Issue 61

CARLTON CC HONOURS BOARD - SEASON 2023 Batting First XI Dan Da Costa 125* v RHC 19 Aug 114 v Grange 4 June 148 v Stew-Mel 27 May 100 v Meigle 29 April Shujaa Khan 103 v Meigle 1 July Ruairidh Main 112 v Stew-Mel 27 May Women’s XI Ciara Gibson 120* v RHC 11 June Fifth XI Ian Hathorn 117 v Holy Cross 2 24 June 105 v Marchmont 3 3 June Bowling First XI Shujaa Khan 6-12 v RHC 19 July Arun Pillai 5-34 v RHC 17 June Second XI Rudy Adair 7-27 v Linlithgow 24 June Armaan Bedi 5-17 v Linlithgow 26 Aug 5-13 v Heriot’s 8 July Chayank Gosain 5-37 v Morton 27 May Fourth XI Shreyas Tekale 7-27 v Bass Rock 5 Aug 6-21 v Melrose 1 July Hamish Foley 5-13 v LeithFAB2 8 July Fifth XI Shreyas Tekale 6-29 v ClackCo2 9 July

Carlton and Scotland Congratulations to the following Carlton players who were selected to play for Scotland this season Sam Haggo, Priyanaz Chatterji Maisie Maceira, Gabriella Fontenla, Zaara Dancu Ruaridh McIntyre Rudy Adair Ben Stronach Oli Stones, Fergus Foley Maisie Maceira - Captain Scotland u17s In August I had the privilege to captain Scotland U17’s in our Tri-Series at Dumfries against Ireland and Netherlands. We ended up victorious after achieving two wins against Netherlands and one against Ireland. Becoming captain wasn’t as challenging as I thought due to the encouragement and support I received from my teammates and coaches. One aspect of the series that challenged me most was being captain while also balancing my role as an opening bowler. This meant that I had to not only think about my own field positions for my bowling, but I also needed to keep a close eye on my teammates to ensure that they knew their own fields and bowling attack. Within every game I had to make multiple quick decisions regarding field placements and bowling changes but also doing this while making sure that the team remained loud and encouraging in the outfield. There were many techniques I took on board from the large variety of captains I’ve had throughout playing cricket but one main aspect of captaining I made sure to stick with was to always listen to what my teammates had to say, whether it was something about their own bowling or if it was something concerning any other part of the game. Overall, I feel like I had a very positive experience and would be more than happy to continue this role in the team as it also allows me to learn a lot more about the game. Photo: Maisie with Carlton and Scotland teammates Zaara Dancu and Gabriella Fontenla

Another season done with some great highs and a couple of lows! The senior sides saw an influx of new players across the teams including overseas (and over the border!) player coach signings of Dan, Finlay and Lewis. The good news is that we hope to have all three back next season to play and coach again. It was fantastic to win some silverware including the Masterton Trophy, Women’s Premier League, the U16 Scottish Cup and of course the U15 ECB Cup! A huge thanks to the senior and women’s captains for all their work; Arun, Umair, Sam, Sarah, Ben, Brad, Alan, Keith, John/Bob. It is not easy running so many teams when some weeks over 60 players are unavailable!! Thank you for your patience and perseverance in getting teams out on the weekend! Unavailability was a huge contributing factor to our first experience of relegation in a while, however, we will learn from this and I am confident that we will bounce back stronger next year. Thanks to Alasdair and Russell for their hard work on the ground and of course to Dewald our Senior and Women’s head coach. This year saw the completion of new artificial surfaces for training; we have had some teething issues with these which I hope to be able to rectify for next season. As always, we will debrief the season as a whole and look for areas we can improve across the whole club; any ideas and help from members will be very welcome! Stevie Looks Out Over the Season

Players of the Month: Congratulations to this season’s winners: April - Dan Da Costa May - Raul Khadse; Tom Hathorn June - Iain Hathorn July - Shujaa Khan; Shreyas Tekale Aug - To be awarded at Senior Prizegiving,16 December Many thanks to Jump Ship Brewing for sponsoring the Player of the Month I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year as men’s and women’s head coach. There were some challenges for all to deal with, however everyone pulled together and produced some fantastic results. The commitment and dedication that all the players have shown this season is incredible. (And let’s not forget all those who work so hard to make things happen for matches to take place, training sessions to be enjoyed and events to be attended.) Obvious highlights would be the men’s team getting to the final of the T20 competition, the women winning their league and the u15’s winning the ECB cup. But we should not hide from some of the disappointments and weaknesses we have seen. So we can look forward to next year (and the years after that) with confidence. Improvement is always required if we want to stay as one of the top clubs. I hope everyone rests well over the winter, coming back strong and ready for 2024! WHAT A YEAR! HEAD COACH DEWALD NEL ENJOYED THE SEASON

