Magic Weekend ?

With some encouraging preparation behind us, it 's time for the first serious action of the summer. Here are the weekend's fixtures -

Saturday

• 1sts vs Murrayfield-DAFS 1sts, away at Roseburn, 1pm.
• 2nds vs Edinburgh South 1sts, home at Arbo, 1.30 pm.
• 3rds vs Edinburgh South 2nds, home at Campbell Park, 1.30 pm.

Sunday

• 2008 Presidents Trophy final vs Watsonians 2nds, at Kirkhill, Penicuik, 1pm.

Good luck to all, perhaps especially the 1sts who'll be dodging the hordes of Rugby League fans gathering at Murrayfield for "Magic Weekend". As compensation for the inconvenience they can make it a Magners Weekend by scoring a 50 or taking 5 wickets and winning a case of Irish cider. (And before you start, I know it's not fair on bowlers. They only get 10 overs and batsmen can go on all day. 5 wickets is more like a century. The front-foot no-ball law is a violation of human rights and they just don't make bowling boots like they used to ........)

2s/3s Start with win

HX 179 for 9 off 35 overs beat Dunfermline Wanderers by 29 runs (ao for 145)

Paul Bailey 21
Ken Lawrie 3
Anzelm Cydzik 31
Jon Bates 80 no
Mohammed Amjid 8
Mark Robertson 19
Brian Fraser 0
Shammo Biswas 1
James Pope 5
Gerry Lohan 0
Colin McGill 2 no

Having lost the toss and been asked to bat, it was good to get a challenging total on the board first time of asking, in particular considering that we have struggled for runs in recent years. Mainstay of our innings was JB who scored his first 50 for the club in 3 years!!!!!! Paul Bailey got useful runs at the top of the order and some lusty blows by Shifty and a line-drive 6 by Amjid kept the scoreboard ticking over with JB at the other end progressing along as we all know he can.

Having enjoyed tea we took to the field knowing that they needed 5 an over from the off. After 16 overs they were about 90 odd for none. Thankfully Amjid had come on and stemmed the run scoring (they were about 60 odd after 10 overs). He was followed by Jerry (3rd change! - at his behest) who promptly took 2 wickets in his first over and then removed the second opener shortly after. They reached 130 odd for 5 after 25 but wickets then fell regularly, with Jerry ending up with 6 for (should have been 7 for but skip couldn't even catch a cold let alone a dolly). They were all out in the 31st over in which James took 2, one of which involved a salmonesk dive by JB to dismiss their no 8 - the thud as he landed was highly entertaining :-)

J Pope 4.4 overs 2 for 17
Shammo 7 overs 0 for 35
Amjid 7 overs 1 for 17
McGill 5 overs 1 for 36
Gerry 7 overs 6 for 37

HX then enjoyed the offerings that the Arbo bar provides.
All in all a fun day (and evening) against opposition that played the game in the right spirit and who are likely to do very well in division 6. Lets hope all 3 HX XIs can get off to winning starts in the league next week.

2nd warm-up win for 1sts

At Bailliefields, Westquarter (25th, April).

Holy Cross 180/6 off 40 overs.

C. Ellis 93*, E. C. Smith 22, K. Fraser 20, D. Russell 14.

Westquarter 54ao off 22.5 overs.

S Farooqi 16,
S. Bonfield, 6 overs, 1-13
R. Bainbridge, 5 overs, 1-10
I. Astley, 3 overs, 3-6
N. Amjid, 4 overs, 3-6
A. Millington, 3 overs, 2-14

full scorecard here:

http://tinyurl.com/r4emub

The 1st XI followed their workmanlike victory against Edinburgh University with a more convincing display against Div 2 side Westquarter; against whom we’d rather underperformed in previous contests. In contrast to most pre-season matches, the sun shone and we fielded a near first-choice XI. Dougie Russell, looking fit, made his comeback and was soon striking his trademark straight drives.

The pitch was an interesting prospect: firm but rather pitted: resulting in ankle high and head high balls from deliveries pitched in the same ‘areas’. Fortunately, the Westquarter bowlers failed to keep a consistent line and gave us plenty scoring opportunities-even if the rather thick outfield slowed the scoring rate. We made an over-par 180-6 with Ellis, employing -as encouraged by the club President - some agricultural [or should that be horticultural?] strokes, making 93*. With Fraser, E.C. Smith and Dougie making useful runs, all of the top 7 have had some ‘middle time’ over the two pre-season games; apart from C. A. Smith, run out by Ellis.

Shannon’s opening spell rather put the wind up the opposition; getting their leading bat (Mumtaz) 2nd ball -via a sharp slip catch by Fraser - certainly made the task easier. The other bowlers backed-up Shannon’s effort well: Nadeem taking his first wickets for the Cross, Astley causing problems with virtually every ball. Millington (in his first game for a while) and Bainbridge also bowled solid spells. Some good catching by Fraser, Bonfield, E. C (with an edge between keeper and 1st slip the only major blemish) and some over-ambitious shots helped us knock Westquarter over for 50.

