Issue 59

SCOTTISH REGION First Round - Bye Second Round Carlton beat Stewart's Melville CC by 11 runs Carlton 168-8 StewMel 157-4 Third Round Carlton beat Grange CC by 41 runs Carlton 157-3 Grange CC 116-8 Semi-final (Played at Old Anniesland) Carlton beat Perth Doo-cot CC by 109 runs Carlton 157-3 Perth Doo’cot 48-9 Final (Played at Old Anniesland) Carlton beat Gordonians on run rate Gordonians 69-9 Carlton 34-0 NORTH REGION Quarter-final - Chester-le Street CC (Durham) - Carlton win on coin toss Semi-final (Played at York CC) Carlton beat New Rover CC (Leeds) by 10 runs Carlton - 84-9 New Rover 74ao Final (Played at York CC) Carlton beat Eckington CC (Derbyshire) by 12 runs Carlton 106-7 Eckington 94-7 NATIONAL SEMI-FINAL (Played at Elsecar CC) Carlton beat Leamington CC (Warwickshire) by 16 runs Carlton 98-9 Leamington 82-9 CARLTON’S ROAD TO LORDS To get to Lords Carlton’s u15s have scored 804 runs for the loss of 39 wickets, and taken 56 wickets for 640 runs. The team and supporters have travelled around 2000 miles.

It’s an awesome place to play and the boys should enjoy it to the max. You might never get the chance to play there again. The great thing is there is no pressure, however you do, win lose or draw, you will be able to tell your grandkids that you played at the home of cricket!! Good luck and bring it home. Fraser Watts Fraser Watts remembers, ‘I was the first person to be out to a pink ball at Lords. MCC vs Scotland in 2008 in a game where it was being trialled…. Off stump removed for not many! ‘In 2009 I was caught at third man off Steve Finn in a Saltires vs Middlesex game, trying to upper cut him for 6! Great idea! Gordon Drummond also played in that game and Scotland’s scorer was Carlton’s Lynne Forrester (who remembers scoring from an office rather than the score-box). ‘I also remember playing a 2 day game in 2000 for Scotland vs MCC against a Saffie called David Pryke a seamer who bowled like a frog in a blender ….look him up on YouTube….! ‘And before all that I played in the British Uni’s final for Loughborough vs Oxford …playing as a bowler and in the same team as Monty Panesar. We won!’ Ali Evans also encourages the boys to soak up the atmosphere. ‘Lords - it’s a special place,’ he says. Ali took 4-52 for MCC against Scotland in 2017. Ali says that he was struck by the slope, ‘While you are not really aware of it until you step out onto the pitch it has a big impact. Bowling from the pavilion end really brought the stumps into play as the ball goes down the hill.’ Ali evidently mastered the famous slope, for in addition to his 4 wickets in that match, he took 3-29 for Scotland against MCC in 2014. But his most memorable moment at Lords is less glorious. Ali was batting with West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who had passed 50 and was on his way to 100. ‘I knocked it to mid-wicket and called for a quick single, not noticing Richie Berrington lurking who ran him out quite comfortably. As he made his way back to the pavilion, I apologised. He looked me in the eye and said, ‘Don’t worry, at least I can now go for a pee.’’ (Ali and Chanderpaul had played together at Derby). Carlton Legends at Lords

Gordon Drummond skippered Scotland to victory over MCC at Lords in 2011. 'Firstly, I congratulate the squad, parents and coaches for getting this far. It's a massive achievement for them, the club and cricket in Scotland. For a club from Scotland to reach the National Junior Final at Lords is very special and an accolade that will permanently be etched in its history, it can only be bettered by coming away as winners. ‘The fact that the final is played at Lords on the main field certainly adds to the occasion. The players probably won't realise the history and magnitude of playing at the Home of Cricket. It's certainly an opportunity to be savoured and something only a few club players will ever experience. ‘Having been lucky enough to play there a few times, I can safely say there is a different aura surrounding the venue, which hits you as soon as you enter the main gates, followed by the long room, historical artefacts, the balcony and the famous teas. Memories that are cherished and will stay with me for the rest of my life. ‘Unfortunately, we more often came second during my outings on the hallowed turf; however, I'm confident the squad will perform much better and win the trophy, which would be a fantastic achievement for everyone associated with the club. Good luck to all involved.' Carlton Legends at Lords Cont’d ‘Huge congratulations to all those who get the opportunity to play at Lords and to all those who have worked hard to get the team to this stage. Lords is a special place so enjoy the experience. You’ll remember the day long into the future - so embrace the challenge and don’t regret anything! ‘The chance to represent Carlton at the Home of Cricket is extra special - I am sure you will the club and all the volunteers proud!’ Tom Simpson - 100 for Oxford University this season (see Arrow Issue 56).