DAN THE MAN While we look forward to welcoming Dan Da Costa back to Grange Loan next year, he summarises his first season in Scotland. My first season at Carlton has been a very special one. This was my first experience playing as an overseas and I’m grateful that I got to experience that at a club like Carlton. Carlton welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home right from the get go. I’ve had the privilege of being able to form great relationships and be part of a great club. Some of my highlights were being a part of the winning side in a few games that without a doubt looked like we were going to lose. The fighting spirit and will-to-win that the team showed will definitely hold the club in a good place going forward. Some other highlights were winning the Masterton trophy, unfortunately we couldn’t get over the line in the final of the Scottish T20 Cup but, none-the-less, getting to that final was a great achievement from the boys. Some personal highlights were being able to put out some great individual performances over the course of the season that helped put the team in a good position to win. Hopefully, I can do much of the same come next season. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to come back and play for Carlton next year and I look forward to an even more successful season! A big thank you to Carlton Cricket Club and all the individuals involved for the opportunity and for looking after me so well! I will be based in Edinburgh over the winter and will be pursuing some of my work related goals. I am an exercise physiologist and sports massage therapist and will be offering those services. My number is +44 7388 424138 for anyone who may be interested! Dan is sponsored by The Free Company

1st XI National T20 Runners-Up Masterton Champions Eastern Premier League 4th D Da Costa 820 runs @43.16 S Khan 304 runs @30.4 A Pillai 299 runs @18.69 R Main 288 runs @18.0 A Pillai 25 wkts @15.0 R Allardice 24 wkts @17.71 R McIntyre 22 wkts @16.64 L O’Donnell 20 wkts @25.65

1st XI Rory Allardice kicked off the season for the Arrows in spectacular fashion, hitting the bull's-eye with a direct hit run-out in the very first match - a first sign of the excellence in his fielding throughout the season. Ruaridh McIntyre's opening spell against Stoneywood Dyce set the stage perfectly for an outstanding hat-trick from Alasdair Evans, rescuing us when we could only manage a score of 97. Rudy Adair finished things off in style. Speaking of hat-tricks, let's not forget Shujaa Khan's phenomenal performance in the Masterton T20 final, a true showstopper who along with our "Finals" boy Ali Shah and Hugo Southwell secured our ticket to the National Finals day. Shujaa's brilliantly crafted century on a challenging pitch at Meigle was a standout as well. On the same day, Ru Main showcased his remarkable boundary-catching skills, making a jaw-dropping grab on the ropes, and that wasn't the only time in the season he showed his prowess on the boundary. Staying with boundary catching - only Ali Evans could have got a hand to one on the fence in the T20 against Edinburgh CC. And then there's Dan Da Costa, who, thanks to Tom's bad shoulder, collected boundary catches like he was collecting leg-side stumpings, but his quartet of centuries this season deserves a moment of reflection. However, it is hard to beat a maiden hundred, moreso when it took quite a few ducks to get there - I am sure we will see plenty more from Ru Main in the years ahead. Looking ahead, I hope we continue to have the privilege of seeing Umair Mohammed on the field for Carlton, whose bowling so nearly led us to victory on the T20 National Finals day. However, surprises may still be in store, considering the return of a few seasoned players like Charles Stronach, Stevie Gilmour, Hugo Southwell (for the cup games) and Dewald Nel. Dewald Nel made a memorable debut for the Arrows, adding to the list of new faces this season - Finlay Thornton, Dan Da Costa, Rudy Adair, Lewis O'Donnell, David Saul, and Charles Buchanan-Smith. Despite grappling with a growing list of injuries throughout the season, and few bizarre ones, the team demonstrated remarkable resilience. The Arrows at numerous times during the season had their back against the wall - away games against Stoneywood, Falkland and Meigle, as well as at home against StewMel, RHC and Heriot's. Through it all, the Arrows fought back and found a way. Now, it's time to retire the bows for a while, resting until we're ready to "Nock, Draw, and Loose" again next season! AP D Da Costa Ru Main Club record partnership 266 vStewMel 27 May 2023

