Cross Keepers Showcase Benefits of Model Diet

Sunday's 75th Anniversary Match saw four of Holy Cross's erstwhile wicketkeepers gather for the cameras to display the fruits of their decades of personal sacrifice in pursuit of sporting glory. The sexy stumpers show that even the most lithe of young cricketers can aspire to the perfect keeper physique with a remorseless commitment to carbohydrates. Club nutritionist Mr Kipling explained, "Our biometric analysis clearly shows that the ideal pouching paunch is a perfect sphere at least the size of a beach ball, but bigger is definitely better. The centre of gravity has long been known to be essential to keeping but to be a superkeeper you need your own gravitational pull. The bowler may think he's bowling in-swing or off-breaks but trust me, it's the tow of the tum that's at work."

Said veteran Crosser Tom Jordan, "It can be quite gruelling but you just have to remind yourself why you're doing it. Every now and then I do succumb to temptation and have some tomatoes or maybe even a carrot, but as long as it's just occasional it's not a big deal. At the very least try to bulk it out with some chips or a savaloy."

Relative beanpole Keith Fraser had his own spin, "I envy these guys so much. I just don't have their advantages. My legs just aren't the right length for getting the belly-button down to ball height and I think there's something wrong with my metabolism, but that doesn't stop me trying."

Laconic Geordie gloveman Simon 'Snickers' Pickering summed up his attitude. "Get annuther can o' Curk, man. Full-fat, like."

Present keeping incumbent Scott Silver (not pictured) was characteristically humble. "Looking at these fellas, I know I have some big shirts to fill and it's going to be a long road. I hope I've got what it takes. But you can't not be inspired by their example, can you?"

Former club bigwig and big rig Shifty brrought things to an end in typically competitive style, showing he has no intention of letting his advancing years deflect him from the single-minded quest for cricketing mortality. "Whose round is it?"

[Words by Shifty. Typing by Admin.]

A Crosser’s Pilgrimage

A couple of weeks ago, I explored one of Edinburgh’s less celebrated waterways, the Braid Burn. I did so with the Holy Cross' 75th anniversary at the back of my mind. The Braid Burn (later the Figgate Burn) cuts through the south and east of the city on its 9-mile journey, edging cautiously towards the Firth of Forth. The route of the burn, much of which is walkable, takes you through many areas with a very rural character and via neglected nooks. The burn also passes through a number of places with strong Holy Cross connections.

 

A stream of consciousness

For those with Holy Cross connections, the walk could be considered something of a pilgrimage. Most significantly, the burn cuts through the northern tip of Colinton Mains Park, the scene of Holy Cross Academicals' first ever match on May 27th 1950. 

It is this anniversary that will be marked in Sunday’s (June 29th) match at Arboretum. As recorded in George Balfour’s diary, Holy Cross lost the match with 'very poor fielding' apparently a major factor. For the first but certainly not last time. The park is no longer used for cricket, but remains a sizeable greenspace on the southside of the city. 

 

The unfashionable end

Colinton Mains Park is in an area of the city rarely discussed in visitor guides. The park may not have the ‘cache’ of a Grange Loan or Portgower Place, but would, if ever revived, make an excellent cricket ground. At present, it belongs to the long list of cricket grounds that have been retired from service (this list of grounds includes that at Jock’s Lodge, used by the Holy Cross 4th XI in the 1980s).

 

Colinton Mains Park is large, with space for more than one decent-sized cricket ground. I imagine that the cricket square would have been in the southern section of the park, which is notably flat and open. Like ‘Arbo’, there is little protection from the wind. That would have been particularly the case in 1950. While much of Colinton Mains was built in the late 1930s, the housing immediately abutting the park is in Oxgangs, built from the 1950s onwards (the striking Colinton Mains Parish Church was built in 1954).The area would have largely still been farmland at the time of Holy Cross’s first match.

