Parks Trophy comes home to Fortress Arbo

Dougie Russell hit the winning boundary at New Field on Wednesday night to give Holy Cross a 5 wicket win over Murrayfield Dafs in the final of the Parks Trophy.

After the last ball heartache at Myreside at the weekend, the 11 Men of Holy Cross produced a display of sheer bouncebackability (always wanted to type that in a report!) skittling their opponents out for 72.

MDafs took the the crease first and an early breakthrough saw Bimbo deliver and Euan taking the catch.

It was good to see young Gavin Morcom down watching. He was commenting about how he hadn't been able to make it down much this season due to a number of excuses valid reasons. It showed. A well placed MDafs strike was heading to the boundary with a Crosser giving chase. "Is that Norrie chasing that ball?" he enquired. "Erm, no Gav, it was Vikram", I replied. "Ahh, they are about the same height, I just thought it was him", he continued....

On with the show. A Bimbo bullet saw an unfortunate batsman knock the ball onto his stumps, then a rush of blood - not once, but twice in consecutive deliveries, saw an ever eager MDafs batsman run up the track but on his second excursion, he simply kept on running back to the sheds.

Charlie, the Man of the Match, got in on the action in the 8th over. His delivery saw Ellis Jnr appeal for an LBW before the ball dislodged the bails! 37-4.

Dougie was now in on the act, his opening delivery of the 9th saw another LBW shout and the Umpire duly obliged by lifting a solitary digit in agreement.

Ellis picked up another three wickets in quick succession with the help of EC Smith, once with a catch and the other with a throw of sublime accuracy for a run out and also a catch by KF out on the ropes. 58-8.

Shannon took the varnish off the edge of the bat of batsman No.9 and he headed back to the sheds and he wasn't to feel alone for along as Shannon ended the MDafs line up with a wicket that saw KF swoop like a seagull on chips to take the catch. 72 All Out.

A beautiful night for cricket in the Capital under the watchful eye of Edinburgh Castle, saw KF and Spickers head to the middle to kick off the Crossers stint.

Bimbo models the new HX Polo Shirts

It was all going well for the first over or so before Spickers was back in the sheds after nicking the ball into the hands of the energetic keeper. 9-1.

KF & Charlie were working in tandem and looked as if they were having fun, knocking off the odd cheeky run or two here and there, taking the score to 43 before KF was trapped LBW.

Charlie was missing Keith and he was despatched shortly afterwards. A swing and a miss was his un-doing. 49-3 and perhaps a bit of squeaky-bum time about to creep in...

Vikram took control and starting playing some delicate strokes, a wagon wheel of culture, but he lost his partner in crime C Smith who trudged off in disbelief after a LBW call from the Umps.

Vikram got an inside edge to take the ball onto his stumps in the 17th and it was 60-5, Cross just 13 away from winning the trophy.

Alas, it was Cross Legend Dougie Russell who hit the final runs - and in some style with a lovely boundary - and the Trophy made the very small trip up the road to Fortess Arbo.

The 2011 Parks Trophy Winners - Holy Cross CC

Pictures from the game to follow soon....