WOMEN’S XI WPL Champions S Haggo 216 runs @216 C Gibson 206 runs @68.67 C Scott 153 runs @51.00 M Maceira 7 wkts@15.29 C Scott 4 wkts@16.5 P Chatterji 3 wkts@15.00 S Haggo 3 wkts@17 G Fontenla 3 wkts@21.33 It's been another memorable season for Carlton Women's 1st XI, adding another WPL title to our roster. Whilst we were disappointed to miss out on the Scottish Cup at the first hurdle, it was a season which has shown real promise, talent and potential. Our top order dominated throughout the season with several 50+ innings, and one unbeaten 100 for our overseas recruit Ciara Gibson. Our young Scotland pace bowling attack of Maisie Maceira and Gabby Fontenla have shown real fire this year and I am incredibly excited about them bowling in tandem once again next season, with a winter of skills work under their belts. Whilst we have had significant individual performances this year, our success is testament to the work of the whole team and wider squad who drive the standards high. As a captain, it’s really nice to be able to turn to anyone in the side to do a job, and potentially win a match from any given point through a speccy catch, a tight over or a flurry of boundaries. Performances aside, it's the camaraderie and team spirit that makes playing for Carlton so special. We couldn't play without the support from our volunteer scorers, cake bakers, taxi drivers and supporters. It really does take a village. I feel like a broken record asking for help to score every week, and I am immensely grateful for everyone who has helped us out this year. Thank you. We look forward to winter nets and putting the work in on our skills so we can hit the ground running next season. I may always say it, but the future is bright, and we welcome the challenge from other teams who have really driven the standards in Scottish women's cricket higher. SH

ESCA Championship - 9th P14 W6 L8 C Kentish 201 runs @16.75 D Potter 122 runs @24.4 B D’Ulisse 84 runs @ 9.33 A Bedi 25 wkts @ 14.32 C Stronach 16 wkts @18 C Gosain 13 wkts @11.46 M D’Ulisse 13 wkts @ 14.38 2nd XI In the end it was too little too late, a convincing last day of the season win at Linlithgow could not prevent the 2s sliding out of the Championship and they will play Division 1 cricket next season. A disappointing outcome to a season that had started well and saw us well placed at the halfway point with 4 wins and 3 losses. However the second half of the season cruelly exposed our batting weaknesses as a series of low scores prevented us accumulating valuable bonus points even in defeat. Only one batter got a half century in the entire season - Charlie Kentish’s 60 in our home victory against Linlithgow. Our lowest total was 44 ao - and even then we nearly won with Dunnikier only squeezing home by 1 wicket (unfortunately that wicket, had we snaffled it, could have secured our league place). But there were many highlights: Rudy Adair’s magnificent 7-27 against Linlithgow; Armaan Bedi’s devastating spell at Goldenacre when he opened with 4 wicket maidens. Armaan had two 5-fers and was our leading wicket taker. We shall miss him next year; Harry Simpson’s hat-trick against Morton; our rearguard action against Edinburgh where we conjured a narrow 6 run victory - Jamie Beattie taking the off stump out of the ground (photo above). It was so good to see Jamie back in action after a couple of tough years for him. Injuries did not help the cause, nor did inconsistent availability. I know that these are issues across other teams as well, but it meant that across the season 32 players played for the 2s - and only 6 played 10 games or more. I hope Mo Nauman makes a full recovery and returns to help us demolish attacks in Division 1. Many thanks to Charles for deputising as skipper on the frequent occasions when I was called up to the Firsts. And thanks to Alasdair and Russell for the consistently excellent pitches - we are sorry we rarely did them justice. BD’U

P16 W11 L4 T1 12 players made debuts: Libby, Elsie, Emily F, Abby, Sonja M, Bridget, Krithi, Niamh, Isobel, Emily W, Lindsay and, Maddy. We also welcomed back to Carlton Christina, Caitlin and Charlotte. Holly got 11 wickets Sonia and Ajitha both got 7. Three 50’s were scored - Janie 50* ( v Watsonians) Christina 51 (intra training game) Sarah 52* (challenger league v RHC) Women’s 2nd XI Holly’s boundary catch of Emily Tucker to win v Watsonians Caitlin’s heroic effort v RHC when they fielded to save the boundary but she ran 3 to get a tie Playing to the sound of monkeys and parrots at East Kilbride The youngsters getting the job done v Perth as Captain and Vice Captain both got out for ducks….Sonia and Libby getting the winning runs getting needing 2 off the last ball to win 2 sets of Mums playing with their daughter (Krithi and Bridget), 3 sets of Dads playing with daughter (Keira, Abby and Holly) Watching the young girls grow in confidence and ability and attitude Regularly having more than 11 players wanting to play Libby’s 1 handed diving catch when wicket keeping v Stew Mel. Sonia’s backing up - she gets runs where they don’t exist Ajitha’s fiery wotsits - improved the team’s performance! Mums/Dads/players end of season intra game Sam Haggo comments - A highlight for me was Sarah Beith’s maiden 50 - a real reward for all her hard work! A Season of Highlights

