Happy Crossmas

Happy Christmas Crossers.

It's Christmas day. England are about to skittle the Aussies for 98 in the showpiece Boxing day test before themselves ending the day on 157-0.

No, not another madcap prediction, just a wee flashback to 2010. That is what happened just three years ago tonight!!!

Seven of the current Aussie wrecking machine played in that match. As did seven of the present England mob. Cold hard (but flawed) logic states that the the inclusion of Rogers, Warner, Bailey and Lyon has improved the hosts beyond all sane predictions. The loss of Strauss, Trott, Collingwood and Tremlett could be seen as a more important factor in this beguiling tour. But Tremlett is on this tour, just not selected, and Broad having played for this touring side in all three tests is hardly making the visitors weaker.

Hindsighters have been in full flow these last few weeks. The bookies did predict a more even series than the last few. The 3-0 trouncing in the summer was apparently closer than the scoreline suggested and the signs were there that an England team lacking motivation were on the slide, England were lucky to beat New Zealand, Lehmann, Clarke, home advantage, ageing English* etc have all popped their heads up as hindsought reasons (*Rogers and Bailey being the Oz newbies kind of blows that one to smithereens).

Some people did predict a "closer" series. But the only actual PREdiction of the turnaround on form I've seen was in a 'comments' thread on a newspaper website where an Aussie sarcastically listed some completely fanciful events, which, much to his own surprise, mostly came to pass.

As I said on day 1, even the most biased of Aussies, a certain G McGrath couldn't foresee what English commentators are now calling the worst tour in living memory. And for any English fan over 30, that is saying something. Aggers even (semi?) jokingly said he was looking forward to kickstarting the old radio phone-in's on the subject of 'what has went wrong with English cricket?'.

What is surely undeniable is that the stratagems employed by Lehmann & Clarke have worked well beyond what they could have expected. Trott is gone, Swann has been battered into leaving the sport altogether, Broad has a gammy foot, nobody can catch a ball...the list is endless.

The two options seem to be 1) have faith in the experience of these guys or 2) drop the lot of them. How could this happen? How could Andy Flower, Richard Halsall, Phil Neale, Graham Gooch, David Saker, James Avery, Mark Saxby, Huw Bevan, Bruce French, Nick Pierce, Reg Dickason & Nathan Leamon let this happen? Have I missed anyone? These guys are the backroom geniuses who have overseen this debacle. It would be interesting to know how much they've been paid to mastermind this most humiliating of trouncings.

I would be willing to bet that there have been more net sessions and warm-ups than ever before. After every humiliation, we are told by Cooky, Belly, Flowery etc that the solution is to "work harder". And the next week they dish up more of the same.

I know fine well that correlation does not imply causality, but whatever these coaches are doing, its patently not working. Unless of course one argues that without this back-up team, England would have been even more comprehensively defeated. This tour is one heck of an indictment on the relevance or influence of such a comprehensive back-up staff. Dare I suggest a curry night, a few tantrums and home truths, a bit of a punch-up and then taking to the field totally hungover like the Cross on tour?

Still, at least England can trawl the combox for solutions to their coaching ineptitudes, looking no further surely than the man with all the answers, I mean of course Geoffrey. When someone whose career was epitomised by putting himself ahead of the team has the gall to call out KP for exactly the same thing, really makes me unsympathetic for the whole shambolic nonsense.

When the next Ashes begins (...in February? I think there are 4 Ashes series or so lined up for 2014) all I want is for these two sides to sort out some sort of competitive series. While I'm sure some of these ass-whuppings are much enjoyed by the fans of both nations, as contests they're of as much interest to this neutral as Celtic v Hearts. What is the point?

Exciting times at Arboretum Road!

Exciting times at Arboretum Road! @HXCricket pic.twitter.com/7OwqUihHu3
— Brian Adam Fraser (@beefrazor) December 19, 2013

dont PANIC.

Frazerio says calm doon, its business as usual

This current Ashes might seem like a bewildering reversal of the form book to some, but I've rustled up a whole bunch of solutions to the predicament that 'England's' 'finest' currently face.

These do not emanate from within my own brain however, instead I have dredged internet comment sections to present Flowery with a range of options.

Bat Belly at 3

Send for Colly

Drop Pietersen, Prior, Anderson & Swann

Don't drop Pietersen, Prior, Anderson & Swann

Take the captaincy from Cooky to let him concentrate on his batting. Replace with Broady

Pick Rankin and tell him to bowl as fast as he can

Drop Cooky down the order

Why the panic? Johnson only bagged 5 tail-enders and a couple of out of sorts batter chaps

Send for Straussy

Bairstow for Prior, no debate, internet unanimous

Now that Australia have been lulled into a false sense of security...

Patience, Cook & KP are just one innings away from a score

Stop all this 'Finn is unpickable' nonsense

Send for Brian Close

Handbags

It's a cause of ongoing bemusement when non-cricketers come up with that old 'its a gentlemans game' chestnut. In my experience contests epitomised by sporting behaviour and gentlemanly conduct are rare enough to warrant a special mention in match reports whilst the more regular incidents of 'bad behaviour' (or should that be perceived bad behaviour) are swiftly expunged from public view by Lord Admin's lawyers on a Sunday morning.

Was it just five days ago that the virtuous upholders of sporting integrity, the Australian cricketing public, were so worked up by a cheating Englishman, Mr Stuarty Broady, the man who once edged it and didn't walk - OMG strike him down before we're all infected - that they booed his every public appearance and in some publications even refused to print his name. Before those boo's could even die down, their skipper is fined for making a "sick taunt" (quote from the Daily Mail). For some reason belittling England with the game of cricket alone wasn't enough for the 'bantering' Clarke. To quote our great Prime Minister 'calm down dear'.

With the kids down under embroiled in a full-on game of handbags, it made me think of some of the greats of the past and how to really noise up the oppo.

The current tourists predicament brings to mind that of the 1974/5 touring side who sent an SOS to the 41 year old Colin Cowdrey. Two days after arriving he walked out to an ovation at the WACA. "How good to meet you" he said to Jeff Thomson who replied "That's not going to help you fatso, piss off".

Rewind to 1954 as the young Cowdrey prepared to disembark on his first Ashes tour. Frank Tyson saw "a spare stooped old man, dressed immaculately in a pin-stripe suit" telling Cowdrey "When you reach Australia, just remember one thing - Hate the Bastards!!!"  He spoke with such vehemence that Tyson asked George Duckworth who the old gent was, "That was Douglas Jardine".