 

I could find no tell-tale signs of a cricket square. There was no evidence of raised wicket ends, formed from years of loam/ topsoil being applied. But, I stood for a few minutes, embracing the warm breeze, visions of those pioneer Crossers, such as George Balfour, in my mind. The impressive views up to the Pentland may have caused some fielders to lose their concentration. It would, in those days, have been possible to walk from the park to the Pentlands uninterrupted, with no city bypass to contend with. 

 

You were the future once

From the park, the burn trundles through quiet nooks with Greenbank on your left and the picturesque Oxgangs Lochan to your right. From there the burn side path takes you into the open valley of Braidburn Park and through to the fringes of Morningside.

 

After leaving Braidburn park, it passes through edge of Mortonhall Tennis Club. Overlooking the club is the house where our revered club President John Brown lived. I recall being at his wake there in 2011, a hugely well attended event.

The burn then glides through the heavily wooded Hermitage of Braid and the idyllic Blackford Glen (surely one of Edinburgh’s finest, most rural, outdoor locations) and towards Peffermill. Before it gets there, it passes through Inch Park, home of Edinburgh South (and their predecessors Mitre CC). Holy Cross have played several matches there including, a recall, a disappointing midweek 20-over match in which the author was (justifiably) barracked for his slow batting.

I also recall an amazing innings by Graeme Beghin of Edinburgh South on a pitch which, due to flooding the winter before (an example of the burn having a direct impact on the club), had a trough on a good length at one end. Beghin did all he could to counter the deliveries sent down by Holy Cross’ key bowler of that era, Shannon Bonfield. He knew that surviving against Bonfield was key. He was right and went on to score a superb ton.

The Inch was also the location for a famous, impassioned speech directed at some younger players (the author, Euan Smith, Sheraz Afzal, Nick Fisher, Duncan Paterson and others). In the changing room, we were told that we were ‘the future of the Cross’. There was some truth to James Bradley’s (was it him..?) statement. From the Inch, the burn flows towards another sports ground with Holy Cross connections.

Cross-dressing 

The Holy Cross connections are again prominent at Peffermill, through Colin ‘Smudger’ Smith. He was previously head groundsman there, living (with his family) in a cottage on site. Colin played a leading role in the steady improvements made to the square at Arbo. This included overseeing our annual post-season ‘Cross-dressing’ days, when the square was scarified, seeded and top-dressed.  

This work followed the relaying of the square in the early 1990s; which saw sub-par surfaces for a number of seasons (I recall 160-odd being considered a good 50 over score in those days). Colin Smith also became a stalwart of the 2nd XI and memorably filled in for the 1sts on a few occasions. Colin’s ‘loins’ also brought us his sons Calum & Euan, key figures in the 1st XI for over a decade.  

 

Send in the Cavalry

The burn joins with the Jordan Burn at Peffermill, becoming the Figgate Burn as it hits Duddingston (zigzagging through the golf club there). It runs close to Calvary Park, scene of some excellent matches between Marchmont and Holy Cross. There has long been a close connection between the clubs (several players have appeared for both, including Fraser Buchanan). I have fond memories of playing in Roger Sardesai’s President’s Match in the late 1990s; a fun match with curry for tea.

 

From Duddingston, the Figgate Burn reaches its most scenic section; a lovely wooded pathway, ending at Figgate Park. The park, formed from claypits (for the kilns nearby), is a fantastic green space; you get a glimpse of it as you pass on the main East Coast line. A footbridge then takes you over the busy Harry Lauder Road into the pocket-sized Rosefield Park. At this point, you are close to St John the Evangelist, a beautiful gothic catholic church. Again, there is a Holy Cross connection.

 

A near miss

When Richard Demarco left Holy Cross Academy, he played some matches for ‘the Cross’. He also started his own club, St. John’s in Portobello, where he spent much of his childhood. The burn eventually disgorges into the Firth of Forth at the Seafield end of ‘Porty’. It was on Portobello Beach that Demarco nearly became an early victim of the war; debris from a German plane shot down over the Forth missed him by inches before spearing into the beach.

 

Like the burn, elements of the club are to be found throughout the city, often in unexpected spots. Like the club’s history, the route is mixed; of glorious segments intermingled with the less impressive, the frankly disappointing. Yet, it flows on, year after year.