ESCA Div 2 - 8th P17 W7 L10 3rd XI P Kentish 220 runs @20 Z Yusaf 156 runs @31.2 B Thurman 147 runs @18.38 A Amin 146 runs @20.86 B McKay 17 wkts @17.53 K Burgess 15 wkts @24.33 S Smith 13 wkts @23.54 D Firth 11 wkts @20.18 The Carlton 3rd XI finished eighth in ESCA Division 2 with seven wins and ten losses from 17 matches. After seventeen weeks in the bottom two, the great escape was achieved with a nine wicket win away to RHC on the last day! By and large, it was a tough season, especially after losing the first seven games against notably stronger opposition who all had strong bowling line-ups. However, confidence grew with some improved performances which gave a belief that we could survive in this division. The season’s highlight is maintaining our place in Division 2 and maintaining our place as the best third team in the East (and maybe the world). Doing the double over Westquarter and RHC were highlights as was our amazing two run win at Kelso. However, the real highlight of the season is spending our Saturdays together as a group, how the mixture of young and not so young combine both on and off the field and seeing players develop. Plus our teas were very much sought after! Thirty-five players played 3’s this year and while not everyone can be mentioned, we’ve seen strong performances from the three Foleys, the development of Shaun and Dougie into leading bowlers and James as a quality batter and keeper. Also, in a year of dubious availability across the club, Kyle played every match and his reliability and enthusiasm made him a key part of the success we eventually achieved. We took a few heavy beatings and batting was generally an issue so we were reliant on old hands like Zaki, Ben and Paul to score runs. However, new boy Cameron hit runs to win two games and Euan’s back-to-the-wall innings to beat Edinburgh were also highlights. Thanks to all who played their part this year and let’s look forward to 2024. BMcK

4th XI ESCA Div 4 - 10th P15 W2 L 13 The 2023 season was a bit of a struggle for the 4s. We were generally competitive with the ball with Shreyas Tekale (20 wickets), Robbie Murray (14) and Hamish Foley (14) leading the way. Stu Dawson & Dan Mowat also made it into double figures for wickets. Shreyas in particular was a revelation with the ball. 13 of his wickets came in 2 games – a 6-for away at Melrose and 7 for 27 at Bass Rock, including a hat-trick! Hamish Foley was the only other bowler to take a 5-for with 5 for 13 at Peffermill against Leith FAB. Batting was an altogether more difficult proposition. The low point was being bowled out for 33 on the Meadows by Morton and we only posted three figure totals in 8 games and scored more than 150 in 2. There were just 2 half centuries, one each for me & Paul Kentish, however new member Chris Sale was a consistent source of runs. There were also good cameos from Hamish Foley (40 away at Dunbar), Benji Risi (30 v Bass Rock) and Sam Haggo (30* at home against Dunbar) as well as a quick-fire 34 from Dougie Firth to beat league winners RHC. Over the season 47 players turned out for the 4s with only 5 making 10 or more appearances. Hopefully next season we can back up our consistency with the ball with a bit more consistency of selection and some success with the bat. AM S Tekale 20 wkts @6.9 R Murray 14 wkts @11 H Foley 14 wkts @11 S Dawson 11 wkts @16 D Mowat 10 wkts @28 A Murray 207 runs @14.79 C Sale 139 runs @23.17 S Tekale 109 runs @9.91

ESCA Div 7 - 5th P 17 W9 T1 L7 5th XI I Hathorn 322 runs @53.67 T Hathorn 290 runs @ 36.25 K Murray 197 runs @ 16.42 R Khadse 23 wkts @13.43 J Gill 10 wkts @20.7 A Khadse 10wkts @22.3 The 5s have had another very busy season. We played all 18 league matches, for the second season running, albeit we couldn’t complete one of the games. We were top of a very competitive Division 7 at the half-way point, but fell back in a challenging second half of the season to finish a respectable fifth, with a record of 9 wins, one tie, and 7 losses. We had 10 juniors making league debuts, who all made fine contributions. Outside Iain’s two centuries, the two particular highlights of the season involved juniors: Josh Cully’s brilliant 36* to earn us a nail biting tie against league winners Clackmannanshire, and fifties from Benji Risi and Tom Hathorn, ably supported by Tom Dweck, to chase down 143 at Bass Rock. We also played 3 pre-season games and 17 midweek games, which gave opportunities to our large squad of players in addition to the league matches, narrowly losing out to Stew Mel in the last over of the fifth and final match in the keenly contested Higgins Cup. Many thanks to Alasdair and Russell for the games we have had at GL, Euan, John, Joe, Iain & Marc who have helped skipper our numerous games, and to all the players and parents who have played and supported the 5s this year. KM