Both sides as bad as each other?

The wisdom in these situations of course is if you can't take it, don't dish it. In 2003 Australia's favourite metronomic wicket taker lost the plot in spectacular fashion playing the Windies in Antigua. Setting the tone for misbehaving cricketers nicely, Shane Warne missed this one after failing a drugs test, reportedly taking a pill his Ma had given him to help with his appearance (source - the internet)!!!!

As the hosts chased down 418 in the 4th innings for victory, McGrath began utilising the breadth of his intellect to try and unsettle Sarwan. After a few overs of concerted hatred including repeated use of the word 'pussy', a bog standard retort provoked McGrath into a fit of rage ""If you ever f*****g mention my wife again I'll f*****g rip your f*****g throat out!".  Oooh-err. Chuckle at McGrath's precociousness as he bleats to the umpire about how wronged he has been with this now classic passage of footage.

Vik takes aim at Bonfield after another fraught  net session

Talking of Aussie fast bowlers, it hardly gets much better than Lillee v Miandad.

"Hello my goodness" exclaimed Tony Greig as Miandad retaliated with his cudgel after Lillee kicked out. Botham said later of the two notorious cricketing rascals "what happened at Perth was going to happen somewhere".

Almost makes one all nostalgic for those long past East League encounters with the likes of Cramond, Fauldhouse, Heriots 2's, Stew/Mel 2's, Accies...

PS: I don't think Call me Dave is very great at all.

Ad-hoc Ashes Spraffings cont

Unbeloivable mate

Was speaking to a mate the other day who was asking me what I thought the Australians chances were in this Ashes series. After reminding him predictions were for plonkers, I replied 'absolute doddle mate, Aussies will walk it 4-0. This England mob are ageing, unmotivated and lead by a feeble skipper who can't score runs'.

Seems the Aussies took my previous advice and began praying hard for Harris & Johnson after day 1 - accumulated figures so far 9-103 compared to Anderson & Broad 10-276.

I went to bed during England's first innings (day 2) just after KP gave his wicket away. At this point there was nothing at all suggest what would come.

It had been a strange mornings play up til that point. Carberry looked like he'd ease his way to a triple century although Cook didnt look too comfy. The Aussie bowlers were adhering to one dimensional plans e.g. for Cook, it was to pitch it on a good to full length and not allow him any freebies off the back foot.

Johnson having sprayed half his deliveries down leg was swiftly removed after just 3 poor overs. Harris and Siddle barely kept me awake and then just like that, Harris bowled the very first good ball of the morning, Cook snicked it and the whole momentum shifted.

On yer bike Trott!!!

Trott arrived with his impeccable Test average and proceeded to bat like a complete fandangle. It appears he can't play short balls. It appears the opposition have taken 3,700 odd test runs to figure this out. It appears all the Aussies have to do is bowl short at him. In no time he was shuffling back to the dressing room. On this form his place in the second test must be in doubt, in fact his whole future England career must hang in the balance. And I was calling him world class four days ago.

And I think that was more or less the best of the English innings over. Fantabulous for the neutral, Series on!!!

What surprises me is the simplicity of the Australian revival. They have a few ridiculously obvious plans and they're sticking to them. And the mighty England can't cope.

1. Nothing short at Cook
2. Everything short at Trott
3. Spinner against KP
4. Get Johnson to bowl fast
5. Attack Swann (and third seamer if possible)

There is some solace for panicking English. I'd advise they get a couple of simple plans of their own (as long as one of them is not Broad bowling short at Clarke who slapped the first bouncer he faced in the 2nd innings for 4 in about as perfect a text book example as he could manage, but this didn't stop Broad feeding him a few more before Cook wisely changed bowlers). For instance, if England can't find a chink in Warner's armour and exploit it, they don't deserve to win a single test match in this series.

There is also the curious accumulation of first innings disasters by England on foreign tours in the last couple of years. From an English point of view, this test is just a continuation in this sequence and therefore not worth worrying too much about. I will turn my attention to trying to solve this curiosity once I've worked out how it is that Hearts are able to continuously get the better of Hibs in Edinburgh derbies no matter the year, personnel or disgraceful condition of the former.

Tis but a flesh wound

I'm invincible!!! Clarke baits the Crusaders.

One of our 'ex-pats' emailed recently from the land down under asking what I thought regarding the forthcoming Ashes series. Firstly I have to remind everyone that making predictions is for plonkers. I then stated in no uncertain terms that barring quite unforeseeable circumstances, the Engerlish would walk it yet again.

Watching the build-up to this series has been quite amusing. Clarke naming the England team (he'd struggle to name an England team these Aussies could even draw with), Pietersen hitting all-comers for 6 in his press conference (almost displaying a likeable side), Warney spouting off as usual, cultivating as much publicity for his oversized ego as he could manage. You know how bad it is for Australia when McGrath admits his stock 5-0 prediction will be unlikely this time.

Then the action begins. Those cricketing sages commentating for Sky were for once, quite accurately looking a bit worried at the start. The Brisvegas pitch being described variously as a "road", a "road and a "road". How were England going to get any wickets they queried?

Pretty soon the hosts are 100-5, and 6 down for not much more. Watson and Smith out to truly terrible shots (if you are a top order test match player playing at home on a road), Clarke, Warner and Rogers not far behind in the 'flinging your wicket away' stakes. It shows how much the roles of these two sides has reversed that Australia limping to 270 odd for 8 on Day 1 after winning the toss is something of a success. With all the Aussie Ashes venues being described as batting paradises and minimum scores of 400 going to be required to win test matches in this series, it already looks horrible for the home side.

The evidence before us, admittedly only a days-worth, makes the Australian pre-match hype look quite ridiculous. It reminds me of the scene from Monty Python & the Holy Grail where the Black Knight (pictured), lying in bits on the ground, gathers any remaining breath to once again bait his tormentor. "I'm invincible" he wails plonked on his bahookey with his limbs strewn around him. Clarke, Warner et al, maybe its time to adhere to sporting cliche #1, shut up, if there's any talking to do, just do it out on the pitch. We could be looking at an absolutely incredulous 4th successive English Ashes series victory with Aussie players still berating the oppo for being rubbish. From a team that have won fewer test matches this year than Zimbabwe.

