Poloc and Grange are Junior Cup-winners

29 June 2009

Poloc and Grange win Junior Cups

Carlton reached the finals of both the U15 and U13 Twenty20 Scottish Cups at New Williamfield on Sunday - but to their own frustration came off second-best in both competitions.

In the U15 event, the Grange Loan club won their semi-final against Huntly Highlanders by six wickets, but went on to a 10-wicket defeat by a strong NVT Poloc side (pictured) in the final - Carlton 94 all out (M Ahmed 30, A Rive 21*, DZ Chaudhry 3-8, J Sajjad 2-29); NVT Poloc 96-0 (A Ullah 52 ret, C Young 25*).

In the earlier semi-finals at the same venue, Poloc had beaten Stirling County by six wickets and Carlton beat Huntly Highlanders by four wickets
     
In the competitive U13 semi-finals, Largo lost to Grange by 29 runs and Carlton beat West of Scotland by 24 runs.

The final saw Grange (left) post a challenging total, with two players retiring on reaching 30, but Carlton were unable to match the target, and young Tim Sole was the obvious choice as man-of-the-match, adding a three-wicket haul to his earlier batting performance - Grange 137-5 (T Sole 31 retired, D Player 31 retired, W Edwards 26, M Angeline 22*); Carlton 94-6 (R Simpson 33 retired, C Everett 25, T Sole 3-10).


Penicuik and Clydesdale kids head for Copenhagen

Schools are out, which gives the green light for clubs to arrange all kinds of daytime cricket activities and tours for their juniors.

But perhaps Penicuik and Clydesdale should get the plaudits for venturing overseas with their U14 squads. Both clubs responded to invitations from Danish club Svanholm to send teams to their ‘international’ festival, which also involves the Luxembourg team as well as Jutland, Zealand, and two other Danish club teams.

The enterprising festival has been organised by Mickey Lund, a member of the Danish national side that competed in the recent World Cup qualifier in South Africa, and starts on Thursday with local matches.

The two Scottish clubs arrive on Friday, and are scheduled to play each other on Saturday afternoon. “It’s a long way to go for a Twenty20 against Penicuik,” admitted Tim Hart, manager of the Clydesdale team, most of whom were members of last year’s Scottish Cup-winning U13 squad (pictured).


Last of the 2008 finals?

So poor was the weather throughout last season that it was small wonder that so many cricket competitions failed to reach a conclusion in the season they were started.

But what is probably the last of the ‘2008 finals’ to be played - that of the Strathclyde Shield - was finally finished at Hamilton Crescent in mid-June in a game between the ‘professionals’ of West of Scotland and the enthusiastic cricketers of the Active Life Club.

West batted first and in their 40 overs scored 271 for three. ALC were 126 all out.

But, according to competition organiser Adrian Linacre, “Both teams played in good spirit and should be commended for agreeing to play the final in June as last season’s final was abandoned due to rain.”.



Clubs eye Murgitroyd semi-final spots

The semi-finals and final of the the second national Murgitroyd Twenty20 Cup are scheduled to be played at Shawholm on Sunday August 16, but already in this fine Scottish summer the regional competitions that yield the identity of the four teams taking part are well on the way to completion.

In the Caledonia competition, Aberdeenshire and Arbroath meet at Mannofield in one of the semi-finals to be played by July 12, while Falkland are at home to last year’s winners Dunfermline Knights in the other all-Fife semi.

In the East section, Carlton and Watsonians have a Masterton Trophy semi-final derby date at Grange Loan, with Penicuik and RH Corstorphine squaring up in the other semi-final at Kirkhill.

And in the Rowan Cup for the west teams, McCrae FS West are at home to Greaves
Clydesdale, while Uddingston entertain the winners of the Kelburne-Greenock quarter-final.

With £500 on offer for the four regional winners, and a further £1,000 for the national Murgitroyd T20 champions, this competition is currently the most ‘valuable’ in cash terms of all Scottish cricket tourneys - and therefore hotly competitive.



Why you should never give up hope of victory

Steve Sadler, junior convener for Royal High Corstorphine, reports a remarkable performance earlier this month by one of their U13 players.

The club’s U13 team travelled to Fauldhouse. RHC batted first and Aidan Thomson (who had retired on 30* the previous week) went out to open the batting. Starting at the non-striker's end, Aidan was run out without facing a ball, and RHC went on to score 76 for five in 20 overs.

After 12 overs of their reply, Fauldhouse were 41 for 3. Aidan Thomson was then asked to bowl the next over and told his coach that he would "try bowling spin this week". “Pitch it up was the advice.”

Aidan's first ball was a waist-high no ball, but things got better. He took two wickets in the over and followed it up with three in his next. Taking wickets with the second and third ball of his third over, Aidan finished with figures of seven wickets for one run from his 2.3 overs. Fauldhouse were bowled out for 51.

If you know of any extraordinary such performances, at any level, at your club, then why not let us know about it: e-mail the details to mikestanger@cricketscotland.com - and don’t forget to include a relevant photo if you have one!