Hamish’s Highlights You might have thought his trip to Lord’ would eclipse everything but Hamish Foley noted some other highlights this season Over 50s XI Mixed Development XI Good fun was had by the Over 50s XI in tussles with Watsonians and Grange. Honours ended even with one win apiece with each opponent. Highlights were Rob Thornton (guesting as an under-age ringer against Grange) smashing it out of the park at Portgower Place (below rt) and the skipper’s 3 wicket spell to finish off the challenge of Watsonians at Grange Loan. Many thanks to Keith Murray for organising these matches. Changes in ESCA’s approach to the Development League meant that there were fewer matches for the Mixed Development XI than in previous seasons. However there was much to enjoy in the matches that did take place. A record was set when Father, Mother and Son all appeared against Stew-Mel - Kartic, Ajitha and Atreya Subr. (Unfortunately there was no photo of this important event. Next year the ambition is for the whole family to turn out when Krithi, who has played with Mum in the Women’s 2nd XI might also play. Looking younger every day……. ‘One of them has got to be Al Murray walking out to bat for the 4s against Leith FAB with no pads on! This was hilarious and he had to quickly run back in to get changed. ‘Also for the 3s we were playing at Peffermill (cannot remember who against) and Kyle Burgess took a wicket and ran down the side of the square and did a celebratory Knee-Slide and ended up getting cramp from this and was lying on the floor trying to stretch it out whilst we were having a team talk! Also Hilarious!’

Centuries Dan Da Costa hit 4 centuries. This is the most ever hit by a Carlton player in a single season. 5 players have previously hit 3 in a season - Cedric English in 2001, 2010 and 2011; Ben O’Connell in 2006, Peter Wooden in 2008, Gordon Drummond in 2011, Fraser Watts in 2014. English is Carlton’s top century maker with 18. Six Centuries were scored by members of the First XI. This has been achieved once before in 2008. However in 2011, 8 centuries were scored. No centuries were scored in the Second XI for the first time since 2014. While centuries were also rare in many previous seasons, 2010 was an exceptional year for the Seconds - 6 separate players scored centuries. Ian Hathorn hit two centuries for the 5th XI, the first time this has been done and the first time a player outside the First XI has hit more than one century since 2011, when Aravind Srinivasan did it for the Seconds. Sixes Dan Da Costa’s 24 sixes equals Cedric English’s record tally in 2006. Fin Thornton had cleared the ropes 7 times before he sustained a season ending injury (ironically hitting a big 6 at Campbell Park). In his 6 innings for the club prior to that 29% of his runs had come from maximums. Partnership Dan Da Costa and Ruairidh Main set a new club record partnership of 266, at Grange Loan v StewMel. Hat Tricks Four hat tricks were taken by Carlton’s bowlers, including one double hat trick: Ali Evans v Stoneywood Dyce 20 May Shujaa Khan v RHC Masterton Trophy Final 19 July (double hat trick) Harry Simpson Carlton 2 v Morton 29 July Shreyas Tekale Carlton 4 v Bass Rock 5 August 5-fers Armaan Bedi took 5 wickets on two occasions for the Second XI. The last player to do similarly was Mikey Brown in 2018. Shreyas Tekale took 5 wickets on three occasions, but for separate teams - the Fourth and Fifth XIs - this is the first time this has been achieved. The last First XI player to take more than one 5-fer in a season was Alan McLeod who took 3 in 1997. The most 5-fers in a season is 5, taken by George Innes in 1988. Innes leads the overall table of 5-fers with 23, all for the First XI. Close behind is Dave Carter with 21 - 14 for the Second XI and 7 for the Thirds. Maisie Maceira leads the Women on 5-fers. Stumpings Dan Da Costa had 14 stumpings in the season although he played half the season as an outfielder. The record number of stumpings in a full season is 15 by Jamie Kerr in 2000.

As I began my arduous 30+ hour journey from Melbourne to the UK, a mixture of excitement and anxiousness filled my body as I was unsure what to expect from my cricketing journey in Scotland. From the outset, however, my experience has been better than I could have ever imagined, filled with memories, friendships, and of course some cricket (whenever the weather permitted). Coming from the bouncy, fast wickets that I was so accustomed to playing on in Australia, it became apparent after my first innings (which lasted three balls) that I was going to have to learn to adapt to the typical low and slow pitches that are found in Scotland, as well as to the increased swing that the different ball produces. Having the opportunity to play in such a different environment was definitely enjoyable, as it created an extra challenge for which I needed to overcome. From a cultural perspective, Carlton Cricket Club has a community feeling that I have yet to experience in any club back home in Melbourne. I remember back to the nerves I was feeling before my first training session, which were quickly eased as I was made to feel at home by all I met. From then on, I’ve been able to cultivate friendships that I’m sure will last a lifetime, and I will be forever grateful for how comfortable everyone at Carlton made me feel from the outset. From a cricketing perspective, I was lucky enough to play the majority of the season in the 2nd XI, and whilst our end result wasn’t what we desired, there were definitely some memorable moments throughout the season. ARMAAN BEDI A Season to Remember As I was looking through some of the scores from the 2022 season, I immediately noticed that teams won with totals that were significantly lower than what would be thought to be a winning score back home, and it quickly became evident that this was due to the more bowler friendly conditions that are found in Edinburgh. /over

