Tuesday 28 May 2013

League Weekend 6 and the Week Ahead

This weekend's fixtures. Prepare for them at nets on Wednesday night  -
  • Saturday, 1sts vs Carlton 2nds, away.
  • Saturday, 2nds vs Livingston 2nds, at Arbo.
  • Saturday, 3rds vs Largo 4ths, home at Campbell Park.
  • Sunday, 1sts vs ERA, at Arbo.
We also have a Masterton quarter final vs Heriots at Goldenacre on the evening of Tuesday 4th.

Dan's the Man - Twos Snooze but don't Lose.

On a lovely afternoon, our skipper won the toss and opted to bat - only having seven players at the toss can change the lifelong prejudices even of a Smith.

We posted 195 for 8, partly thanks to a dogged but streaky innings from Jon Bates (39) and a coruscating one from Fraser Buchanan (27 - first three balls 4,4,6), but mostly because of a fine maiden HX 50 from Dan Welsh that was full of well-timed punches and drives through the covers.

This was our best total of the season by far, but it was very difficult to judge how good it really was. On the one hand the pitch was fairly quick and the outfield decidedly so. On the other the Boroughmuir bowlers had extracted both spin and movement off the seam from the track, with fine bowling performances from Docherty, Singh, Skidmore, Venkatamaran and the luckless Perry.

Andy Killey and Smudger opened up well and the first 10 overs yielded barely 20 runs, but also only a single tricky chance. That miss cost us as Docherty and Dickson built an initially patient but increasingly fluent first wicket partnership of 118, making the most of some real dross from the change bowlers and offering no further clearcut chances until Docherty was surprisingly run out.

This, coupled with the reintroduction of Killey (who removed Dickson for 65 but deserved far more than a single wicket) and Smudge, ultimately proved decisive as wickets fell regularly, mostly to Welsh who ended up with 4 for 50. Nonetheless with 8 down and three overs to go 'Muir only needed 18 to win. Cue the reintroduction of Bates and Tom Jordan, playing his first HX game for 17 years. Both, particularly Bates, had been expensive earlier, but they managed to close out the game for a two run win.

A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon - sunshine and a competitive game of cricket played in a good spirit throughout. We look forward to the return.

One last observation. We started late, partly through our unfamiliarity with the "new" Meggetland set-up, but partly through familiar HX failings. We need to do better if we are not to try the patience of our opponents and even a bunch as hospitable and sporting as Boroughmuir were beginning to get impatient on Saturday - not without cause.

Monday 27 May 2013

Parklife Over

Parks Trophy 2nd Round (Arbo- 27th May).

HX 85-9 (20 overs)
G. Trewartha 26
J. Zarkoob 3-13
S. Fergusson 2-13
M. Asif 2-26

Murrayfield-Dafs 86-1 (16.3 overs)
A Jaffrey 36*
R Javed 1-8

HX were bundled out of the Parks Trophy by an able Murrayfield-DAFS side who were impressive with the ball and in the field (young Ross ? in particular).
Fine opening spell (including 2 key wickets in the first over of the match) by Zarkoob was critical. The early run-out of Raja Javed was also important. After that HX were not able to set a competitive total, though GT batted nicely for 26 and Bimbo clobbered a couple at the end.

Despite some good testing overs and some good ground fielding (GT setting the example), the total never looked like being enough. One highlight was another one-hander from cje (a catch that is!), but it was probably a relief to most Crossers when the end came in the 17th over at a gloomy Arbo.


Sunday 26 May 2013

Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy

Our quarter-final tie vs Heriots will be played at Goldenacre on Tuesday 4th June.

Saturday 25 May 2013

60 Point Saturday!

3 wins - yes, even the 2's!!

Scorecard from the 1st's win versus Edin South is HERE 

2nds scorecard here looks like a v exciting game!

further details to follow...