Pete Deakin considers Lords to be a magical place, ‘It is has been a privilege and honour to have played there on 7 occasions for 4 different teams. This included winning back to back national ECB club knockout finals with my home town Chorley CC in 1994 and 1995. Gaining my Cambridge Blue in the varsity match in 1996 was special as we spent 3 days there and I represented the MCC 4 times. ‘My most memorable Lords moments were in 2006. I captained the MCC in the Minor Counties Representative fixture. I also captained Dorset CCC in the one day Minor Counties cup final, in which I took a one handed diving slip catch (which BBC Hampshire cricket commentator Kevin James described as the best catch he's ever seen at Lords.) Sadly we lost the match. ‘I am lucky to have helped coach many the U15 finalist team over the last few years and they are a very talented bunch. I know they will cherish every moment but will also take the game to Banstead and do Carlton and Scotland proud. A message to the boys - You'll love the changing rooms, a little bigger than at Carlton! ‘As you walk down through the long room take a big deep breath, step onto the hallowed turf...think of all the legends of the game that have walked before you on this journey, take in the grandeur of the stands and look back at the pavilion... you have arrived in Elysium.’ Carlton Legends at Lords Cont’d Above a teenage Pete (left) celebrates a cup final win for Chorley and (below) slightly older leads the MCC against the Minor Counties.

Carlton Legends at Lords Cont’d Bryn Lockie - Carlton’s all time leading run scorer. On his 2 visits to Lords with Scotland, in 1996 and 98, Bryn scored 54 and 74. ‘What an outstanding achievement on reaching the Final at the home of cricket. I had the privilege of playing twice at Lords for Scotland against the MCC. Great memories of such a historic and unique ground. It has a great slope just like Carlton. Enjoy the occasion and all the very best for the match.’ ‘Playing at Lords is an unbelievable experience that few cricketers get the opportunity to do, so enjoy the day as much as possible. Think about the history of the ground and the players who have produced incredible cricketing performances before you. And finally, try to use the slope to your advantage!’ Ollie Rae - former star of Carlton Women’s XI has played many times at Lords for Middlesex and MCC ‘Congratulations on making the final! Remember to take the time to look around and soak up the atmosphere and the surroundings. I probably didn’t do that enough the first time I played. You want to remember this moment for as long as possible! Whatever the result, you should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished. It’s time to enjoy the day and play your best, we will all be supporting you.’ Jamie Kerr - Carlton’s legendary stumper - 389 victims for Carlton and 1 stumping at Lords ‘Lords! - a place where every player dreams of playing one day but few ever get the opportunity. The Carlton U15’s have this opportunity and what an experience it will be. I was lucky enough to represent the MCC at Lords vs Scotland back in 2014 and albeit was a damp day in April and a narrow loss by 1 wicket what a day it was. From arriving in the morning, the changing rooms and warm ups on the nursery ground through the anticipation of the long walk down the stairs through the long room and out onto the field ‘Not to mention the catering side of things!! What a prospect ahead for our young cricketers. Soak it all up, enjoy the day and the experience. I wish you all the best of luck.’ Angus Beattie alongside Carlton’s Rory McCann and Will Hardie was part of a triumphant MCC Scotland (Issue 48 of the Arrow.)