The English performances in the summer Ashes were below previous levels I think most people would agree. Their dominance was as much to do with a very poor touring side in varying states of disarray. With an ageing England side, seemingly in decline and looking for something to kickstart their motivation, the Aussie public for some reason decided to help them out. In their wisdom, prior to this series, sections of them have rounded on Stuarty Broady. This blatantly dim tactic had Broady taking a wicket in his second over setting up a day one 5-for. Seemingly hoping to inspire him on to even greater heights, when he held the ball up to the crowd, as bowlers do after a 5-fer, there was still enough booing from the dunderheids in the stands to keep him stoked up and hunting more Australian scalps (caveat; as he did this, you can see a fair amount of Oz fans applauding as well).

When Steven Smith is batting at FIVE, what on earth are you doing winding up the second best attack in world cricket? Clarke amused me with his English team announcement but the reality is, England could pick Rankin, Onions, Bresnan, Finn or about 40 others in the 'last seamer' slot and it wouldn't make a difference, they'd still blow the Aussie's Black Knights sky high.

My masterplan for the Aussies is a two parter.

1) Shut up
2) Pray for Harris and Johnson to deliver with the ball

Otherwise its going to be another protracted annihilation.

Last Man Stands

Afternoon all!

Just wanted to put this out there and see if there is any interest in putting together a team for this T20 competition, which will see the winner take home £10K!!!! Sure you'll agree that's enough for a few 4 pint jugs in the Green Room.

Last Man Stands

I'll send out an email and lets see if there's enough interest, we can look at entering a team.
Cheers,

Skip

McGill? McGwell!

Good news. Smudge has been to visit Coco after his op and reports that he's on the mend and in good spirits. He must be getting back to form judging by the following -

We were discussing his scar that runs down his chest and how it differs from the Y incision on dead people. For dead people they also remove the brain and weigh it. McGill: "There not a set of scales big enough for my brain".

Strongbow challenge winner (finally) announced

The cat is finally out of the bag, after a challenging selection process and 2 brilliant days away with a top bunch of lads, the winner of the Strongbow Earn It Challenging has been revealed today!

The final video has hit various social media channels and a big congratulations goes to Pete Moxom, who was definitely a very worthy winner and easily able to pad up, step up and earn it!

He took on Jimmy Anderson with ease and safely faced out 6 balls. Perhaps the Aussies should look in to seeing if he has an Australian granny and rope him in for the return Ashes series down under?

It was a memorable experience being involved, gutted not to have been selected but not unlike the 2013 season, I think I average just under 5 - that's getting bowled every 5th ball when the machine was cranked up to 90 mph. It was great to get to meet Jimmy and the free Strongbow wasn't turned away either!

Strongbow Earn It Challenge

Swapping Googlies for Ghoulies this Halloween at Arbo



The Rugby Club are hosting a Halloween Monster Ball at Fortress Arbo on November 2nd and all members of the Cricket Club are invited.

 

 

Live music will be served by the aptly named "Not Dead Yet" and the fun begins at 8 and ends when it's late!!

 

Fancy Dress is optional however there will be prizes for the best dressed.  Oooh, now there's a challenge.....

 

All this for an austerity busting £3 entry!

 

If you fancy it, pop your name below....

Josimar beats Duncan Disorderly!!!

13 - Josimar - Brasil

In this part of the year where we can't/don't/won't play cricket, I feel we can entertain some chat on this venerable platform about other, possibly inferior sports.

A question in a radio show I was listening to got me thinking. It asked;

When you were growing up, or even now, who is your cult football hero?

An additional criterion is that they are not related to the club or country you support!!!

The second name that sprung to my mind (after burglar bashing Drunken Duncan Ferguson of course, excluded by being Scottish), was that of the almost too good to be true Brazilian right back at the Mexico 86 World Cup. I spraf fondly of course about the leg end that is JOSIMAR.

Drafted into the Brazil squad after an injury to regular right back Leandro, when the second choice right back Edson also became 'Dougied', Josimar stepped into the fray wearing the somehow perfect number 13 shirt and whapped in two of the best goals I can remember seeing in his first two appearances. And yet, these goals were almost eclipsed by a couple of even more perfect celebrations.

Relive them again here

v Northern Ireland

v Poland

I could watch these all day.

Anyone able to outdo the great Josimar???

Here is one of Big Dunc to keep you going.

Note the captains armband

Our man in Sydney

Our man in Sydney, @Pat_Lynch spotted doing interviews following a 'ram raid' bank robbery | http://t.co/YEk08p9Pgl pic.twitter.com/gjMSDRgCkO
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) September 13, 2013

"Too beautiful for words, a virtual Adonis"

There I was, idly perusing the Wiki page of a certain legendary Scotsman, when I became a tad disorientated.

An Edinburgh heart throb

Many of the entries seemed to 'cross' over quite neatly into what I shall tentatively dub 'the greatest Wikipedia page yet to be written', the life, leg before's and legovers of a certain Arboretum legend.

Passages (including the title of this post) such as:

"polled as "The Greatest Living Scot" and "Scotland's Greatest Living National Treasure". In 1989, he was proclaimed "Sexiest Man Alive" by Peoplemagazine and in 1999, at age 69, he was voted "Sexiest Man of the Century""

Not a CRB check in sight 

"then worked as, among other things, a lorry driver, a lifeguard at Portobello swimming baths, a labourer, an artist's model for the Edinburgh College of Art, after a suggestion by former Mr. Scotland, Archie Brennan.^[20][21] and a coffin polisher."

Another Edinburgh heart throb

Will Hollywood ever realise what it missed?????

Caption Competition

Caption Competition: What's @alcando87 saying to Mike Nevin as he picks up his Team Spirit Award? pic.twitter.com/TdH8H3C3de
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) September 1, 2013

Holy Cross Awards Night - Bring Your Trophies

Tomorrow sees the 2013 HX Awards Night -at Arbo.

Remember to bring your Trophies (GT, no need to bring the contents of your trophy cabinet this year...). Fortunately this famous trophy will be there...but who will be the lucky person who has to lug it home...

Saucy Stuff

Crosser gets caught up in utterly stupid #Edinburgh 'racist' salt & sauce chip shop debate.  http://t.co/zXJlIlh643 pic.twitter.com/EqFkLfSwHY
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 26, 2013

St Boswells 1's v Holy Cross 1's

A very amiable game played largely in drizzle which had more than a hint of 'end of season' about it, resulting in a win for HX, thereby cementing our third position in Division 1.