 

 

 

 

 

The Shot Heard Round the World

[Match reports used to be a major feature of this blog. There was always an element of "sing when you're winning" about this. The glory days of the blog coincided with a rich vein of form for the club, while there are few things more depressing than having to relive yet another heavy defeat, find yet another euphemism for collapse.

Over the last couple of seasons, as results have improved, the reports have reemerged as a feature of the weekly availability emails - behind the "play wall", if you like. The Secretary thoroughly approves of this development. There's been some excellent reporting, not least from Dave Windram (or Windrush, as the Carlton scorers named him this weekend, possibly in tribute to his love of West Indian cricket). And the more limited distribution saves hours of editing to keep us the right side of ESCA's Social Media policy.

But every so often something wonderful happens and someone describes it so well that it should be shared with a (slightly) wider audience. So here, very lightly edited, is Ken's great moment as narrated by Dave, who is too modest to mention his own three wickets, including that of the centurion, Iain Hathorn.]

Sporting moments when you get to say "I was there" are rare. Headingley 2019, I had thought, would forever be mine. A sun-drenched afternoon which ended with me spewing out of Dan Shaw's car window. Heat exhaustion or adrenaline overload - who knows and frankly who cares? Meadows 2023. The location and year. That is all it will take to recall another of those "I was there" days. Another day of baking hot sun, another day of late evening spewing (this time in Hectors). Heat exhaustion or adrenaline overload - again, who cares?

There was no sign of any earth-shattering activity as Robin's 2s navigated the quidditch games, multicoloured pelotons, interpretive dancers and over-zealous young lovers of the Meadows to take on Carlton 5s.

On this day, the game was to become an irrelevance, but, for completeness, we won the toss and chose to field first. Matt and Ashish P set about trying to prise out Carlton's opening, and league-leading, father-son partnership, the disgustingly correct technique of the younger batter proving a real depressant to the HX team, whose average age was about four times his.

Some clean, crisp hitting from Dad took the score beyond a hundred at drinks, and had some Crossers begging for home time. However, the introduction of Ashish V, JB and Keith assisted in squeezing the run rate and a total that looked certain to balloon was restricted to a run over 200, leaving us a target of 202.

The chase started promisingly, Robin lifting us well above the required rate by smiting the first ball of the innings to the boundary. Surely, the Skipper asked, that was a six? No, said Ken umpiring at square leg, just short. Perhaps an inspiration for what was to follow.

Ken keeping on the day. Photo: Stewart Gray.

We rattled along at a good clip against some very good young bowlers with 20s and 30s from Robin, Ziggy, Keith, JB and Vijay, leaving us requiring 38 from the last 4 overs for an unlikely victory. The Meadows crowd, which had surrounded the pitch all day, could sense something special on the horizon.

A couple of big overs followed as Vijay, who could no longer run, dealt more or less exclusively in boundaries, but when he was finally out we still needed 24 and with just 11 balls left. Enter El Presidente to join Dave at the crease. First delivery, dot ball, ah here we go. "Come on, Coastal, get me on strike, son."

And then it happened. The bat pulled across the body. A shotgun crack. S**t, he's middled that, by the way. The ball shooting like a comet towards some poor unsuspecting soul in the long grass. Ziggy's arms aloft. Is he celebrating or signalling a six? Probably both.

You wait 57 years for your first six and then it's over, just like that. Back to task. 16 off 10, 8 off 5, all Prespectfully defended. 5 dot balls to finish. Back to task.

It has been long established that cricketers are masochists. Why do we give up a day every weekend during the summer for this? Earlier that afternoon, as I lay flat on the ground in the middle of the Meadows, yelling as many expletives as possible at the blazing sun, that very thought ran round in my head. Keith, who thought he'd just made the key breakthrough, was probably wondering why as well. Twenty five overs in, a hundred-odd for none,  and I'd just dropped a dolly off a 12 year old who is already much better at this ridiculous game than I will ever be. A few minutes later, a typical Meadows bounce and the ball clipped me on the jaw. "It's really not your day," came the comforting from Ziggy.

