STEWARTS MELVILLE ROYAL HIGH CRICKET CLUB DIARY OF THE SEASON - 2000

APRIL

Club Secretary Tom Kinghorn circulates members with the news that outdoor nets begin on April 13th and advises BYOB (bring your own brollie).

Thursday 13th, true to form its raining for the first outdoor practice of the season.

Saturday 15th, season starts and yes its raining.

Saturday 22nd, club trial and its still raining.

Saturday 29th, and Inverleith's artificial wicket gets the season under way for the 3rd X1 with a win over Falkland 3rds by 8 wickets. Otherwise its too wet.

SCU Cricket Guide arrives - essential reading from cover to cover. And under the SMRH club entry, it states "The Club goes forward with a firm commitment to keep developing young cricketers at Inverleith's fine facilities and continuance of the best cricket web-site in the land."



MAY

Saturday 6th May, a full programme of cricket but alas only 1 win by the 4th X1 against Leith Franklin 2nds, including 2 wickets for 11 year old Joshua Pecqueur - the youngest ever to take 2 wickets!! One other fact in the Leith innings - 9 of their batsman can only score 3 singles between!

The 3rd X1 fail by 1 run chasing 213 for victory. Meanwhile defeats for the 1st and 2nd X1 elevens.

Tuesday 9th, Masterton Trophy time again and a comfortable win by 79 runs in round 1 against Murrayfield.

Saturday 13th, again heavy defeats for the 1st and 2nd elevens by Stirling County and Dunnikier respectively.

The 3rd X1 almost get home against Peebles but fail to grab the last wicket. However, career best scores for Simon Kirkman (87) and James Crispin (44), who also took 4/28 were the highlights.

The 4th X1 gained their 2nd victory of the season with the 9 man team winning by 3 wickets. Man of the match Donald Scott scored 57* and took 4/45. The match also featured no fewer than 3 wicket keepers who also bowled. Well there were only 9 men!!

On Sunday 14th, the 1st X1 won their 1st round tie in the National Club Championships against Dumfries where the batting at last came good. Martin Speirs and Masood Ali being the top scorers.

Saturday 20th, and a century for Zahoor Elahi against Poloc but alas the 1st X1 is abandoned due to rain. The 2nd X1 lose at Stirling and the 4th X1 draw at Largo.

Alas no game for the 3rd X1 as Meadowbank Cricket Club cancel and withdraw from the League.

Sunday 21st and second century in the weekend for Zahoor Elahi in the 1st round victory against Glasgow Accies in the SCU Trophy.

During the week the draw for the 2nd round of the 3 cup competitions is known and yes we are playing Stenhousemuir away twice in the Masterton Trophy and the National Club Championships. In the SCU Trophy our opponents are Poloc at Shawholm.

Last Saturday in May and heavy rain prevents any play. However, in the 2nd round of the National Club Championships on the Sunday, the 1st X1 lose to Stenhousemuir.

JUNE

Saturday 3rd of June and for the 1st X1 against Kelso, the game had 3 results possible as the last over was bowled - the end result however was the poorer part of the drawn match. The 2nd X1 had their first win of the season in a low scoring game against Freuchie and the 3rd X1 lost to Dunnikier.

Much of the weekend's excitement was in the 4th X1 against Fauldhouse. Batting first the 4th X1 slowly scored 98/8 in 47 overs thanks to a record equaling 9th wicket stand of 32 between Tom Kinghorn (29*) and young Andrew Macqueen. The Fauldhouse captain bowled 8 consecutive maidens before conceeding a run. In reply, Andrew's Dad Robin best known as a batsman returned a career best bowling of 9/18 with the last 6 wickets coming of 16 balls (and conceeding no runs in the process). Robin also took the catch of the 10th wicket.

Saturday 10th June and a first win of the season for the 1st X1 in the National league against Kelburne thanks to the Speirs brothers Alan and Martin, 53 and 45* respectively. This after Jason Williamson took a career 1st X1 best of 5/49.

The 2nd X1 were cancelled due to an unplayable pitch, and the 3rd X1 recorded a win in a low scoring game against Kirk Brae. Captain James Crispin taking 4 wickets, including 3 in 4 balls, to add to his 17 valuable runs. The 4th X1 lost their unbeaten record to Penicuik.

On Thursday 15th June the 1st X1 lost to Watsonians by 20 runs in the Masterton Trophy Quarter Final.

Saturday 17th June and some record breaking scores at Old Anniesland against GHK where the 1st X1 where set 246 to win. A record equalling 219 for the 1st wicket between Martin Speirs and Zahoor Elahi set up victory - a match where only 3 wickets fell and the 2nd in the 90th over of the match. Is this a record?

The 2nd X1 where also chasing runs against Penicuik where their 'professional' Regan West made only one result possible. The 3rd X1 won easily against Haddington where Mark Karapanovic scored 85, Gareth Hannan 39 plus 2 wickets for 31 runs. However, James Crispin took the bowling honours with 5/21. In the 4th X1 an all round performance from Malcolm MacColl with 58 and 3/4, assisted by the Bissett family father Alf 3/12 and son Chris 28 runs plus Ernie Wilkins 4/11 were all too strong for Murrayfield.

On Sunday 19th June the 1st X1 lost in the 2nd round of the SCU Trophy to Poloc.

Saturday 24th June and the 1st X1 this time lose in a low scoring game against Perthshire and were indeed thankful to a late innings of 36 from Kevin Azam to make a game of it.