Are you watching this Gary T?

Back in the clubhouse, the post match activities of wif-waf provided further entertainment as Bonnie Prince Charlie, not content with the earlier smoting of a member of the fairer sex for 6 to bring up his Fifty, decided to teach a one-legged gentleman a lesson or two about ping pong on a converted pool table.

The Young Pretender is a blur as he unleashes yet another Ace

Finally, the remaining seven Crossers took to the The Green at St Boswells once more to partake in a round of Boundary Golf, Bimbo declaring it to be "the best course in the league" as we set off, somewhat to the bemusement of the opposition skipper, Mr 'Boom Boom' Broom.

The Championship Winning 3rd XI: ESCA Div 9 Champions 2013

The Championship winning 3rd XI post-match at #FortressArbo. #proudveryproud pic.twitter.com/PUVMj7Niu9
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 24, 2013

Holy Cross Festival - 7th September

Crossers,

Preparations for the post-season Holy Cross festival are well advanced.  This is intended as a family-friendly sports day with plenty of fun events, but also as a more archetypal Holy Cross social gathering as the sun approaches the horizon.  The centrepiece is a double-wicket competition but we also have numerous other sports and games for everyone (see here ) plus kids' events, fabulous scenery with real sheep and trees, a barbeque and campfire, even plenty of indoor games just in case (now including ping pong, as I know Charlie and Gary like playing with each other). 

It's totally free to Crossers and their nippers.  All you have to do is haul your idle bodies and a bagful of tinnies half an hour out of town.  Have a look at what you'll be getting.



The ground staff getting to work - eye candy for the Club Captain
 



The wicket has landed - MUFS would kill for a track like this



Tricky Target Golf (about 90 yards) awaits you



Lots of garden space for teeny Crossers and their Crosstastic mums

As you can see this is an event you can't afford to miss.  So get yourselves organised, pair up for the double-wicket competition, hire a bus and let me know you're all coming.  If we have a big turn-out this will be truly spectacular, so come on down from 12.30 on September 7th and get all your fellow Crossers up for it too.

Shifty

Venue Switch

BREAKING: Venue change sees HX 3s now entertain @WatsonianCC 4s at #FortressArbo tomorrow. #onceinalifetime
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 23, 2013

After their previous performance at Arbo, one hopes that they can score more than 70 this time...

League Weekend 18 and Awards Night

Saturday's fixtures -

• 1sts vs St Boswells, away.
• 2nds vs Musselburgh 2nds, at Arbo - OFF, Musselburgh concede.
• 3rds vs Watsonians 4ths, home at Campbell Park - NOW SWITCHED TO ARBO.

Good luck to all.

Awards Night will be held in the Green Room at Arbo on Saturday 31st from 7.30. If you haven't received a ballot paper, please contact Jon.

2nds Round Up - Our Cup Run is Over. Concentrating on the League.

On Sunday, a good mix of 2s and 3s travelled down to the Borders to take on Hawick & Wilton in the semi-final of the Presidents Plate. Unfortunately, the side wasn't a particularly good mix of bowlers and batsmen and our shortage in the bowling department showed as H&W racked up 171 all out in their 30 overs with suicidal run outs (including, if I remember right, one between twins - aren't they supposed to be telepathic?) accounting for almost half the wickets.

We started slowly against a good attack (how many giant left-armers can one club have?) and were fortunate that Hawick's catching was malfunctioning almost as badly as their calling. It was only really when BAF (45) started to go after the change bowling that we felt we had any kind of a sniff and we still arrived at the final over needing around 30. Even with an occasional bowler on for a lone over, a miracle to eclipse even Doogs' efforts of the day before was required. Helped out by a couple of head high no balls, Cruiky (28 no) spanked plenty, but not quite enough, and we fell 9 short.

Hawick are a good bunch and the game was played in a fine spirit, occasionally enlivened by some very vocal sledging from the kids mucking around in the nets. If all games in this competition were like this the Presidents Plate would be good fun, but the sad truth is that there are far too many walkovers (this was only the second game we'd actually played this year). Rethink needed.

Meanwhile two further Saturday wins have left the 2nds guaranteed third place in Division 5 and still with an outside chance of coming second - either would be easily our best finish for several years. We started with an 87 run win at Livingston, set up by a ton from JB and finished off by 4 wickets from Abdul. Then came a five wicket win against Edinburgh South on a tricky strip at Inch Park. South were all out for 86 with Amjid taking three scalps and we ground out the win in the 36th over (with Gus McLean bowling his usual excellent spell: 9-5-6-3) largely thanks to a gritty stand between JB and Dan. In both games Dom and Irfan combined to remove the opposition's most important batsman.

One point worth noting (again) is the huge improvement in our fielding this year. We haven't dropped many (although JB will definitely be practising this winter), Dom seems to have the makings of a second Ziggy and some of the catches have bordered on the spectacular, most recently Abdul (running round the fine leg boundary) and Gerry (slip) at Livingston, and Quinny (diving forward in the covers) against South.

Matthew Engel on Club Cricket

Ziggy came across this article on club cricket in England and thought it might find an appreciative audience among Crossers. Good stuff.

Wins for 2s & 3s...

@Mufs on top here now- hX need 15 off the last over. #miraclerequired
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 17, 2013

7 needed off 2 after a big 6 from @DoogsR
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 17, 2013

Another 6 scores tied- I left
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 17, 2013

Run out!! Match tied!!! #drama @MDAFS
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 17, 2013

Great stuff from Dougie
Scorecard HERE

New Thirds Recruit

Continuing my recruitment drive for @HXCricket, he is available for the fuds this weekend pic.twitter.com/z3ulM31amp
— Alex Candlish (@alcando87) August 14, 2013

League Weekend 17

Saturday's fixtures -

• 1sts vs Murrayfield-DAFS at Arbo.
• 2nds vs Edinburgh South 2nds, away at Inch Park.
• 3rds vs Glenrothes 4ths, home at Campbell Park.

Sunday -

• Activcity Presidents Plate semi-final vs Hawick & Wilton, away, 2pm start.

Social Whirl

Short notice news of two Cross social events this week -

• Tonight, Blowers and Baxter at the Pleasance - meet in the courtyard from 4pm, tickets on the door. Show starts at 5.30.
• Thursday, Nipun's drinks at the Bailie, St Stephens Street from 6pm.

Quote of the Week

@HXCricket had a great season at the cross-some great characters!If Co-Cos fag hasn't gone out, then it's not raining hard enough to go off!

