Issue 24

The renewed restrictions of COVID may have put paid to the final Carlton Beer Gardens of the season last weekend, but there is no doubting it has been the hit of the summer. The evening sun dropping behind the trees and the gentle noise of a junior match in the background. What could beat enjoying a refreshing drink at Grange Loan with friends old and new? Big congratulations and thanks go to Kerry Simpson and Karen D’Ulisse for putting it all together. Thanks also to a host of other helpers, including the ever diligent bar staff. Take a bow Harry, Ben, Angus and Callum. The Beer Garden’s dynamic duo The Beer Garden opened its gates for the first time on Friday 10 July. It was set up to ensure compliance with COVID restrictions and the arrangements arrangements impressed the visiting licensing officer. It was a runaway success from the start. Many Carlton members relished the opportunity to venture out from lockdown confinements and enjoy each other’s company. Doing without cricket teas has been a major deprivation for all Carlton members this summer. But the Beer Garden went some way to filling those empty stomachs. An enticing range of al fresco food was offered - including the legendary Carlton BBQ fare, an excellent selection of gourmet pies from the PieNot Bistro and delicious home-made chilli. 250 pies were consumed over Pie Not’s two visits. And 220 burgers were sold on the BBQ night. PieNot’s visit made the local press (see cutting from the Evening News below)and and discussions are underway about how they can continue their relationship with the club. In total well over 700 members and friends enjoyed the Beer Garden through July and August. Not even the occasional rainy evening could completely dampen the enthusiasm. Beer Garden Wows Carlton Record numbers enjoyed a drink, a bite and each other’s company at Grange Loan In an exclusive interview (LOL) for the Lockdown NewsLetter, Kerry hinted that planning is already underway to build on this success to make something bigger and better next year. We can’t wait!

Towards the end of the 2019 season the U14 team, a talented group of Carlton players, reached the final of the Scottish Cup only to be blown away by some good, fast bowling. One of the parents present, Brian Carling, was left wondering how he could get his kid some practice against fast balls during the off season. He knew his power and skill with a side arm wasn’t good and he had no access to a bowling machine. So he began thinking of an alternative. He found nothing online but formed the idea of using a handheld catapult, like something out of the Beano, and built one at home. Next time he was up at the nets with his son, Rudy, he tried firing tennis balls at him. It didn’t work too well; it was difficult to aim accurately and tiring, but a couple of balls zipped through. It was enough to make him think he was on the right track. Three prototypes later, having invented a trigger mechanism, discovered the heavy duty elastic at the heart of the machine, and realised it had to be balanced on the shoulder to make aiming easy, he had a working catapult that was both accurate and practical. He called it the Jofra and you might have seen it being used up at the nets. Rudy and Euan Keatinge have faced Jofra a lot over the past nine months and both enjoy the challenge. ‘It really forces you to tighten your technique,’ says Euan. ‘The balls are fast and swing; it can be very challenging.’ ‘But so satisfying when you nail a shot,’ adds Rudy. See Euan facing Jofra in the clip below. After an enthusiastic response from Stevie Gilmour, who especially liked that it could provide a safe way for kids to practice against fast, short pitched bowling, Brian built another catapult for the club and is also looking into making them commercially for clubs and parents. Maybe soon we’ll see Jofra at clubs across the country. VALUE FOR MONEY Carlton membership has always been value for money. Paul Bailey recently unearthed his membership card for 1974. His part-season membership cost him all of £2. Full playing membership was £6.50. THE JOFRA