The 2nd X1 and the 4th X1 both were abandoned. The 2nd X1 having been set a challenging 198 for victory. In the 4th X1 the rain curtailed a likely victory against Morton. In only his second game for the Club Richard Steele made 65* sharing a new 4th X1 record stand for the 8th wicket of 76* with Alf Bissett who made 27*.

The 3rd X1 match was switched to Sunday and a chance for runs in the sun on the main pitch at Goldenacre. The 3rd X1 scored 220/6 thanks to Alan Veitch 81 and Simon Kirkman 37. This set up a third successive victory by 100 runs.

JULY

Saturday 1st July and another fine batting performance from Zahoor Elahi of 104* following up his 3/20 sees the 1st X1 win by 9 wickets. The 2nd X1 get their second win of the season against Marchmont at Cavalry Park, a ground the Club doesn't do particularly well at. The 3rd X1 lose heavily to Falkland where the visiting Paul Watson dominated proceedings. The 4th X1 gained the better of the draw aginst Boroughmuir which included another fine all round performance from Malcolm MacColl 54 and 3/46.

Saturday 8th July and rain in mid-afternoon causes abandonment of a number of cricket matches in Edinburgh. However, it was too late for the 3rd X1 when an eight man team couldn't bat long enough to beat the weather and lost to Grange.

On the 15th July, it was a mixed day for the Club. The 1st X1 were bowled out for a disappointing 99 against Stirling County. However, the 2nd X1 had a fine win against Dunnikier with Colin Brown staring with 63* and 3/43, supported by Colin Grahamslaw 41* and Stewart Farquharson with 41. The 3rd X1 drew with Peebles and the 4th X1 beat Clackmannan where the bowling of Robin Macqueen again proved too much for the opposition, taking 7/10 in 6.2 overs including the last 5 for no runs.

Saturday 22nd July and in a high scoring match, the 2nd X1 lose by 7 wickets in spite of scoring 233/5 which included half centuries for Stewart Farquharson and Andrew Dodson. Great excitement in the 4th X1 where Robin Macqueen hits a 4 of the last ball to win the match against Largo. This followed a dramatic re-count of the scorebooks at the end of the 89th over to check what the winning total would be. Earlier Dave Moore scored 38 runs adding to his 2 wickets for 41. However an unlikely bowling hero emerged with John Heaphy taking 4 wickets for 42 runs. The 3rd X1 were idle as Meadowbank had withdrawn from the league.

The 1st X1 match arranged for the Sunday due to European Championship commitments saw runs a plenty of runs and few wickets as Poloc scored a massive 322/3, but in reply the 1st X1 scored a respectable 245/4 with Zahoor Elahi scoring another century - 122* and Martin Speirs 57.

On the last Saturday of July, the 1st X1 again disappointed at home with the bat scoring only 139 runs thanks to 35 extras and an innings which featured 7 LBWs.

The 2nd X1 squeezed home in a low scoring contest with Glenrothes by 2 wickets, and the 3rd X1 comfortably beat Musselburgh by 7 wickets thanks to Malcolm MacColl 53 and Mark Burgess 31. As usual the 4th X1 produced a highlight in winning by 76 runs against Trinty - 12 year old R.Forsyth taking 3 wickets in 11 balls to finish off the tail and in the process conceeding only 1 run which was a wide.

AUGUST

Saturday 5th August and for the second time this season Kelso gained the better of the draw with the 1st X1 in the relegation battle. Indeed it was thanks to a late order recovery by Brian Townsend and Andrew Dodson which got SMRH into a competing position. The 2nd X1 had a walk over against Freuchie who couldn't raise a team.

The 3rd X1's promotion chances were almost finished off when Dunnikier won the match thanks to a number of spectactular catches. And the 4th X1 kept up their title charge with a 20 run win against Fauldhouse in a low scoring contest at Inverleith.

On Saturday 12th August, the 1st X1 gain a vital win against Kelburne at Inverleith with Zahoor Elahi back to form with 69. The 2nd X1 gained the best of the draw against Falkland thanks to a return to form from Colin Archibald 45*.

The 3rd X1 match against Kirk Brae was probably the best example of supporting a campaign for the removal of the draw at this level of cricket - their 113/6 coming off 49 overs and the draw points all going to the 3rd X1. All-rounder Dave Moore was again in form with 46 and 3/28. Apart from boredom the game also created some sort of likely record as SMRH had 5 run outs in their innings against a team of 9 men!

The 4th X1 title chase was set back as they lost heavily to Penicuik for the second time this season.

Saturday 19th August and heavy rain means no cricket this week.

Saturday 26th August and the 1st X1 take advantage of being one of the few matches played due to weather and record a fine victory in the relegation battle with Perthshire. Scoring a lowly 132 thanks to Alan Speirs 33 and Masood Ali 25*, the 1st X1 were in trouble as Perthshire got to 68/1. However fine bowling by Brian Townsend 5/34 and Zahoor Elahi 4/12 and Perthshire were out for 103. The 2nd X1 played a friendly match against Grange as the outfield was declared unfit for play. The 3rd X1 lost by 6 wickets to Heriots, but great news from the Meadows as the 4th X1 beat Morton to claim the Division 7 title. Captain John Heaphy showing the way with 29 and Alf Bissett the pick of the bowlers with 5/31.

SEPTEMBER

On the last day of the National League season, rain stops play for the 1st X1 at Dunfermline but no need for calculators, other relegation candidates are defeated and the 1st X1 finally finish 7th in the League.

Sunday 3rd September and its golf outing time again. In a closely contested event at Carnwath Mark Coyle with 37 points sneaks home by 1 point to win the Gully Tankard, from Ernie Wilkins 36 points, Scott McQueston 35 points and Patrick White 34 points.