— Lloyd Burgess (@lloydburgess82) August 11, 2013

BAF to the Future

BAF has started to post excerpts from his cricket scrapbook @beefrazor.
This one features a few future Crossers:

3 wins..

Good Saturday for HX, with a tight win for the 1sts versus high-flying Carlton 2's.

Scorecard here:  http://www.cricketstats.org.uk/esca/2013/1/0701.html

A few batsmen (Owais, cje, Julius and Dougie) played pretty well but no one played the substantial innings we needed...and have lacked most of this season.

200 was under-par with the bat (given a decent pitch and a rapid outfield) but a good steady bowling performance (Julius 10 overs for 26 the pick) kept Carlton behind the rate.

The fortunate dismissal of Shah (horrid full bunger) was vital after Carlton were starting to go well at 68-2. A good fifty by their skipper and some good batting by their youngsters gave them a chance but Si Mc bowled a good spell at the end-taking wickets just as they gained momentum. 

Shannon takes the final wicket

2nds beat Livi 2's by about 100 runs - JB scoring a ton.

@HXCricket 2s win by appx 100 runs. Abdul Ghafoor 4 wickets, @AirFixTheMovie with 2 fine slip catches.
— Brian Adam Fraser (@beefrazor) August 10, 2013

3's had a walkover versus Largo 4's, so the younger element went for a 15 hour festival session...

More details to follow....

Muir like it

After the horrors of last week's crushing defeat at Selkirk, the 2nds got back on track with a comfortable win over a depleted Boroughmuir at Arbo.

Smudge won the toss and put Muir in on an initially chilly, windy afternoon. Just over 30 overs later they were all out for 59 with the wickets shared by Smudger, Amjid, Gerry and Abdul. Dom deserved to join them but had to be content with a good catch to add to his midweek fielding hat-trick. In all we held four out of five chances and engineered a run-out - a good performance in the field.

With some dark clouds hovering, we went straight back out, too soon for one of our usual opening pair who was mid-prayer at the time. Faisal bowled an excellent opening spell, removing Brian with a beauty with the score on nought. Irfan also fell along the way, but JB, who was opening for the first time in years, and Praveen saw us home off the first ball of the thirteenth over, helped along by five leg-byes off an unused helmet.

Another early finish, this time an eight wicket victory rather than a nine wicket defeat. I know which result I preferred, but I also know which one I'll remember longer.

League Weekend 16

Saturday's fixtures -

• 1st vs Carlton 2nds at Arbo.
• 2nds vs Livingston 2nds, away.
• 3rds vs Largo 4ths, at St Andrews - conceded by Largo.

Good luck to all.

Presidents Plate Semi

Our Activcity Presidents Plate semi- final against Hawick & Wilton will be played at Hawick on Sunday 18th August, starting at 2pm.

Fact of the Week

HX fact of the week: @alcando87 has now played league matches in 2013 against all FOUR @edinsouthcc sides! #clubman
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) August 4, 2013

Ten Years On - The Small Clubs Cup

Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of one of the highlights of the club's history: winning the Small Clubs Cup.

Our involvement with this national knockout competition, played on Sundays with 40 overs a side, was happy but brief, starting in 2002 when the rules were changed to allow clubs with more than two Saturday teams to enter and ending in 2004 as the 1sts were promoted as Champions to ESCA Division 1.

Captain Keith kisses the cup.

In 2003 we were helped greatly by being drawn at home throughout the early stages of the cup and recorded wins against Montrose by 198 runs (Keith Fraser 106*, Ian Astley 3 for 1, Colin McGill 3 for 14); Strathclyde by 108 runs (Dougie Russell 46, Rod Mair 45, Ian Astley 3 for 24); Glasgow Victoria by 49 runs (Dougie Russell 84, Shannon Bonfield 3 for 17, Ian Astley 3 for 32); and Inverurie by 8 wickets (Joe Palmer 4 for 41, Shannon Bonfield 58*).



Dougie Russell, Rod Mair, Shannon Bonfield, Joe Palmer, Colin McGill, Shammo Biswas.
Euan Smith, Anzelm Cydzik, Keith Fraser, Ian Astley, Jonathan Bates, Roland Dannreuther.

David Potter has kindly given us permission to reproduce his report of the final which was played at Uddingston's ground at Bothwell Castle Policies -

On an overcast day Dollar and Holy Cross Academicals met in the nineteenth final of the Small Clubs Cup which is sponsored by Readers Cricket Balls. This was the first final for either side and they had made it through to the last day from an original entry of 32 teams.

Keith Fraser won the toss for Holy Cross and decided to ask Dollar to bat first on a beautiful batting strip. His decision was fully justified as the opening attack of Bonfield and Palmer made life difficult for the batsmen and it was no surprise when Robertson edged a catch off Bonfield who looked the livelier of the two bowlers to keeper Dannreuther with the score on 6. Buick and Buchanan-Smith steadied things for Dollar and took the score on to 36 before Bonfield struck again to clean bowl Buick for 26 and he followed up quickly to have Arnold adjudged lbw without scoring.

Bonfield continued to create havoc and his next victim was Anderson for a duck and Dollar found themselves in deep trouble at 42 for 4. Buchanan-Smith continued to hold firm, however he was lucky to survive on 21 when Fraser dropped him running backwards at extra cover. He did not make the most of his good fortune as Ian Astley who had now replaced Bonfield at the pavilion end bowled him a few overs later much to the relief of his skipper.

Ian Astley bowls Buchanan-Smith

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Fraser switched his bowlers around and only Jack Allen showed any resistance as he hit a patient 31 to be the last wicket out on 100. Bonfield finished with 4 for 16 and Astley had 4 for 26.

After the interval it was imperative that Dollar got early wickets otherwise they were staring defeat in the face. They did get a wicket with the score on 19 when Russell was given out lbw, but this only brought man of the match Bonfield to the crease. Together with the captain they put on an unbeaten partnership of 93 to see the Edinburgh side home to victory by 9 wickets with 24 overs to spare. Both batsmen played some delightful strokes to all parts of the ground and in the end Holy Cross to the great delight of their supporters ran out deserved winners on the day.

Some other random memories of the great day - a tea of such variety and magnificence that some of us still talk about it; Morrish, Buchanan and Blacklock's victory parade down Princes Street with the cup held out of their car's sun roof; champagne in the Green Room on our return.