Monday 20 May 2013

League Weekend 5 and the Week Ahead

Saturday's fixtures -
  • 1sts vs Edinburgh South at Arbo.
  • 2nds vs Boroughmuir 2nds at Meggetland.
  • 3rds vs Morton 3rds, home at Campbell Park.
And one cup game -
  • Monday 27th May, Parks Trophy 2nd round vs Murrayfield-DAFS at Arbo.

Good luck to all.

Midweek Evening Friendlies

Here's the schedule for this season's midweek friendlies -
  • Tuesday 11th June, Maccabi at Arbo.
  • Tuesday 18th June, Edinburgh South at Arbo.
  • Tuesday 25th June, Currie-Balerno at Arbo.
  • Tuesday 2nd July, Tranent at Arbo.
  • Tuesday 9th July, Murrayfield-DAFS at Arbo.
  • Tuesday 23rd July, Woodcutters at Arbo.

Saturday 18 May 2013

Thursday 16 May 2013

League Weekend 4

Saturday's fixtures -

  • 1sts vs Dunfermline, away - possibly on the artificial, so please take trainers.
  • 2nds vs Selkirk, at Arbo.
  • 3rds vs Tranent 2nds, away at Gyle 2.


Good luck to all.

Sunday 12 May 2013

HX lose sixes war 11 -18...

At Arboretum.

Grange 2's 297-4
HX 185 all out
delayed start: match reduced to 45 overs per side.

scorecard HERE 


Superb batting from Stuart Moffat (76) and Iain Worth (103) took Grange to 297 for the loss of just 4 wickets. Too many loose balls but very efficiently 'put away'.  A number of near things in the field but also a couple of drops..

In reply, Raja struck a brilliant 99 but once he was dismissed the HX innings subsided to 185 all out.  At one stage we were 130-2 off  19 overs.. Gordon Allan taking 4-29 and Ed Abel-Smith 3-53.

On this form, Grange 2nds must be strong favourites for the Division 1 title.

Friday 10 May 2013

League Weekend 3 - 2nds OFF

Saturday's fixtures -
  • 1sts vs Grange 2nds, at Arbo.
  • 2nds vs Peebles County, away - OFF, ground under water.
  • 3rds vs SMRH 4ths, home at Campbell Park.
Good luck to all.

Thursday 9 May 2013

All Hong Sao Shi Zi Tou's are on Michael


Sometimes whilst out and about around this great nation, one stumbles upon something that, for some reason, invokes a little smile.


He kept this quiet


Unsure quite what to do with this photo, or even why it contains humour, I submit it as part of our erstwhile caption competition.


I'll kick us off with the somewhat clunky:

"All Hong Sao Shi Zi Tou's are on Michael"

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Holey Murgitroid it’s T-20 time!

Tue 7th May vs Fauldhouse at Arboretum Road.

On a stunning Tuesday evening a strong looking Holy Cross team looked forward to kicking off our first competition T-20 game of the season, after Bass Rock called off last week’s Parks Trophy encounter.
With another toss won, the choice was simple “We’ll have a bat”!

With Owais on the growing Holy Cross crocked list (which currently includes Jimmy, KF, Dougie and Dom), the Cross 1st XI had their 3rd opening partnership in as many games with Raja and Charlie heading out to the middle.
Charlie looked in ominous touch early on, perhaps somewhat baited by the comment from one of the opposition ‘is Charlie playing, oh great, we’ll keep him in as he can’t score quick runs’! He was operating in boundaries. However the usually aggressive Raja was somewhat subdued.

With the score at 41, Raja was the first to fall for 10. In came Skip, who it must be said is horribly out of touch and in need of a decent knock. Charlie continued to plunder the Fauldhous bowling attack and Skip ticked over the scoreboard and strike nicely.
Charlie was quick to bring up his 50, with roughly 40 of those runs coming in boundaries. He is in fine touch for this early in the season, so perhaps a move down the order might be needed to give some of his team mates a crack?

