone (0-28 off five overs) didn’t fire with the ball, but he did with the bat, caning 31 not out off 21 balls and hitting the last delivery of the innings for six.

He and Harry Smith (33no) pushed on after Ross (42) was dismissed.

Nick Ross.

Ross played another good innings.

“He’s a star, he’s such a good player,’’ Gulbis said.

“To be able to rely on him in the middle-order allows other guys to be a bit more dynamic. He can take to the bowlers but he also works through his innings very well, understands how to play that role. He knows how to rebuild if we’ve lost a few wickets, he knows how to get on with it when we need it. He’s got all the shots. He’s a class player.’’

As for the catch, Gulbis said it was a great take from a “wily campaigner’’.

“It was more than the catch itself. It was the moment, and how important it was to get that first wicket, especially after they started pretty well,’’ he said.

“In a shortened game with a smaller score, you’ve got to take every chance. That was really important for us.’’

Another key passage came when Wilson threw down the stumps to run out Prahran No 3 Damon Egan, who was responding to a call for a single from his skipper, Jake Hancock.

Hancock had made 19 off 40 balls when he hit Wilson straight to Tom Smyth.

Gulbis took a good look at Bangs, who has blasted two centuries this season, and was impressed.

“He’s got a beautiful bat swing,’’ he said.

“He’s a young player with a bright future. Playing against us is different to playing against other teams. If you get runs against Carlton, you’ve played pretty well. To get 50 against us shows that he’s got a lot of talent. I thought we were able to contain him very well though.’’

The win consolidated Carlton at the top of the ladder. The loss sent Prahran tumbling from third to eighth.