Man of the Match and victorious Captain

League Weekend 15

Saturday's fixtures -

• 1sts vs Edinburgh South, away.
• 2nds vs Boroughmuir 2nds at Arbo.
• 3rds vs Morton 3rds at the Meadows.

Good luck to all.

 

Souters Boot Us - Second Philiphaugh Massacre as Cross Crash in HX-Rated Performance

Lovely, lovely day. Lovely, lovely drive down into the Borders, past the turn to Shiftyshire. Lovely, lovely Johnners on the tape deck (Sample joke: "Have you heard about the flasher who reconsidered his retirement? He decided to stick it out another year."). Lovely, lovely ground. Horrible, horrible performance.

We lost the toss and batted. All out in 23 overs for 47 of which JB scored 31. Greg Fenton, the division's leading wicket-taker, was the chief destroyer bowling with some pace and plenty of intelligent variation to record the splendid figures of 9-3-22-7.  The Souters then knocked off the runs in under 11 overs for the loss of Skeldon, strangled down the legside, with Fenton again leading the way with 28 not out. The first Philiphaugh massacre was in 1645. By 16.45 we were finished, showered, we'd had our tea and a pint and were getting in our cars. Horrible.

Admittedly, Selkirk are a fine side who will surely and deservedly record a second consecutive divisional championship this season. Admittedly, only one visiting team has passed 70 at Philiphaugh this season. But ours was the lowest score of the year and recorded against a team weakened by stag weekends and festivals. Horrible.

League Weekend 14 and the Week Ahead

Saturday's fixtures -

• 1sts vs Dunfermline at Arbo.
• 2nds vs Selkirk, away.
• 3rds vs Tranent 2nds, home at Campbell Park.

Midweek -

• Thursday, Activcity Presidents Plate QF vs Inchcolm, at Arbo - 2nds and 3rds only.

Good  luck to all.

Peebles Wobble? No. 2nds go 3rd.

In barbecue weather, Peebles won the toss and put us in. Despite a fine spell from the enthusiastic Maxwell (9-3-24-2) and the distraction of the wicketkeeper pulling his calf muscle in the second over, Brian and Irfan proceeded fairly calmly in putting on 50 for the first wicket. I say fairly calmly because Brian had a Joe Root moment early on, perfectly bisecting keeper and first slip at a catchable height. Cormack, the stand-in keeper who later took an excellent catch to dismiss Irfan, can console himself that Brad Haddin would have done, indeed did, no better.

The introduction of Webb (9-1-33-4) caused us problems and 52 for 0 became 72 to 3, but Brian and Ziggy rebuilt. Brian was on top form and looked to be heading, Root-like, for a huge score, adding three legside sixes (he even kept both hands on the handle for two of them) to his characteristic nudge-cuts, before he was out oddly tamely for 68. When Ziggy, who has been practicing jug avoidance in recent weeks (32, 45, 45 not out and now 34), fell to the returning Maxwell, we were 160 for 6 and looking to push on to 190+. A final score of 178 for 9 represented a slight disappointment for the Cross and a good fightback from Peebles.

After another fine Arbo tea, the visitors set about the chase with some vigour. Gray (59) in particular was hitting cleanly and powerfully to leg, although he should have been caught twice off Gerry (sorry, mate). At 94-1 there was no sign of a wobble and Peebles were, if anything, favourites.

But one of the best features of our play this season has been a certain relentlessness in the field and, as at Meggetland when Boroughmuir looked to be cruising, one wicket proved crucial. Abdul (9-6-12-1) had already reeled off several maidens in an excellent spell when he finally got a chance to bowl to Gray and lured him into hitting the ball Ziggywards. When batsmen hit the ball Ziggywards there is one inevitability (a warmer Cydzik chest area) and one near-inevitability (a wicket). Finally Gray was out.

Elmondt (6-2-11-3) and JB (6.1-1-14-4), who was apparently being mercilessly sledged all the while by his goddaughter from the boundary (see Quote of the Week below), then mopped up as Peebles subsided from 94-1 to 127 all out.

Thanks to Mandy and Michael for manning the post-match barbie, to El Pres for gracing us with his presence and to Nozza for returning to the 2nds' fold.

Invitation to the Inaugural Holy Cross Family Sports Day and Barbecue - 7th September 2013

Dearest Crossers,

You are all invited, whether you have a family or not, to an afternoon of unrivalled sporting opportunity in the bucolic idyll of darkest Dalkeithshire.

Events on offer will include:

Cricket - soft ball double-wicket competition
Target Golf
Croquet
Throwing the Wellie
Fishing (small river, small fish, lots of trees but very pretty)
Frisbee
Badminton
Boules
Skittles
Giant Rope Swing (not suitable for scaredypants)
Tight Rope
Trampoline
etc.
Other activities, toys and games also available for children and Vogrie adventure playground is nearby
Exquisite countryside and woodlands all around for walks and inspiration (!).

Feel free to turn up from 12.30pm and start having fun.  The cricket competition will start at 2.00(ish).  There will be a barbecue arranged for late afternoon.

This event is free to all Crossers.  Please bring your wives and girlfriends (AKA designated drivers) and kids if you have any.  We will lay on some food and soft drinks but please bring food for the barbie and your own booze - plenty of booze.  Transport to and fro is up to you.  Anyone who volunteers to come early to help organise or to man the barbie will be lavishly rewarded.  The festivities will continue as long as anyone wishes to keep partying and if anyone fancies pitching a tent and staying overnight they are welcome to do so. 

PS Please don't tweet or Facebook this - it's for Crossers only.  I will e-mail out directions closer to the date.  It's 30 mins drive from the Old Town.

Please come - the more the merrier!  Pip Pip.

Shifty

1 XI get batted again!

Grange 2 v Holy Cross

20 July 2013, at Fettes College

As the first Crosser to arrive at the ground I was met with the sight of the majority of the Grange team warming up for the match by either partaking in a vigorous game of football or striking some breakdancing poses.  An early indication perhaps that this was to be a contest between two teams with contrasting styles and fitness/mobility levels….

In the corresponding fixture from the first half of the season the Cross had been well beaten by Grange 2, with only a knock of 99 from Raja giving the scores a look of any respectability.  A review of the team-sheets from that game indicates that the opposition fielded a team with 7 changes from the first fixture.  However, strength in depth seems not to be an issue and the two Grange teams we have faced this year are likely to be the two best teams we will face.