And that is exactly the point, very rarely is it our day. The sooner we accept that, the better. But what draws us back, week after week, is that occasionally it's going to be someone's day. And it it's not our day then it feels just as good, maybe better, joining in celebrating with someone who's day it is. Those days are rare.

Standing at the non-striker's end, as Ken bludgeoned the ball over the square leg boundary the  joy at seeing it clear the spray-painted line felt like my own. Arms aloft at his career achievement, the embrace that followed in the middle was the only natural response. The youthful opposition looked on, baffled at the scenes in the middle, given the fact that we were still almost certainly going to lose. It will all make sense in 57 years, lads.

Fantastic start to the season

 Match Reports from Saturday 29th April, 2023. 

From the keyboard of 1s skipper Ben:

As the alarmingly youthful first team (including debutants Alex, Jack and Fraser) gathered in the freezing drizzle on the Meadows, there was much grumbling about the prospect of playing in such miserable conditions, which only increased when Ben lost the toss and the Morton skipper, after a theatrical pause, opted to bowl. New-look opening partnership Scott and Dan wandered out into the murk, aiming hopefully for the cricket pitch cleverly camouflaged as a very damp public park, with everyone on the sidelines speculating that at least we might be done in time to get back to Arbo for a proper tea with the 2s. However, a combination of calm batting and very tricky bowling/fielding conditions meant the openers progressed slowly but relatively serenely to 35 after 10 overs, at which point Dan departed for a well-made 20.

 

Nipun (31) and Scott then put on an excellent second wicket partnership of 86 in 20 overs, highlights including the first boundary of the day in the 22nd over (no mean feat given the volume of spray and grass clippings that erupted every time the ball hit the outfield), and Scott bringing up his 50 on his way to an excellent 59.  A bit of a stumble followed Nipun’s dismissal, as we slipped from 121-1 to 139-5, but some energetic running and 20* from Ben ensured we made it up to a more than respectable 170-9.

After a hasty tea, Parvath and Fraser opened up the bowling, with Parvath’s in-duckers proving a tricky prospect on his way to figures of 8-1-2-20, as he trapped both openers plumb LBW. Matt M (5-1-0-13) replaced Fraser and kept things very tight, ensuring along with Euan (4-0-0-18) and Nipun (4-1-0-20) that the run-rate started to climb.  However, at 100-2 with 10 overs to go, Morton were by no means out of the chase and the game remained finely poised.

Finally though, the increasing scoreboard pressure started to tell, and Morton’s #3 thumped Ben (8-1-2-26) straight to Euan in the covers, where he took a good, low catch. The immediate introduction of Jack ‘On The’ Atack’s rockets (4-1-3-11) at the other end hastened a remarkable collapse of five wickets for just nine runs in the space of five overs, with Parvath also swooping to snare a direct-hit runout. At 111-7 from 34 overs, and needing exactly 10 an over, Morton’s goose looked cooked, only for their #4 to keep them just about in the hunt with a fine 56. He eventually holed out to another good catch off Ben (this time to Dan at long-on, doing well to cling on as his feet disappeared from under him), before Fraser (who bowled much better than figures of 7-0-1-39 suggest) finally got the wicket he deserved to a screamer of a catch by Parvath, sprinting full tilt and on the stretch at long-on.

The eventual victory margin of 20 runs, with Morton claiming almost full bonus points, reflected a competitive, hard-fought game, played in good spirits against a friendly  Morton team. To take 20 points from what is likely to be one of the season’s tougher assignments is a great start, and entirely down to an excellent collective effort (especially in the very tricky fielding conditions) from the whole team.

From the keyboard of 2s skipper Robin:

In Arctic conditions Holy Cross 2s got their 2023 season underway at Arbo. The skipper proceeded to lose the toss to Livingston 3’s and we were put in, which made both sides happy as the skipper had been informed that all his new players were batsmen foremost and ended up creating a batting order with a specialist batsman going in at number 9.