It may be that a Carlton player had played at Lords previously - many Oxbridge blues came to Carlton in its early years. But the first player to play at Lords while a member of Carlton was Arthur Sellars who played for Scotland against MCC in 1922. This was only Scotland’s third visit to the Home of Cricket. They lost heavily. A E Sellars was a right arm medium pace bowler, and had come to Carlton following World War 1 having previously been professional at Leith Caledonian (a club which did not revive following the suspension of cricket during the war) and had played in 1914 for Stewart’s for whom he took 7-55 against Carlton. In 1920 he took 119 wickets for Carlton and won the Best Bowler award. Sellars was more celebrated outside cricket as the custodian of Murrayfield - for 50 years he was a groundsman employed by the Scottish Rugby Union and was responsible for the early development of Murrayfield. Carlton Legends at Lords Cont’d Sellars he died in February 1949 at the age of 74 from pneumonia following a chill he caught while on duty at the Scotland-Ireland rugby match. Sellars was the son of Tom Sellars who had also been professional and groundsman at Grange CC. Also in the Scotland XI for the 1920 match was John Kerr, although he was a Greenock player at the time. Kerr had played a couple of seasons at Carlton before World War 1. View of Lords in 1921

To many of Carlton’s lesser mortals, the Home of Cricket means Edinburgh’s Meadows. Not for them to tread on the hallowed turf. But any visit to St Johns Wood is highly memorable as Fantasy Bob recalled several years ago in his blog: Although it is many years since he has visited Lords, it remains one of FB favourite places on God's earth. For a number of years he managed to organise things so he had ‘important’ business in London the week of the Lords Test. On one visit, relaxing in the Edrich stand following an exacting day's business the day before, the seat next to him was taken by a backpack-burdened young lady who introduced herself as Imogen from Sydney. She declared that she was on a project to visit every county cricket ground in England. She relished the spectacle in front of her, as England's batting was given a going over by Waqar Younis (5-91), reserving special enthusiasm for the dismissal of Ian Botham - for this was the great man's final test appearance. A quiet ending to a great career, he made 2 and 6, and bowled only 5 overs in the match. As play closed for the day, in that spirit of friendship for which Scottish people, other than FB, are justly renowned, and knowing that his home city housed no county ground, FB casually invited her to visit if she ever came to Edinburgh and gave her his phone number. A week later Mrs FB was surprised to answer the phone and hear the news that 'This is Imogen from Sydney. I'm at Waverley station and I'm really looking forward to staying over.' On reflection, the word surprised in that sentence is maybe an understatement. Slightly. However, Imogen duly arrived and set up camp while she dragged herself round the various tourist sights. In fact she stayed for ten full days. And then she was gone, back to the cricket grounds of England.........or somewhere. Fantasy Bob has not been trusted to visit the home of cricket again. Carlton Legends at Lords Cont’d

The village of Banstead is situated in the Surrey Downs, 5 miles south-west of Croydon and 21 miles from Central London. Banstead Cricket Club came into being in 1842 and has played at its Avenue Road Ground since 1850. It is one of the ten oldest clubs in Surrey. It runs 4 league slides, all of whom compete in relevant divisions of the Surrey Championship, and 4 Sunday sides. Banstead First XI currently play in Division 1 of the Surrey Championship, having previously played in the Premiership. A look at recent results suggest the club is well placed to gain promotion to the Premiership this season. Banstead’s thriving junior section last tasted glory in 2000 when its u15s won the national championship - played that year not at Lords but at Basingstoke CC. They defeated Norfolk club Diss CC in the final. A number of Banstead players have gone on to achieve at the highest levels of the game. Most notably wicket-keeper batter Jack Richards (below left) who played 8 tests for England in the late 1980s. He scored 133 against Australia at Perth and by all accounts would have played more tests but for the excellence of first choice keeper Bob Taylor. More recently, Rory Burns opened the batting for England in 32 Tests. Coincidentally his highest Test score is also 133, also against Australia, at Edgbaston in the opening match of the 2019 Ashes.

Thirty years ago, I was at university and during the summer holidays I played for Banstead Surrey cricket club in 1993 and 94. This was the club closest to my family home. The ground itself is set with a backdrop of lush greenery and is a stone’s throw away from Banstead High Street. An extension of the ground includes public tennis and football courts, as well as slides and climbing frames. Very much a community feel. What made the experience truly memorable was the warm and welcoming atmosphere that enveloped the club. Very similar to Carlton itself. Players of all ages, from eager youngsters to seasoned veterans, came together in a harmonious blend of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Each practice and match exuded a palpable sense of fun, where shared passion for the game fostered a friendly but competitive atmosphere. Venturing to other grounds was a journey of discovery and an absolute joy, as we visited neighboring clubs with their own unique charm. Each venue boasted its own special allure, and many picnics would be enjoyed by onlookers beneath the shade of old oak trees. On occasion there was even the hardship of playing on a green associated with a Pub! The cricket club in Banstead Surrey remains a cherished chapter for me and other than a warm feeling of times gone by, I think of one day revisiting all the beautiful grounds in the surrounding Surrey country. MY BANSTEAD Chris Sale arrived at Carlton this season via Kinross and Heriot’s. But as he describes, in nostalgic fashion, many years ago he played at Banstead CC.