Newsletter 20 reported that 3 Foleys featured together in an intra-club game. They add to a long line of brothers who have put sibling rivalry aside to play for Carlton. It is part of being a family club. The longest serving brothers, not to say the oldest, are Alan and Keith Murray. Some may remember when Fraser and Crannie Watts played together. In recent years line-ups have included braces of Macphersons, Simpsons, McIntyres, Allardices, DuLisses, Mains, Kentishes, Stronachs and Taylors. Dads and lads have also featured - amongst others Weir, Robertson, Murray (x2), Irvine, Whitaker, Thornton. There have been 3 Kentishes and 3 Stronachs. But they won’t beat the team put out on 21 August 2010 as described in this extract from the match report ...Carlton archivists will revel in the fact that the team had not just one Everett (and that is usually enough for most people), not 2, not 3, but........... 4. 4! It truly is the end days when the 4 Everetts of the Apocalypse appear on the horizon. It could have been 5 I guess, but Kirstin sensibly had a prior commitment. All made telling contributions to the afternoon's proceedings. However it nearly fell apart before we took the field since it required all Fantasy Bob's diplomatic tact to suggest to Everett (very senior) that it would be wholly unacceptable for him to don his Grange sweater when turning out for Carlton. This could only distress the younger members of the side. Johnny gracefully acknowledged his error and casually donned his Scotland and MCC sweaters instead. The words 'So there' never crossed his lips. Four Everetts in the team was certainly a record. Never repeated. Neither has a MCC sweater appeared in the 4th XI ranks again. The match report confirms that all 4 Everetts made telling contributions to victory. Craig scored 57, and took a catch behind the stumps while letting no byes through; Euan scored 19, and took 2-14 off 6 overs; Calum, whose senior debut this was, scored 8 and took 1-2 off 2 overs. Calum is now a regular first teamer at Carlton; Euan sadly forsook cricket for golf while still a junior and is now studying at Aberdeen; Craig is now in London working hard to start up an on-line business in speciality and events travel. Craig still plays cricket (and no doubt is as full of chat as he ever was). Johnny and Kirsten are regular visitors to Grange Loan. It is also worth noting that afternnon that 12 year old Rory Allardice took 4-21 off 8 overs and Leigh Kasparek scored 70 (whatever happened to her?) Readers might enjoy the match report which can be found on this link. Brother Where Art Thou? We recall the match in 2010 which was a bit of a family affair

After umpiring neutrally for the last 37 years I decided to give up at the end of last season. For 15 years I had organised most of the umpiring in Scotland, and for another 15 years before that all the umpiring in ESCA. What was I to do? I could not give up umpiring completely, so I decided to umpire for Rory McCann at Merchiston and for Bruce Russell at Fettes. However that would only cover the first half of the season and so I decided to join Carlton and umpire the 3s 4s and 5s. How has it turned out? Of course there was nothing until the middle of July but since then it has been a total joy and far exceeded my expectations. At first, as a club member, I was able to umpire under the coronavirus rules whereas neutral umpires could not. So I have now done more games this season than any other umpire. Retiring has had its advantages But far more important was being able to help at such a great club. To see the ground used for cricket every day of the week and twice a day at the weekend is magnificent. This is much helped by having groundsmen like Colin and Alasdair who allow us to play in marginal conditions rather than insist on protecting their precious grass. I have known Hugh, Andy and Brian for many years but it is the power of work done by so many others that surprised me. Not just fathers and mothers, some of whom had actually taken up cricket for the first time because of their children’s fun at Carlton but also all the youngsters who help. All the players have played hard, but I have had no reason to bring any of them out for improper behaviour. The 2s played a T20 at Myreside in terrible conditions but nobody complained - they just got on with it and won the game in complete darkness. I seem to be appreciated - no team so far has refused to have me stand. At the end of one game one 10 year old told me I had umpired well - so I must be doing something right! I had been looking forward to Carlton's legendary teas (umpires know about such things) and my one disappointment has been that coronavirus rules have put paid to them for the season. But there have always been the hamburgers and pies at the very enjoyable beer gardens. All in all, being part of Carlton has been a joyous experience. Sandy Scotland describes how his retirement from umpiring means he is umpiring more than ever Rule of 6 Had Fraggle inside information on the Government’s move last week to the Rule of 6? With 6 teams of 6, Fraggle’s Frolix, the now traditional end of season 6-a-side tournament, has (so far) escaped the tightening COVID restrictions. Team skippers Hannah, Keith, Mo, Ru, Shiv and Ben have been scouring the club for the blend of talent necessary to secure the prestigious trophy. Fans’ enjoyment of the great day will be tempered by the fact that Fraggle himself is unable to make an appearance.