/cont’d This idea was reinforced with my introduction to Scottish cricket when we turned up to Dunnikier for my first game, and the pitch was the same colour as the outfield! Another memory is when we almost won the unwinnable game at home against Dunnikier, where we were bowled out for 44, and they only managed to chase it 9 wickets down.Our game against Edinburgh CC was also special; despite being 41/5, we were able to post a total of 162, eventually winning in a thriller by 6 runs. From a personal perspective, being able to take 5 wickets in a match twice during the season was pretty exciting, especially the 5 I took at Goldenacre against Heriot’s, as I know they are a big rival of Carlton’s. Playing on trickier batting pitches which provide sideways movement with a ball that swings was definitely refreshing for me as a bowler, and this is definitely something I will miss when I go back to the flat wickets in Melbourne that are known as a ‘batsman’s paradise.’ As a whole, living in Edinburgh for around four months has allowed me to realise how different it is to back home. The first thing I noticed is that the geographical size of Edinburgh is much smaller than that of Melbourne, and being able to walk everywhere is something I was certainly not used to. The vibrant nature of the city during the Fringe Festival was also something I enjoyed, as well as the lively nightlife. 9-5-13-5 V Heriot’s 8 July Its rich history and more ancient architecture is also a big contrast to what is found in Melbourne, as well as the picturesque views of mountains anywhere you go. My time in Edinburgh has certainly been unforgettable, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had at Carlton Cricket Club. I appreciate everyone who made me feel so welcome and comfortable throughout my few months in Edinburgh, and I hope to come back in the near future for another season!

PITCH PERFECT Grange Loan’s pitches may have won praise this year (see rt), but, as Alasdair McLeod outlines, this was not without its challenges. A worrying situation At the end of season 2016, the personnel involved in looking after Grange Loan was about to be radically changed. For ten years or so, Russell Weir and I, with the help of various overseas amateurs and one professional, had undertaken the bulk of ground work. But Russell was about to go and live in Spain. In early August that year, I was told that Russell was not going to be replaced but,instead, the club were in the process of hiring Colin Smith, who was retiring after 40 years or so at Peffermill, to take charge. I continued to be actively involved, mainly on cutting the outfield, as Colin undertook the preparation of pitches. Fast forward six years to the end of season 2022. Colin had retired and the Club was seeking another experienced groundskeeper. Unfortunately, the target took another job and I agreed to be interim head groundskeeper pending recruitment of an experienced, and younger, person. By the end of January 2023, I was extremely worried about the situation. There had not been any success in recruitment and it had become clear that the arrangements then in place for keeping the ground were not going to work. Enter the cavalry! I had continued to be in touch with Russell. We were having a coffee one day in mid-February and he asked me out of the blue if there was any chance of his returning to, in effect, his old job. Negotiations followed and Russell started on 1 March, giving us possibly the oldest ground staff around with an aggregate age of 154! Newsletter 55 outlined the work Russell and I, well Russell really, undertook to get the ground ready for the new season and we were, to my immense relief,able to present a passable pitch for the so-called pre-season period. Weather Challenges But it was not an easy season in terms of weather. The first few weeks of the league season saw the usual mixture of sunshine and wet days. During that time Daniel scored two centuries including one in the record opening partnership with Ruairidh. There followed a period of extremely unusual weather: sunny but cold because of a constant, and brisk, east wind. This led to rapid drying of the ground and some cracks appearing on pitches. We countered this by heavy watering, both in the quantity of water, and in the closeness to the date of the match. But the unusually rapid drying made it difficult to judge and I cannot pretend I always got it right. That, however, does not excuse the bunch of visiting self-appointed experts who, having thrown away a winning position, accused me of not watering the pitch at all. /over