THE FORFS While the first match was washed out, the tourists won the second with Swan falling to Colin Croft for a disappointing 3. Viv Richards scored 69 off 49 balls. Many years earlier, in 1924, Carlton’s CS Paterson played at Forthill for Scotland in a 3-day match against Ireland. (He can be seen in the team photo proudly sporting his Carlton blazer - team kit being a more recent development). Forthill was also the venue for one of the most memorable days in Carlton’s history. On 20 August 2017 they won the Scottish Cup for the first time, beating Watsonians by 36 runs in a tense final. There was dancing in the streets of Carlton after that victory. Forfarshire CC came into being in 1880 when an ambitious local player George Cox brought together a number of Dundee business people and persuaded them to back the founding of a county team of a standard to rival Perthshire. Funds were successfully raised and the Forthill ground acquired. The pavilion dates from 1898. In 1902 Forfarshire were the first winners of the Scottish County Championship and won it 14 times overall before it ended in with the establishment of the SNCL.. They are the current holders of the Scottish Cup, having won it 4 times, and the National T20. Forthill is one of Scotland’s premier cricket grounds, and has hosted a number of significant matches. Most notably in 1980 the touring West Indies played two 50-over matches there against Scotland, skippered by Carlton’s Richard Swan. With thanks to Dick Auchinleck for additional information.

Carlton and Forfarshire have played regularly since the 1880s. Contemporary press reports regularly say that the fixture was one of the most attractive in the calendar outside the county fixtures. The sides appear to have been well matched and the early history of the fixture shows a draw was a frequent outcome. The first encounter was in 1883, shortly after Forfarshire’s founding, which ended in a victory at Forthill to Carlton by one run. Carlton enjoyed victory by 8 wickets in 1920 - having reached Forfarshire’s total of 97 Carlton batted to score another 94 before close - CS Paterson hitting it out of the ground three times. In 1930 a draw was played out, the match notable for the fact that the Carlton XI contained no fewer than 6 qualified doctors. NL Stevenson also records an undated encounter with Forfarshire at Grange Loan in which, always the aggressive skipper, he declined to retire to the pavilion in the pouring rain as ‘we were getting out opponents out’. Forfarshire were dismissed for a sodden 34. As is often the way, the sun then shone as Carlton batted and easily overtook the required total. Since 1950, when there is a more complete record, Carlton and Forfarshire have met on 45 occasions, with Forfarshire winning 23 and Carlton 19. Carlton’s highest total in the fixture was in the SNCL match at Grange Loan in 2014 when 118 by Hamish Gardner powered them to 272-9. Omar Ahmad then took 7-20 to dismiss the visitors for 113. (photo bottom right) By contrast in 1951 Carlton could only muster 61-8 off 34 overs at GL. Things barely improved in 1952 when they amassed 63-6 off 43 overs to lose heavily again. In their 2019 Scottish Cup Tie Carlton dismissed Forfarshire for 45 with Adeel Raza returning the remarkable figures of 3.1-1-4-5. That poor showing was a blip in Forfarshire’s 2019 season. They easily beat Carlton in both league encounters and went on to win not only the Eastern Premiership title, but also the Scottish Championship. Forfarshire’s skipper that season was none other than Umair Mohammed, who will lead Carlton out in this Sunday’s T20 Final. Carlton v Forfarshire Raza bowling at the ECL 2022

