Friday 30 December 2011

Pre-history

A slide show of Holy Cross cricket teams is available here. Admittedly, most are of the school's teams, rather than the Club's. But some signs of the Club to come can be discerned in this photographic pre-history.

For alongside such well-known faces as umpire and Carlton secretary Martin Flynn, arts impressario Richard Demarco and Cross legends Alan Reid and Hugh Kilpatrick, can be found P Lynch (sadly a Paul rather than a Pat), Ian Ashley and, most intriguingly of all, Wieslaw Pitulko - the Ziggy of his day?

Thursday 29 December 2011

Vaughan and Parky on Captaincy

On this morning's Today programme Michael Parkinson interviewed Michael Vaughan on the subject of leadership in cricket. Pretty interesting stuff. Here's the link to the extended (seven minute) version.

99* - Catchin' Sachin?

At long last HX has something in common with Tendulkar - we're both stuck on 99. Admittedly, Sachin is on the verge of achieving the astonishing feat of a hundred international centuries while the HX Twitter team is one short of the slightly less astonishing feat of gathering a hundred followers.

The Little Master scored his 99th international century during the World Cup in March, just around the time that HX Twitter was born.

Can we pass him before his next chance comes with the start of the 2nd Test on Tuesday? If there are any blog readers who haven't yet signed up to Twitter for even more, even faster, (and perhaps most importantly) even shorter HX news, here's the link.

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Something Else Fishy

A pike & two googlies
In another of what may now be characterised as an occasional fishing/cricket cross reference, I thought I'd share this Prize Letter of the Month from September's Cricketer magazine.

~

Toby Codd, Devon County Under 13's captain, earned a place on The Cricketer's Honours Board earlier in the season with a magnificent hundred against Isle of Wight. He rates another mention, for an altogether different reason, following his dismissal against Hampshire U13's at the ESCA U13 County Festival at Kings College, Taunton. Codd went fishing outside off stump and was snapped up by Hampshire keeper Alex Bass off the bowling of Robert Pike, resulting in the unusual piscatorial entry:


Codd     c Bass    b Pike 2

Friday 16 December 2011

League Reorganisation - 2012 Divisions Released

Division 1 - Holy Cross, Carlton 2, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Grange 2, Largo, Marchmont, Murrayfield DAFS, Musselburgh, Watsonians 2.

Division 5 - Holy Cross 2, Edinburgh Accies 2, Edinburgh South 2, Livingston 2, Murrayfield DAFS 3, Musselburgh 2, Penicuik 2, Preston Village, Stirling County 3, Watsonians 3.

Division 8 - Holy Cross 3, Carlton 4, Dalgety Bay, Dunfermline 3, Hawick & Wilton, Kirk Brae 2, Largo 3, Morton 2, SHRH 3, Tranent.

Fauldhouse have joined the National leagues. Stirling 2nds and Stenhousemuir 2nds have joined the West.

Five Borders clubs have joined the East, including Hawick & Wilton in Division 8 with our 3rds. Leith FAB 3 are no more. Edinburgh have failed to convince the ESCA Committee that they have access to a ground suitable for Division 1 cricket and so their 1sts will rejoin the East leagues in Division 2 and their 3rds will not rejoin the leagues this season.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Indoor Fireworks ?

Don't worry, we're not going to report on Mario Balotelli's latest visit to the bathroom. Instead we bring you news of the draw for the inaugural LiveSportOn.TV ESCA Indoor 6s.

We're in Group A along with Boroughmuir and Tranent. Games will be played at Liberton High School on Gilmerton Road on the evenings of Friday 20th January and Friday 17th February. The group winners will go forward to a Finals night on Friday 16th March.

In further indoor news, watch this space for details of pre-season nets which will be starting in early March.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

John Arlott in Conversation with Mike Brearley

You may be interested in this programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018gwvh on BBC4 tonight at 10pm.

If you miss it or don't have access to BBC4 (the only TV station really worth having...) , it will available onIPlayer soon after.

If you don't have time to watch that you may enjoy the conclusion of the 2nd test at Hobart:
http://youtu.be/I3y_MtcBle8http://youtu.be/I3y_MtcBle8

Saturday 10 December 2011

Four Pacemen of the Apocalypse

Something Fishy???
With a variety of intellectual powers on show, the results of the 2nd Annual Holy Cross Quiz Night were;

1. Four Pacemen of the Apocalypse - 47pts
(Professor McGill, Doctor Bonfield & Bishop Lynch)

2. FC Clam Idea* - 40pts
(Prez, Andy G, Michael from the Rugby Club & Ross (?))

3. Simple Minds - 34.5pts
(EC, Vik, Chuckie, Doogs,)

4. Three Dogs - 28.5pts
(PVB, Two dogs, Bimbo)

This means Dr Bonfield is the only mortal being to participate in the winning team twice. Allegations of favouritism levelled against Quizmasta K by this author will be fully investigated by an Independent Panel chaired by myself.

* not actual spelling

Friday 9 December 2011

Reminder from Bimbo


Brother Crossers!

A gentle reminder that tonight (Friday 9th) is Quiz Night/Festive celebrations at Arbo.

Gates open at 6.30 for a 7pm start, looking forward to seeing you all there!