A Fond Farewell...

It was a fond farewell to this pair of long standing servants at Arbo earlier this week. #goodriddance pic.twitter.com/VPqffpSEvB
— Holy Cross Cricket (@HXCricket) October 3, 2014

Smudger's 2x30th In Photos

Father of the club

Smujinder 'Smudger' Smudgerjee celebrated graduation from the famous Holy Cross Youth Academy as he turned 3x20 at Arboretum Road's infamous Green Room Nightspot on Saturday night.

News had reached the capital that Lawrie's Third Army had defeated a Largo battalion in a stirring encounter at St Andrews in the only Cross game to reach a conclusion. Whilst Twitter reported that El Presidente had been hitting big 6's, there was also relief that after losing his only pair of cricket trousers, Coco had been forced to purchase a new pair and was therefore not playing in his golden budgie smugglers. It'd been mischievously suggested that his missing breeks had simply got up and scarpered of their own accord!!!

Golden Balls McGill back in '69

The 1st XI had returned early from Fettes after thrashing Grange 2's 204-0 in a one-sided affair where it would probably be fairer to mention that Grange never really got started in their innings. The 2's game, at the Fortress itself, also fell victim to this cantankerous jet stream silly bother we've been enduring of late. This ensured a prompt start to the binge drinking for both teams.

The distance of the 3's from the birthday shenanigans meant the party would have to wait for the dazzling social racontuerism of Messrs McGill & Robertson. In the meantime the legendary anecdotes were provided by the hippest swinger in the club, Mr G Lohan. The highlight was the discovery that "Paxman was my fag". Those of us educated by the council dared not ask for a layman's translation.

One of the things Gerry has smoked???

The 3's began to arrive back in instalments, generally in order of virility (I'll leave it to others to decide in which order). Their arrivals were interspersed with appearances by Honorary Legends such as Cartwright (senior) and Mair (available for selection, but not selected!!!).

Shifty - 5for in a break from filming

Eventually El Presidente and Coco joined proceedings and the real BS could begin. President Maradona was able to declare "this is finally the club I wished it to become" as young Gaware lit the presidential roll-up completely unrequested. It was made obvious that the drink was taking effect when Zggy Cydzk didn't even attempt to pronounce the name of a fellow cricketer - "that whotsisname" - also sporting a Polski surname.

It was also my pleasure (totally wasn't) to reunite McGill with his errant trews. They had been discovered earlier by poor Raja who had heard a low humming noise emitting from deep within his cricket bag. They had to be extracted at arms length and placed in a sealed container before immaturely falling into my possession as Dougie declared 'last bag packed has to take them', placing me at a distinct disadvantage being the only bag left unpacked.

All that remains to be divulged is this rather fetching snap taken anonymously at the end of the evening. Should any Smudger offspring be reading, I'd recommend going no further, or at the very least, scrolling down very slowly...

One for Mrs Smudger

Inverleith Park

Given that we (and other East League clubs) use it, Crossers may be interested in recent proposals concerning Inverleith Park (as we Crossers know it is not the only local authority facility that may be developed in this manner..).

http://www.inverleithpark.co.uk/#/save-the-park/4546597877

Blurb Review

A New Year and mood of change is clearly with us. After the proposal to replace the club badge, KF now suggests that Mr Admin's 'boringly polite' blurb (see the left hand side of your screen) should be replaced with something more honest. Here is his draft; comments, amendments welcome:

We play on a council owned pitch which, early in the season is pock-marked by rugby studs and have no nets, sightscreens or covers, never mind a youth set-up (all under 18’s are fast tracked into the 1^st XI). We are surrounded on three sides by bigger and more successful clubs with better facilities. The ground is next to a main road which often encourages members of the public to hurl friendly slurs at us from passing cars.

Our spacious (if slightly decrepit) changing rooms with communal showers were boarded up years ago and we are currently waiting for some local youths to finish the job of burning them down. We now change in a poky metal shipping container with a leaky lav. Despite having more than 60 players registered, we often struggle to find 33 fit and available bodies every Saturday where we have teams in Divisions 1, 5 and 8 of the East League. We also participate in the first round of Sunday cup tournaments and regularly allow teams from lower divisions to thrash us in midweek 20/20 competitions. Promotion for our 1^st XI would be a disaster for the club.

There is a strict policy of only beating the best team in the league whilst surrendering meekly to the basement boys. In recent seasons our 2^nd & 3^rd XI’s have taken this policy a little further by successfully being relegated. Futile attempts have been made to improve all of the above, but we’ve been beaten down by circumstance and reality at every turn. We now accept our status and frown on any attempts to better the meagre resources we already have.

Whether you are resident in Edinburgh or just passing through, if you’d like to play competitive cricket (ability, or lack of, absolutely not an issue), with an eclectic bunch of so called cricketers we would be delighted to hear from you. We do hire (if not always use) nets just around the corner every week throughout the season and also run ‘winter’ nets during the close season. You can contact us via the website.