The 50 partnership came not long after Charlie reached his personal milestone and with 8 overs remaining the Cross were on a handy 103-1! Up stepped the Fauldhouse skipper to close out the innings from the Ferry Road end. His first ball accounted for the Holy Cross Skip who played a rather limp attempt at a late cut, bowled off pin for a run a ball 22. Just as quickly as he walked out to the middle, Arch was back in the hut for a 2nd ball duck. Not a bad first over for the Fauldhouse Skip a 2 wicket maiden!
BAF fell an over or two later, all while Charlie continued to batter the ball to all parts of the ground. With 5 overs remaining the onlookers were anticipation a potential T20 ton. In a horrible example of Jug avoidance, Charlie rapidly reduced his scoring rate to end the inning on an extremely well compiled 84*, which was well supported by Bonners who ended with a handy 14odd to his name.

With an unusually warm breeze blowing, Bonners took the new cherry and produced a fine opening spell of 4 overs 3-14! Like Charlie, Bonners is looking in ominous form at the start of the season.
Bimbo took a bit of tap at the other end, but managed to account for his tormentor with an absolute peach that clipped the top of off stump. Raja was introduced from the Ferry Rd end and bowled 2 superb overs and took 2 wickets for a solitary run – a wide.
 
At the end of the 8th over Fauldhouse were in real trouble 6 down for about 42. Kev took over from Bonners and looked in pretty good nick for his first bowl of the season taking 2-20 off 4 overs, which should have been 3, had it not been for Skip dropping a sitter at gully diving full stretch to his right.
Robin, fresh from his trip to the States to chat with the lads at Google, returned equally as good figures of 2-26. His first wicket was a spectacular reflex caught and bowled that a man half his age would have been happy with!

All in all a superb performance with Fauldhouse being bowled out for just 75. On to the next round where Heriots or Marchmont await! Thanks to Coco for umpiring and Michael for diligently doing the scoreboard.

Quote of the Season? Early Contender.

KF reports the following from one of our opponents a couple of weeks ago - "Cricket is meant to be a team game and I'm the only one playing like a team."

Tuesday 7 May 2013

What did the ugly duckling become again?

On Saturday May the 4th, Holy Cross 1st XI faced the Imperial force that is Edinburgh Accies at Peffermill on a very windswept and chilly fternoon in a galaxy far far away.

Yet again at 1pm, the Cross were a few men short as Spickers in his trusty Millennium Falcon had taken a wrong turn at the Dagobah System and was running late! As it turned out Accies were as short as an Ewok and only managed to field 9 players!

Ok enough with the Star Wars innuendo..

As skip, with the toss won I had little hesitation and elected to bowl first. As even though the pitch had been covered, there was a decent sized damp patch on a good length just outside off to a right handed batsman.

Chewie AKA Bonners opened up down wind. The additional pace and rhythm he found saw a superb opening spell conceding just 7 runs off his opening 6 overs. Yet again like last season, the one before that and one before that, he was just too good to catch an edge. Both batsmen were bamboozled on a regular basis, which were greeted with a range of guttural animalistic growls from the bowler and behind the wicket. If only Bonners could use my philosophy and bowl the occasional pie!

 

Bimbo accounted for their opener Price in his third over, LBW for an unlucky 13. Which brought to the wicket a partnership that appeared to be playing test cricket. They raced to 32-1 of 15 overs before a change in the bowling saw Javed and then McOscar accelerate Accies scoring rate. At drinks Accies were 68-1 and unfortunately there was not a hot cup of tea in sight!

Both Raja and myself managed to pick up wickets later in our spell and finished with 2-32 and 3-32 respectively.

It is worth noting, that despite a catch being hit down my throat at mid-on, CJE tried to muscle in on the action repeatedly shouting mine, mine, mine and running in my direction.

Sorry CJE, your Jedi mind tricks don’t work on this Stormtrooper!