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the privilege to not only represent two fantastic clubs in Scotland, but to have had the chance and honour to captain them as well. Both Carlton and Forfarshire have their similarities which makes the relationship that I have with them and it’s members so special. A strong emphasis on the development of their youth players and frequently blooding home grown local players in to the first XI on a yearly basis is a true testament to the coaches and hierarchy running the club. UMI! Carlton’s T20 Skipper Umair Mohammed began his cricket career with Forfarshire as a 6 year old. Apart from a season at Grange Loan in 2012 and some time in Australia, he played for the Forthill club until 2021 when he was welcomed back to Carlton. No stranger to silverware at either club, Umi skippered Forfarshire in their championship winning season of 2019. Umi has played against Carlton many times - his best performance was in 2018 at Forthill when he took 4-15 helping reduce Carlton to 101ao. Success isn’t only measured on winning titles, championships and cups, of which both clubs have a very impressive recent past, but on the sheer number of individuals and volunteers who give up their free time to help grow the game and this can be seen with the number of children attending the training sessions and cricket camps. The desire to win has never changed and regardless of who Carlton play now, even if it is Forfarshire, I always want to be on the winning team. And the fact that both clubs are yet again in another national T20 final is exciting. Batting for Forfarshire at GL 2015 Below left -Umi celebrates Forfs 2019 championship and right Carlton’s 2021 T20 victory.

The clubs have met in the National T20 Final on two previous occasions, with Carlton victorious both times. In 2010 at Shawholm, under the captaincy of Fraser Watts, Carlton batted and put 152 on the board with Blake Dean, that year’s Aussie amateur (back row left in the photo below), contributing 52 off 35 balls well supported by Gordon Drummond’s 37*. Forfarshire’s challenge was scuppered by an excellent spell of bowling by Ross Lyons (front row right) whose 4 overs yielded 3 wickets for 15 runs. Umair Mohammed was 33* when the Forfarshire innings which finished on 129 leaving Carlton the victors by 23 runs. The sides met again the the 2021 final at Arbroath. Forfarshire batted first and, in a tight bowling performance, Carlton dismissed them for 103 with Angus Beattie 4-15 and Ali Evans 3-5 spearheading the damage. Carlton’s response stuttered a bit, but a partnership between Ali Shah and Shujaa Khan made steady progress and Fraser Burnett was able to stroke the winning runs in the 19th over giving Carlton victory by 7 wickets. Carlton and Forfarshire - T20 Specialists Carlton and Forfarshire have been the dominant forces in the National T20 competition since its inception in 2008. Carlton have won it 5 times and have been runner-up once. Forfarshire have 3 victories and have been beaten finalists twice.

Umair Mohammad is not the only player to have played for both Carlton and Forfarshire. Will Hardie has also done so - see next page. But much earlier in history of either club, the Australian Rev H F T Heath (Harry) - who has featured in the Arrow previously - played at Forfarshire before taking up a Church charge in Edinburgh and coming to Carlton. He had a glittering career at Grange Loan. He was Carlton’s best bat and bowler in 1927, best bowler in 1928 and 1934, and captain in 1929. Heath had played first class cricket in Australia prior to the First World War in which he served as a Chaplain. He married a Scottish girl and they returned down under but after a couple of years down under, came back to Scotland where they stayed. Playing for Forfarshire against Carlton in 1924, Heath scored 60 out of the home side’s paltry 92, the press reporter commenting that the ‘sprightly innings of Rev Mr H Heath was the solitary redeeming feature of the home batting display.’ Carlton’s Alex Walker took 8-52. The reporter also noted that there was some displeasure in the crowd as Carlton crawled towards the total. Walker became object of the crowd’s scorn with a mere 8 singles to his name after an hour at the crease. The reporter concluded, ‘It was a game with little exhilaration about it. It will only be remembered for the clergyman’s innings’. Heath was also an excellent left arm slow-medium bowler. He took 5 for 43 against New South Wales for S Australia 1923. He topped Forfarshire's bowling averages in 1925 and in 1928 playing for Carlton at Forthill he took 5-21 (off 22 overs!), albeit in a losing cause. Another significant player with Forfarshire connections was wicket keeper batter J W Sorrie (below) who hailed from Brechin and played occasionally for the County. He came to Carlton in 1908 and won Best Batter on no fewer than 5 times between 1912 and 1924. He was capped 12 times for Scotland. In 1913 he played at Forthill for Scotland against Northamptonshire. His top score for Scotland was 61 against Surrey at the Oval also in 1913. Earlier that year he had scored 182 for Carlton against Cartha. CARLTON AND FORFARSHIRE - PLAYERS