/cont’d July was wet but, selfishly, I left Russell to get on with it by going to, amongst other places, Iceland, watching Carlton on live stream on the rolling Atlantic. August saw the return of good weather and the week or so into September we played was unseasonably hot. A big thank you I cannot speak too highly of the commitment shown by Russell this season. He really put in a tremendous effort. Indeed, we could not have managed without him. I would like to think that the whole club recognises this. I also want to acknowledge the sterling work by Daniel and Lewis in marking virtually every pitch. Looking Forward After the end of the season, there is still work to be done in preparing the ground for next season. This involves machinery and expertise we do not have. Our usual contractor was unable to help us this year, but Stevie was able to obtain help from Craig Ecclestone, the groundskeeper at Myreside, and his input and advice proved invaluable and indispensable. Some of the work was hampered both by rain and a disappointing lack of volunteers; but it was completed. A Job Well Done In the last week of the season, a visiting player from Eton Ramblers sought me out to say that it was the best wicket he had ever played on. With the club actively seeking a new head groundskeeper for next season, it looks like things will change again. As things take shape, I would hope to continue to be of help, possibly in an advisory capacity. But, if not, that comment might be the best note on which to bow out! Photo - David Potter

It’s hard not to be enraptured by the world of Carlton Cricket Club. My own association started one rather hungover Sunday afternoon when, early in the days of Zaki and myself, I thought I should appear a dutiful and committed girlfriend by heading down to watch Carlton’s Thirds. Little did I know this would lead to two seasons of pouring jug after jug of infamous Arrows lager. Luckily, I’ve always been a huge cricket fan, spending hours with my father watching Mark Nicholas lead TV’s highlights shows, so you can imagine the positive reaction when I was able to tell him that not only was this new man in my life a fan of the sport, but he was also his team’s record run-scorer! But now of course a Saturday in summer doesn’t feel right without the glorious backdrop of Arthur’s Seat in the distance, helping with the celebrations (or occasional commiserations) of the day’s action. The afternoon will begin with the intermittent requests of the faithful fans before the après-cricket begins at around 7pm. Now, for any parents hoping this might be the start of some great exposé on how their sons spend the hours of 7pm - 12am on a Saturday night, I apologise, but I think I’ll plead the fifth on that one. What I will say instead, however, is how the community spirit of the club and the people it attracts are second to none. I can’t imagine there are too many other drinking establishments where the patrons are so willing to help with the midnight clean up while awaiting their Ubers. /over A Saturday in Summer With Susanna Sealy behind the Grange Loan Bar

/cont’d The music that tends to accompany the Saturday night ‘pres’ will always include at least four or five renditions of Status Quo’s “Rockin’ All Over the World” with the lyrics ‘academically’ changed to praise everyone’s favourite leg spinner “Davy, Davy, David Saul”. While by the fourth or fifth repeat I have usually had enough of this particular 70s hit - especially when it’s sung by 11 20-something year-old lads - I would sooner take this level of admiration and amusement over most other ‘pres’ alternatives. There are few places in Edinburgh (and even one time in Madrid) we can go without bumping into someone who inevitably turns out to be a Carlton connection. They are always met with the most effusive greeting as if a long-lost brother has been found. It’s a true testament to the atmosphere and members of the club that those who are part of it become such welcoming and entertaining individuals who form decades long friendships. It’s always a privilege heading down to the mighty Carlton Cricket Club and while I look forward to many more afternoons of watching the lads in action, I would ask people refrain from mentioning to me just how good Zaki would be if only he’d train - trust me, I’ve tried, but he just won’t do it.

A WHOLE LOTTA CRICKET GOING ON Martin Firth takes another dive into treasure trove of stats that is Pitchero. As he says, this is for entertainment - records in Pitchero are not always accurate, and therefore any analysis is at least a small part fiction. 324 games were scheduled - and 305 played. That's certainly an overestimate of the number we played, but it is an indicator of just how much cricket is crammed into 5 months. ● 106 seniors turned out in one or more match. ● Nine players played more than 25 senior games in the season, including two juniors - Aadi Khadse and John Gill. ● Dan Da Costa was the most active player, selected for 34 games, closely followed by Ru Main & Keith Murray on 32. ● In a sign of the growth in the women's game (and her own enthusiasm), Sarah Beith had 29 selections - most probably more games than any women's player has ever played in a Carlton season. ● Looking only at league and cup games, 12 players were selected for more than 18 games. Dan and Ru lead the way again with 32 & 28, closely followed by Rory Allardice on 26 and Arun Pillai on 25 ● The table of senior friendly games is dominated by women's players, as Women's Second Team games are deemed to be friendlies. Sarah leads the way, followed by Ajitha, Diane, Amelia, Holly & Sonia, all with between 15 & 20. Top male player is Keith Murray who masterminded series of evening friendlies with Stew Mel and Edin South and matches for the Over 50s. All this data and more is available on this link: Match Stats Dashboard 2023. Fashion Corner Back to the 1880s or the 1980s? It’s a close run thing to decide the fashion moment of the season. An outing for the Carlton blazer at the Home of Cricket….. ….or Dan and Fin’s delightfully retro Carlton Shell suits at the Bingo Night?