Due to a miscalculation in overs, Arch stepped up and took the ball for the last over, only conceding 3 runs off the bat but he did bowl 3 masshoove leg-side wides. Edinburgh Accies finishing on a reasonable 157-7, especially considering they were only on 68 at drinks.

Holy Cross got off to a disastrous start with Owais departing with the second ball of the innings for just 2. Up stepped CJE to partner Raja and the two built a nice little stand taking the score to 32-1 off 8. The Cross looked well placed to chase down 158 for victory, but for a bit of a mix up where I’m sure the words ‘yes, no, oh …. sorry’ were probably uttered. Raja looking like the Titanic turning to avoid an iceberg was run out for 14.

One of last week’s heroes Jimmy came to the wicket to join his partner in crime CJE and all hope was restored. Unfortunately Jimmy hadn’t read the script and departed for a 3rd ball duck, some would say a little unlucky with the nature of his LBW decision, but as his younger brother I say harden up and stop whining!

CJE was next to fall, chasing a very wide delivery and was caught behind of what surely would have been a wide. He scored a well compiled 25, which left the Cross at 47-4 off 19.

After chipping a rather streaky straight drive between the bowler and mid-off for 4, I was next to succumb, LBW for just 8. Spickers and Arch (in his first game back) then put on a very solid 37 run partnership with some lusty blows.

At this point it’s worth mentioning Accies were now down to 8 men in the field. I’d also point out that we all took turns at hitting any loose delivery directly to a fielder!

The Accies skip then brought himself back into the attack, which proved an inspired decision. Second ball of his 6th over had Arch clean bowled for 23. Bonners then opened his account with a single off his very first delivery, which unfortunately led to Spickers being sent on his way LBW for legs 11. The Cross now 92-7 at the end of the 32nd over and a long way off 157!

Up stepped Bimbo, last year’s ‘most disappointing season’ recipient. Let’s face it, most of us thought the match was done and dusted. But to all of our amazement, with Ewok like resistance and ingenuity, Bimbo started scoring runs, hitting the odd boundary too.

Meanwhile at the other end, Bonners had settled in for an inspiring knock.

The two lads batted beautifully and added 69 for the 8th wicket to bring us home in the 46th over of the match. Bonners not out on 33 and Bimbo on 22! I might point out the game ended at about 7:30pm – despite the earlier 12noon kick off! A big thanks to Elmondt and Dan for filling in for the 1’s this weekend!

And history repeats itself with another hard fought, but somewhat Jabba the Hutt like performance!

Sunday 5 May 2013

3rds Triumph - #youthrevolution

From Andy G at 21.54 on Saturday night, with light editing.

Saturday 5th May, 3rds vs Preston Village 2nds, Polwarth Oval.

With the hockey season finishing last week the 3rd XI looked awfully Grange-y with another four debutants in the side.

We had an average age of only 42 (#youthrevolution) and some very bad hangovers with the Grange hockey end of season night out the night before/morning of - Parker was asked to leave the pub because he fell asleep; Cruickshank chased a fox; and we all stood and watched as a dog went past us on Lothian Road driving a car.

We went out for a bowl [I think we've moved on from the night out to the game now - Ed].

They had 8 players, so 7 wickets couldn't be that hard, surely?

We went with pace to start. McGill (8 overs, 2 for 20) and Parker opened well with chances at both ends. After lulling the Village People into a false sense of security - dropping 3 dollies - we started to pluck them from the air. Ken had a superb catch flying to his right at gully to nab one of the openers. We held the rest of the chances and took 6 catches in all.

Henton took over from Parker at the top end after 10 overs. He bowled beautifully, taking a wicket with the last ball of his 5 over spell and giving away only 9 runs.