WHERE THERE’S A WILL… Will Hardie came to Carlton from Forfarshire in 2019... My first experiences of cricket were in the garden just outside St Andrews were we first lived as a family. Being taught the basics of the game by Dad and playing for hours on end in garden test matches before eventually joining my first club Largo CC at the age of 7. After moving north across the water as a family to just outside Dundee in late 2007, I played for both Rossie Priory CC and DHSFPs CC and then Forfarshire. This was the time in which I first started to play junior representative cricket for Tayside and Fife and getting put forward for Scotland trials. The Scotland u15s side of 2014 was a particularly memorable one. We won our group (8/9 victories), then beat Oxfordshire in the semi final and Gloucestershire in the final. Being the cricket badger I am now, I remember driving Matt Potts over mid on for four against Durham U15s. How different our cricketing paths have been since. The next highlight of my cricketing journey in Scotland colours is the experience of playing u19s cricket at a qualifying tournament in Jersey having previously also toured Guernsey which was a truly amazing experience. Another notable experience was the first time I ever set foot in a Test match ground. Lords 2010, Pakistan vs Australia. It was Shahid Afridi’s last test and, unsurprisingly and to the crowd’s delight, he provided some swashbuckling entertainment giving it the ‘long handle’ and depositing a few into the stands. The most recent addition to my cricketing journey was a trip down under to the end of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and a town called Portland. I lived and worked on a nearby sheep farm which was a truly amazing experience. Cricket with Portland Tigers CC (photo below) was a great experience as well. Thankfully I went pretty well on the field managing to pick up the player of the year award at the league dinner.* The climate, lifestyle, work-life balance and true love for sport made it a very comfortable place to live for 6 months and I couldn’t recommend it enough to anyone considering it. Since then I have had the privilege of playing at Grange Loan for the mighty Arrows - a truly special community that is so much more than a cricket club! WILL HARDIE IS SPONSORED BY *In 10 matches Will scored 344 runs @ 43 and took 15 wkts @ 9.8

On a blustery day at Meigle in what passed for summer this year, some demons hid under a green strip. The coin toss was won by the captain, who confounded all by electing to bat. As the wind howled, the openers faced an onslaught of deliveries that spat off a testing length. While the captain was still looking for reasons to justify his decision, one of the openers took a firm stance, signaling his readiness to battle. While companions returned to the pavilion one after another, this resilient lad stood his ground, notching up an invaluable century. When the second innings arrived, this man was asked: "How about taking the new ball?" "Yeah, sure!" came the swift reply. The wind's howl grew stronger, rendering communication even just across the pitch nearly impossible. Yet, undeterred, this lad strode purposefully into the gale, giving his side a quiet five overs in the powerplay. This was Shujaa Khan – a gift for Carlton that kept giving. Opening the batting was his forte, but he was equally adept in the middle order. With the ball, he commanded the run flow during the middle overs, even embracing the task of bowling at the death. He would also take up the new ball if required. Positioned in the slips or patrolling the boundary in high-traffic areas during the latter stages of the innings, his versatility made him an automatic choice, a name definitely first on the team sheet. It also made sense to have a Doctor by your side. Our discussions ranged from cricket to life itself, even a shared interest in South Asian music prompted exchanges. And if there was one skill beyond Shujaa Khan's reach, it was singing! But back to cricket and other elements of life, I can confidently speak for every team member when I say he exuded an aura of tranquility and reassurance – a calmness that we'd readily embrace if life brought him back across the pond to Scotland, and home to Grange Loan. FAREWELL SHUJAA Carlton is sorry to say goodbye to Shujaa Khan - off to work in the USA. In the 5 seasons Shujaa has been with Carlton he has made an outstanding all-round contribution to the club’s success. We will miss him as a player and a friend. Arun Pillai pays a special tribute to a special player.