Thanks to WRCC for hosting the match and the excellent tea.

An encouraging start but things will be far more testing next weekend when the 1st XI face Murrayfield-Dafs on Saturday (Roseburn) and, in the Presidents Trophy Final on Sunday , Watsonians (at Kirkhill, Penicuik).

Opening Win for E. C. 's men

Edinburgh University vs Holy Cross at Peffermill (18/4/09).




Holy Cross 1st XI 153 ao
S. Pickering 27, N. Ali 25, E. Smith 18, R. Bainbridge 18*,
S. Bonfield 15, P. Kumar 11, Astley 10.

Hamilton 8 overs, 3/11
Ruswa 8 overs, 4/44
Pope, 8 overs, 0/25

Edinburgh University 118 ao.
F. Denku 53

Kumar, 8 overs, 3/27
Bonfield, 7.1 overs, 3/21
Bainbridge, 8 overs, 2/26
Astley, 8 overs, 1/23
Ellis, 7 overs, 0/15

In contrast to previous years, this game took place in temperatures comfortably above freezing (the final stages even being played out in warm sunshine). The early-season pitch made fluent strokeplay difficult: 153 was a good total - especially after we had been reduced to 98-7.

As the figures illustrate, a solid all-round display with contributions coming from throughout the side. Encouraging debuts from Nadeem and Praveen and a decent fielding effort given the rutted outfield. Admittedly the University side was a below strength one, but still contained some good cricketers (Denku's knock was a fine one).

Next Saturday the 1st XI hope to build on this victory with a fixture against Westquarter (away).

Saltires

Just as I was absorbing the news of Scotland's defeat to Afghanistan in South Africa, a letter arrived from the nice people at Cricket Scotland asking me to advertise the Saltires' summer fixtures. There are far too many to mention them all here, but here are the Edinburgh dates. All games to be played at Grange.

• Thursday 14th May vs Middlesex
• Saturday 16th May vs Warwickshire
• Monday 18th May vs Kent
• Wednesday 20th May vs Somerset
• Friday 28th August vs Australia

Talking of Raeburn Place, Paul Bailey has put together a short video of the 1sts playing Grange 2nds there on a very blustery May day in 2005. Not our best afternoon at the home of Scottish cricket - where was the video camera for last summer's successful run chase ? - but if you'd like to see a little vintage Holy Cross action you can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmRTcGJXItw&feature=channel_page

Up for the Cups ?

Time to start dreaming of Cup glory again. Remember the Small Clubs in 2004 or the Presidents Plate in 2007 ? (Best to forget the two Parks Trophy finals of the last 15 years). Some dates for your diaries.

• Sunday May 3rd - 2008 Presidents Trophy final vs Watsonians 2s at Penicuik.
• Thursday May 7th - Parks Trophy round 1 vs Kirk Brae at Double Hedges.
• Sunday May 17th - 2009 Presidents Trophy round 1 vs Kirk Brae at Double Hedges.
• Tuesday May 19th - Masterton Trophy round 1 vs Watsonians 1s at Arbo.
• Sunday June 14th - Cricket Scotland Trophy vs Dundee HSFP at Arbo.

In addition we're drawn away to Livingston in round 1 of the Cow Corner 20/20 Trophy with the tie due to be played by June 19th.

Net Practice

Weather permitting, nets will start at Newfield in just over a week on Wednesday 22nd - 6.30 to 8.30 as usual. There are a handful of Wednesday evenings when we won't be netting because there are games on the main Newfield square but the first of those is not until mid May. I'll keep you posted here.

The end of the SNCL?

http://tinyurl.com/d4svh8

Practice Makes Slightly Less Imperfect - Nets and Pre-Season

Just a reminder that the last scheduled indoor net session is tomorrow (Saturday) at Stewarts Melville School on Queensferry Road. Please note the slightly later time of 4-6.

We're taking the Easter weekend off. Then a 1sts/2nds side and a 2nds/3rds side will take on the University at Peffermill on Saturday 18th. The following Saturday the 1sts/2nds are at Westquarter while the 2nds/3rds entertain Dunfermline Wanderers at Arbo.

AGM News

Not perhaps the most dramatic news with which to mark our belated entry into the late 20th Century (setting up a website was apparently first discussed at an agm over ten years ago), but no less important for that.

There have been a few changes among the Club's Officers. Euan takes over from Charlie as 1sts Captain, with Keith (F) as his vice-Captain. Anzelm carries on as 2nds Captain, ably assisted by President Shifty. Ken takes over as 3rds Captain and Dave Sharpe will be his deputy.

Match Secretary duties will rotate between Euan, Ken and Mahmood with Rob (B) helping out from time to time (Is that better, Rob ?). I can't thank them enough for volunteering. But other Crossers can, by joining them. Even a couple of weeks would make a difference.

Meanwhile, after a wait almost as long as that for the website, the Honours Boards in the clubhouse have been updated thanks to the generosity of the President.