I was a bit bored with Richard (8 overs for 14) and Matt bowling so tightly, so I decided to replace the former with a Tasmanian Devil called Morton, who, if anyone doesn't know, is the Grange CC assistant groundsman, yet has come to Holy Cross to in his words "get f*****ked up, mate" and something about bears on the baaandary - I don't understand him.

Jake started by giving Cruickshank some work to do behind the stumps. Reminded me of myself when I used to bowl! But he quickly got into his rhythm and got two well deserved wickets for 24 off his 6 overs. Parker (6 overs, 2 for 12) nabbed the last and they were 74 all out.

After a very good tea, with Jon "Smugly" Broomhead declaring that he only came for the doughnuts, Mahmood and Mike were sent in with two jobs - to knock off at least the first 20 or so runs and to see the shine off the ball.

I think both were going for the Coastal Erosion award (though Dom McMonagle also made a strong bid in the 2nds game later on) as they crept to 12 of 8 before both playing on. I appeared at the crease, and swung wildly at my second ball, prompting a shout from Ken on the boundary that there was plenty of time. Fortunately, I paid no attention on my way to 44 not out and neither did "Smugly" as we raced to a 35 run partnership off 4 overs before "Smuggles" decided to dance down the wicket and miss the ball.

In came our second Antipodean, Cruickshank. He was in for two and a half overs and hit 10 off 5 balls. For the last over I told him that if he didn't hit a 6 to win the game he wouldn't be allowed into the Arbo Green Room. Thus inspired, he smashed one over long off but unfortunately it bounced short of the rope. Next ball, perfect straight drive all along the deck. Game won. Partnership of 29 off 15 balls. "Smugly" barred from the Green Room  and dropped off at home on the way back to Arbo.

Overall, a good day and a few more recruits.

Saturday 4 May 2013

Saturday's Results Round-up

After the Friday downpour, it was a relief to have all three HX teams out to play cricket as the season entered its second week.

At Peffermill....

The 1st XI won their game v Edinburgh Accies 2's in dramatic fashion, with Bimbo (22*) and Shannon (33*) steering the Cross to an epic 3 wicket win.  The hosts reached 157-7 at the end of their 50 overs with Captain McOscar claiming 3 for 32. 

The Cross innings went from bad to desperate, at one stage staring defeat straight in the face at 57-5.  At 108-7 things were still in favour of the Accies however they hadn't bargained for the late, late show from the deadly duo....  The match scorecard can be found here

A tough shift, but as the Captain so eloquently put it on twitter, "Superb effort indeed! Another very ugly win though."

Meanwhile, down at Arbo.....

A bitter cold wind and a dark sky saw a changed 2s take on Preston Village 1s.  Smudger won the toss and elected to field. 

A couple of missed catches / chances during their 45 overs saw the Villagers record 191-5 with Dobie the star man, hitting ten boundaries in his 58 runs from 124 ball stint. 

Joint top 3rd scorer for the tourists was 'Wides' who scored 20.

One of the finest teas in Arbo history was consumed before Fraser & Butt went out to set about the total laid down by the men from the Pans.

And in the Pans....

The 3s bounced back from last week's loss v Edinburgh South 3s with an emphatic 7 wicket win against the Preston Village 2s.

Andy Graham earning the batting plaudits with 44* after they skittled out the Pans people for 73, where McGill took 2 wickets for 20 runs..

As Meatloaf once warbled, 2 out of 3 ain't bad......

Maybe more on these results from the respective camps in the near future......

Wednesday 1 May 2013

League Weekend 2 and the Week Ahead

Saturday's fixtures -
  • 1sts vs Edinburgh Accies, away at Peffermill, 12 noon start.
  • 2nds vs Preston Village, home at Arbo, 1 pm start.
  • 3rds vs Preston Village, away, 1pm start.
Sunday -
  • Presidents Trophy vs Livingston, home at Arbo, 1 pm start.
Midweek -
  • Tuesday 7th May, Masterton Trophy vs Fauldhouse, home at Arbo.

Good luck to all.