Holy Cross were invited to have a bowl first and with almost a complete team ready for 13:00 hrs we took to the field in glorious sunshine.  Shannon and Raja got us started, both bowling good opening spells, with Shannon in particular beating the bat on a number of occasions.  However, the first wicket didn’t arrive until first change with Dom taking, I believe, his debut league wicket for the 1s with a classic left-armers’s delivery getting an edge that was comfortably taken at slip by Bonners.  Dom and GT bowled the next 10 overs or so with the batsmen generally on top and ticking along at about 7 an over.

A change was required, with Dougie and Charlie brought into the attack.  As has been the case for much of the season, both bowlers bowled tidy spells with the pace being taken off the ball resulting in a reduction in the run rate.  It was still tough work in the field though with all Grange batsmen being able to hit a powerful ball.  Nevertheless, Dougie picked up the wicket of the Grange no.3 for 52 (caught Owais), and Charlie the wicket of Pillai for 83 caught at deep long-off by GT.   At the second drinks break Grange were around 210 for 3 wickets off 34 overs.

Shannon and Raja returned to the fray to bowl the final 10 over stretch and despite 2 more wickets falling, both to Shannon (caught CJE and Spickers), the momentum stayed with the home side and they finished their allotted 50 on 315 for 5 wickets.  Undoubtedly a big total, but not one that disgraced us given the quality of the batting and an expansive out-field on one side.  Tom J in particular threw himself around with purpose making a number of good stops.

A fine spread awaited both sides, with strawberries and ice cream the undoubted highlight.

The Crossers reply got off to a bad start - CJE heading for the showers after 3 deliveries for 1 run, after an impressive piece of aggressive fast bowling from T. Sole.  Shannon joined Raja, using the pace of the ball and calmly caressing the next two deliveries over the rope for four.  Some lusty blowing from Raja followed and at an early stage the Cross were right up there with the run rate. 

However, Raja was out for 38 having not quite connected with one, and despite Owais joining Shannon and a fine partnership of close to 100 being put together the required run rate started to increase.   At the second drinks break (34 overs) the run chase already looked a forlorn one. 

Shannon departed for a well-constructed 63 bringing to the crease Andrew Robertson who batted very nicely for 30 before being last man out.  In between times Owais  was stumped for a good 42, Nawaz and Tom didn’t trouble the scorers and Dougie was run out for 1 after an excellent piece of fielding from the opposition skipper. Si Pickering had joined Andrew and elegantly hit across the line for a fairly rapid 23 that helped us across the 200-run mark for only perhaps the third time this season.  The innings closed with Cross well short of the target at 210 for 8.

After two losses on the trot, the Crossers will be looking forward to trying to get back to winning ways this weekend with the visit of Dunfermline to Arboretum Playing Fields.

40 point weekend

Good wins for the 2s & 3s on Saturday but the 1sts once again fell victim to the Grange batting steamroller.. (612-9 versus us this season..)

more details to follow...they may be the last games of the season as the monsoon season may now be upon us..

Quote of the week

From the President's 9-year-old daughter, watching her godfather Lord Admin commence his spell of bowling:

"Daddy, Daddy, Jonathan's started doing some really stupid dance."

From the mouths of babes...

League Weekend 13 and the Week Ahead



This photograph in no way constitutes a guarantee that Mr McGrath will be in attendance.

Saturday's games -

• 1sts vs Grange 2nds at Fettes.
• 2nds vs Peebles County at Arbo.
• 3rds vs SMRH 4ths at Inverleith.

Don't forget - barbecue at the Club in the evening.

Midweek -

• Tuesday, friendly vs the Woodcutters at Arbo.

Good luck to all.

Preston Panning

Our 2012 visit to the Polwarth Oval must rank as one of the strangest and most shambolic days in Cross history as our then skipper was, ahem, "detained", leaving BAF and JB stranded at Arbo until Andy G lent them a car. We started with seven men and ended with ten - and a six wicket defeat.

This year it was the Village People who were in some disarray, calling off their 2nds' game against our 3rds on the Thursday, as injuries and holidays took their toll. It soon became clear that most of the 2nds had been called up into the 1sts and we were particularly pleased not to see Ramzan who scored two excellent fifties against us last season.

PV won the toss and put us in. Adam Smith (9-3-11-2) bowled an admirable, economical spell (there's a joke there somewhere, but it won't quite come out) using the pronounced slope to bring the ball back into the batsmen. But none of the other seven bowlers really settled and the biggest brakes on our progress were JB's growling Achilles which produced some interesting "running" and the uncanny ball magnetism of Keith Clark at extra cover.

After the early loss of Irfan, Brian (35) and JB (75 on the match return, 76 in the book and 78 in his head) rebuilt before Ziggy (45no) and Andy G (32) accelerated nicely. 235 for 5 was easily our best score of the season, but it could easily have been more.

Gerry kneels before the sacred teapot.

After a good tea in the sunshine, we opened up with Andy K (6-1-9-3) and Amjid (6-3-9-1) and they immediately extracted some pronounced movement and lift, and looked set to take plenty more wickets. Then, shockingly, with four down, both were taken off as Smudger, riding high in the divisional wicket-taking charts, sniffed scalps.

And so on came Gerry at the railway end and Smudge at the pavilion end. But the cricketing gods, offended by the skipper's self-serving move and answering Gerry's teatime prayers, decreed that all the remaining wickets should fall at one end while Smudger bowled barely a ball at anyone but Gary Nisbet who tucked in for 33 not out. Gerry ended with the startling figures of 6.3-4-6-6, due reward for his excellent form this season, and Preston Village were all out for 52.

Thanks to PV for making the most of a beautiful day by bowling first, for the excellent humour in which the game was played throughout and for their hospitality in the Goth afterwards. We hope availability improves soon.

End of the road in search for Cup/Trophy glory

On a stunning Thursday evening, Holy Cross took on Livingston (who are quickly turning into our bogey team) on a hard and dry Arbo deck in the quarter final of the Activcity Trophy T20 competition.

With the toss won by the Livingston Skipper, he elected to bat first.

Shan & Bimbo took the new ball for the Cross, with Shan picking up wickets in his second and third overs and Bimbo bowling a tidy spell.

Livingston kept the scoreboard ticking over with a mix of  positives strokes and a number of edges that could easily have gone to hand or skittled the stumps.