After my family and I moved to Edinburgh, I joined Carlton half-way through 2019. Having been warmly welcomed by all I played my first game for the 2XI against Morton at GL. It was an eye-opening introduction to cricket in the East with one of the Morton players spitting at us and consequently being told to leave the pitch! My debut for the 1st XI was an away trip to Stoneywood Dyce which was cut short due to lightning – we then had to wait 2 hours before starting our journey back because the bus driver hadn’t been on a long enough break yet! A few highlights that come to mind are the National T20 win in 2021 and consequently the fantastic trip to Spain for ECL 2022. My first century for the club was a special moment made all the more sweet by sharing a record partnership with Simmo and seeing him get his maiden hundred as well! Finally, winning the Masterton again this year and taking a double hat-trick and 6 wickets was something I will never forget – good luck to the boys in the National final I will be watching and supporting! My time at Carlton has been more than just cricket though having met some amazing people and making great friends along the way. I will miss sitting on the GL grass and sharing a drink with the boys after every game. As I will be moving to Cleveland to take up a job at the Cleveland Clinic, I am not sure what my cricketing future holds, but I will always be thankful to everyone at Carlton and even more thankful to CS Live which will allow me to stay close to the club from afar. Shujaa Khan played 50 First XI matches scoring 1508 runs, averaging 32.78 with 3 centuries. He took 25 wickets at 26.4. He also played in 17 T20 matches scoring 189 runs and taking 19 wickets. He meant a lot to Carlton - he summarises what Carlton has meant to him.

JUNIOR NEWS Georgie Jennifer Aitken-Drummond came to the crease on 11 August 2023. Many congratulations to Annette and Abbi. Carlton is pleased to congratulate Dewald Nel on becoming the oldest player to make his debut in the First XI. Dewald answered an emergency call to play against Forfarshire at Grange Loan on 26 August. Dewald rolled back the years with a sprightly opening spell capturing two early wickets, putting Carlton in a favourable position. Unfortunately Forfarshire fought back strongly and secured victory by 8 wickets. His last senior appearance was for Watsonians against Carlton in the 2017 Cup Final at Forthill. SENIOR NEWS

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH JULY CONGRATULATIONS TO SHUJAA KHAN AND SHREYAS TEKELE Sponsored by Jump Ship Brewing MCC No fewer than six Carlton members were selected for the MCC team(below) which played against Largo CC in a special challenge match to celebrate the East Neuk team’s 40th Anniversary. It was a great day for Angus Beattie in particular whose 55 and 5-29 helped the select to a convincing win. After many years faithful service the oldest pads at Carlton have finally been put into well earned retirement. Zaki Yusaf was seen sporting the pristine white set of leg guards above. And they seem to work, in their first outing at Grange Loan they helped Zaki to score a stylish 65 and secure a much needed victory for the 3rd XI. PADS NEWS

Carlton’s annual end of season dinner has taken different forms in recent years, with this year’s offerings by Haldi Restaurant greatly enjoyed. Prior generations of Carlton members not only had a more formal approach to such events seem to have had larger appetites and greater stamina. Here is the bill of fare and the programme for the club’s annual dinner in 1880. Six courses followed by cheese and dessert! And then a series of speeches and toasts, including a musical interlude. DINNER TIME

It is recorded that at the 1880 occasion ‘over twenty gentlemen sat down at table’ and ‘the musical portion of the evening both vocal and instrumental was well rendered.’ Finally, ‘The company broke up at 11.30pm in good form - a most enjoyable evening having been spent.’ (Those wondering whether the identification of a croupier meant that the evening descended into an orgy of gambling need not worry - historically a croupier meant ‘the assistant chairman at a public dinner, seated at the lower end of the table. Mr Dunn was club captain that season.) In subsequent years, the Annual Dinner grew in size and prestige and was an object of interest to the media of the day. For example, in 1926 the Scotsman (right) reported that 70 members and guests attended in the North British (now Balmoral) Hotel. The menu is lost to the mists of time, but the newspaper records at length how the company enjoyed a full programme of speeches, including exhortations to assist recruitment to the Territorial Army, a celebration of Canada as a ‘daughter of the Empire’, commendations to Carlton’s continuing success on the field and its upholding of the spirit of the game, a history of how Carlton came to possess its own ground, and an extended comparison between cricket and golf as sports and tutelage for life. There were regular interruptions for applause. The reporter does not record when proceedings finished or the state of the company when that point was finally reached.

SILVERWARE ELUDES CARLTON Following a pulsating series which continued through the summer, a last over victory for Stew Mel Trojans saw them victorious over Carlton 5 in the newly inaugurated Higgins Cup. Well played all! DETAILS OF THE SENIOR PRIZEGIVING WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE The next issue of The Arrow will review of all the thrills and spills, disappointments and triumphs of the 2023 season. On news stands shortly.