Livingston's opening bowlers kept it pretty tight on a stodgy early season wicket and Bradley’s return from down under was met with frustration at not being in a position to go about building his innings with lots of flowing back foot shots, being undone by the slow low bounce and dragging one on from his pads and trickling on to the stumps. Where were the heavy bails he moaned! Newbie Ashish P came out at number 3, only to get a Jaffa very early on and promptly marched back to the pavilion. Keith F came out to join the skipper and together they enjoyed some slightly looser bowling and brought up a 50 run partnership, before the skipper rashly slogged across the line off a straight one for 36. Keith followed shortly after for 18, before Jon B played a good knock for 27 whilst wickets gradually fell away at the other end. A creditable 10th wicket partnership took the 2s score to 124 all out in 37.1 overs.

A Crosstastic tea gave all the players some respite from the Arctic conditions before we headed out to defend what the skipper had assessed was a par score on the day.  Newbie Ashish V (5 overs, 1 maiden 0 for 8) and Matt B (5 overs 1 maiden 1 for 7) opened up with a very tight spell of opening bowling. Matt B set the standards for a very fine fielding performance (skipper excepted duffing a catch in the slips) when the Livi opener melted the ball straight back at his midriff and Matt pick himself up off the deck having caught a magnificent caught and bowled.  

Time to introduce the mystery spinner Keith F in to the attack and whilst the skipper kept it tight at the other end (8 overs 2 maidens 1 for 13) Keith started making inroads into the wickets column with a couple of wickets off his fourth over before being ruthlessly taken off. He was needed at the other end. Jon B entered the attack and continued the spin twins excellent day out aided by 2 spectacular catches at mid wicket by our Edinburgh south loan player Sajad Ali, making further inroads into the Livi line up (6 overs 3 for 22). The skipper, having finished his 8 over spell, brought back Keith F and the spin twins continued to wreak havoc on the Livi batting line up as Keith mopped up the tail to secure his first ever 5 for and Livingston 3’s succumbed for 88 in 31 overs. Keith Fraser (7 overs 5 for 30)

Always a pleasure to play Livingston and despite the freezing conditions the game was played in great spirits. Wonderful enthusiasm from all the new members of the Cross and a great fielding display. Did I mention that Keith Fraser had the skipper in total shock at the start of the day as he arrived 45 minutes before the match started. A whole 45 minutes before. Was that the secret of his bowling success? Well done Keith.

McGill Memorial Match-a few snaps

The McGill memorial  match was blessed with fantastic weather. Great to see so many Crossers from the past down at Arbo. An enjoyable game that ended in a sporting draw-McGill would have approved. His ashes now lie across the Arbo square, which he did so much work on. Cheers again to Shifty for all his efforts in getting the game organised. It was great that Anne could be there for the ashes spreading. 

Bonus photo

McGill rolling the square-photo courtesy of V. Gaware. 

"Did I Ever Tell You The Story of The Day They Had A Memorial Match For Me at Arboretum?"

John McPartlin's wonderful tribute to Colin and the club he loved and served.

https://blogfeast.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/a-sadly-smoke-free-zone/

Teams announced for McGill memorial match

Finally we have the teams. 

Holy Cross XI

• Mark Robertson
• Colin Smith
• Keith Geddes
• Andy Quinn
• Ken Lawrie
• Anzelm Cydzik
• Brian Fraser
• Vikram Gaware
• Ben Reiss
• Craig Graham
• AN Other

McGill Invitational XI

• Chris Barker
• Dennis Cartwright
• Colin Thomson
• Scott Russell
• Dougie Russell
• Dominic Mason
• Alan Watson
• Charlie Ellis
• Ian Astley
• David Vettese
• Gerry Lohan

 As you can see the home side is still looking for one player, so if you wish to play please contact Ben - first request wins the prize. The weather is set fair and the bar is expected to be open from 2.00. Hope to see a few well-wishers down to jeer. 

Remember to bring your own ice cream. Cheers, Shifty.