Newman took over from Bimbo and was very unlucky not to finish his 4 overs with 3-4 wickets, but still nabbed a valuable brace. Raja copped a bit of tap from the other end and didn't look comfortable in his delivery stride. At that point it looking like Livi might get through to 120+

However, Charlie and Dougie took over and kept things relatively quiet, both picking up wickets at regular intervals, with the odd boundary thrown in. Shan cleaned up the 10th wicket in his final over ending Livingston's inning on 113. Which on that deck and with a very fast outfield, looked to be a few short of a challenging total.

The Cross got off to a good start with 29 on the board before the fall of the first wicket, Charlie heading back to the sheds. Raja followed in quick succession an over later, chopping one back onto his stumps with the Cross still going at 5 an over and looking comfortable.

With 2 new men at the crease in myself and Tom Jordan, we ticked things over at a reasonable rate picking up about 4 an over and moving the score through to 63-2 off 11. Still some work to do but with plenty of wickets in hand, we were looking good to push on for victory.

A change in bowling at both ends saw a rapid drop in scoring rate. The Livi bowlers kept things tight and both Tom and myself just couldn't get bat on ball or beat the field. Before we knew it, with 7 overs left we needed roughly 8 per over.

In the 16th over after 4 dot balls, Tom decided to have a crack and just didn't quite get enough on it and was caught very well on the deep mid-on boundary for 12. I fell the very next ball LBW for 13,  I very nearly tucking my bat under my arm and walked it was that plumb!

So with 4 overs left and 2 new men at the crease in Newman and Nawaz we needed 10 per over. The 17th over was a good one from the Livi bowler, leaving us needing 34 off the final 18 deliveries.

Nawaz ticked things over at about a run a ball and Newman with a mix of cricket and hockey shots took 16 off the 18th over, which gave us all some hope of a mighty comeback.

Newman finished with an impressive 32 off probably about 12-15 balls but it unfortunately it just wasn't quite enough, with Shan being bowled on the final delivery of the 20th over. Holy Cross stranded on 102-7.

It must be said that this was definitely one that got away, as we were looking very good at the half way point. Good luck to Livingston in the next round!

And in other news

1st XI Skip Simon McOscar has been invited to take part in a selection day on Sunday the 21st July in London after entering the Strongbow 'Earn It' challenge. He will be up against 9 other weekend warriors selected from around the UK.

The winner will face an over from test bowling ace Jimmy Anderson, seen here struggling to hit a can of Strongbow off the top of middle - http://sport.uk.msn.com/cricket/jimmy-anderson-takes-on-the-strongbow-challenge

The winner will be announced after an event on Sunday 28th July, with the over against Jimmy Anderson to take place in August.

I'm sure Jimmy has been keeping an eye on the weekly ESCA Div 1 results page and will be confident he can skittle McOscar (if selected)! Or perhaps just bowl one outside off for him to play an attempted late cut and edge it back on to his stumps!

1's go down to Edinburgh Accies

Holy Cross v Edinburgh Accies, penned by stand in Skip GT!

Played at Arboretum on 13/7/2013

Edinburgh Accies (20) beat Holy Cross (7) by 2 wkts

The players arrived at Arbo in glorious July sunshine with the track looking hard, but dry, and the outfield cut short and of a minimalist size.  It seemed scoring runs was not going to be an issue today….. Skipper-for-the-day GT accompanied his opposite man to the middle hoping to lose the toss to avoid having to make a decision.  Much to his chagrin, this was not to be case, and with the toss won the Crossers were batting first.

CJE and Raja got us started.  Any delivery off the bat that missed the fielder generally scooted for four and it seemed that occupation of the crease by the Cross for the full 50 overs would inevitably lead to a decent total.  However, Accies had a different plan.  A. Carmichael and Jones bowled a good opening spell, with Carmichael getting the first of what would be 5 victims of the day when he got one to move a lot to CJE not offering a shot.  Shannon made a nice steady start before edging one.  At the other end Raja looked in fine nick. Some sweet striking allowed him to get to 29 in quick order before a short delivery that didn’t bounce found him trapped in front of his stumps LBW.  A harsh end to what was building to be another entertaining innings.  Owais and Spickers fell to the same fate – caught C Carmichael, bowled A Carmichael, with the latter removing the top five batsmen (9-1-58-5), a great effort.

The Crossers needed a partnership to steady the ship and got this in the shape of Julius and Dougie.  Both looked to play sensibly but punish the bad ball, and had added 46 to the total before Dougie mis-judged a full toss to be caught.  Julius needed some partners to hang around but Tom, GT and Vikram disappeared quickly (GT very quickly) with only 15 added for the three wickets, so it was left to Usama to play very well keeping the ball out at one end and nicking the odd single while Julius looked to add as many runs as possible.  The last wicket added 31 runs, with Jules, having to force the issue, finally popping one up to the Accies skipper Moffat who had bowled a good spell for 4-23.  Julius finished with 58, a classy innings peppered with a high proportion of boundaries.

The teams retired to the clubhouse for the customary fine spread with a total of 160 looking at least 80-100 runs short of par.
After re-fuelling and the inspirational appearance of former 1^st team skipper E.C Smith (conveniently just in time for the troughing), Holy Cross took the field aiming to make a decent fist of things.  They got off to the best possible start, Vikram removing the Accies no.2 with his first ball of the day.  Unfortunately, this success was shortly followed by Vikram breaking down with injury no. 73 of the season thus far, limiting his spell to only 2 overs.  The Cross needed wickets to fall regularly and this was the case with Accies reduced to 74 for 5, with Shannon claiming two wickets and GT and Dougie one apiece.  The outcome was by now not a foregone certainty and one or two more quick wickets would put us in the driving seat.  It wasn’t to be – the Accies middle order realising that getting the runs was never going to be an issue started to nudge the ones and twos and waited for the four-ball rather than going looking for it.  Rive, Paton and Moffat all made good contributions with Banerjee also supporting well.  Some last minute excitement was provided with Shannon having his last over at the newly-arrived-to-the-crease Jones with Accies still needing 8 to win.  There followed an inside edge for 4 that just missed leg stump and a sharp chance dropped in the slips. Had either of those deliveries gone differently the Cross may still have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.   In the end Accies finished 161-8 and took the 20 points.  One that got away…

*insert from the absent Skip - luckily for the Cross, on Saturday MDAFS and St Boswells were both defeated by the other 2 teams at the tail of the league table! So fortunately we hold on to 4th place by tooth and nails!!!