Down - But Not Out While there have been a few near things and last week miraculous escapes, relegation hadn’t come by Grange Loan for many years. But, like the proverbial London Bus, two came at once this season with both the Second and Fourth XIs facing life in a lower division in 2024. A Carlton team was last relegated in 2001, when, winning only 3 of their 13 matches, the Second XI fell from Division 3 to Division 4. (How could they have been in Division 3 to start with you ask? Leagues were subject to successive reorganisation in those years as the structure changed to accommodate the Scottish National Cricket League. Prior that Carlton 2, a long standing prescence in Grade A, had slipped in 1998 to Grade B, which subsequently became Division 3). The Second XI bounced back immediately, returning to Division 3 after one season. They were promoted again in 2005, and yet again in 2006, winning 13 out of 16, to take their place in Division 1 for 2007. The Fourth XI has never been relegated since they first entered the leagues in 2008, although reorganisation with the entry of the Borders’ clubs in 2012 saw them re-assigned from Division 7 to Division 8. They then moved up through the divisions and gained promotion to Division 4 in 2018. Despite flirting heavily on occasion, the Third XI have never been relegated. They entered the leagues in 1996, moving steadily upwards and being promoted to Division 2 in 2017. The First XI have similarly never been relegated - although in 1989 they made a fair attempt at it. Having won the Championship in 1988, they made a poor defence, winning only 2 matches out of 15 - they only lost 3 but drew 10. Watsonians finished narrowly below them in the table and were relegated. The Great Escapers A big 6 over square leg from Anish Amin secured a vital win against RHC. The Third XI celebrate the prospect of Division 2 cricket against next season.

The season’s commentaries have noted that in too many matches Carlton teams struggled to get enough runs on the board. However compared to some former years, this year’s nadirs don’t seem so bad. The lowest ever total in Scottish senior cricket was 2,scored by Arbroath United against Aberdeenshire in 1868. NL Stevenson reports that in 1879 Carlton could only muster 13 against Loretto. This was in their second innings, they had scored a princely 60 in the first and then dismissed the school for 45. In their second innings a Mr C W Berry took 9 wickets for 5 runs for Loretto. That was Berry’s first year in the school First XI - in four years Berry took 320 wickets at an average of 7.5. Later in life he was capped 9 times for Scotland at rugby scoring 7 goals. Stevenson also reports that in 1904 Carlton dismissed Royal High School FP for 8, and in 1926 demolished Perthshire for 9, with 6 ducks in the total. To rub salt into the wound, Carlton then went on to score 172. By comparison therefore more recent low totals seem a bit more respectable. The lowest post-war total for the First XI is 47 in 1966 against Watsonians; for the 2nd XI, 23 v Heriot’s in 1957. In 1999 the 3rd XI scored a mere 41 against Stirling Co. In 2017 the 4th XI were lucky to get 27 against Tranent Preston Village and in 2018 the 5th XI scored 50 against LFAB. Unsurprisingly, all these failures ended in defeat. But a low first innings does not always lead to a loss. Carlton’s lowest defended total was in 1958 at Grange Loan when the First XI were dismissed for 60 by Kirkcaldy. They then skittled the Fifers for 54 to win by 6 runs. It must have been a gripping encounter, 83 overs were bowled in the match including 34 maidens. While they haven’t quite matched the achievements of the 1904 or 1926 attacks, Carlton’s bowlers continue to inflict some serious damage. In 2001 the First XI dismissed Musselburgh for 15 in the Masterton. In 2017 they demolished SMRH for 22 in a Scottish Cup tie, with Michael Herdman taking 5-7 and Ali Evans 3-1. In league cricket, the lowest totals conceded are Stoneywood Dyce’s 60 in 1998 in the SNCL, and, in the Eastern Premier, Aberdeenshire’s 44 in 2017. Carlton’s other teams have also had their bowling days. The 2nd XI dismissed Brunswick 2 for 15 in 1968; in 2005 Cask & Barrel CC could only amass 18 against Carlton’s 3rd XI. The meanest the 4th XI ever got was to dismiss Morton for a comparatively generous 29 at the Meadows in 2015, while the 5th XI were even more generous in allowing Penicuik 2 53 at Kirkhill in 2018. The Women can also be very stingy - in 2017 they dismissed Watsonians for only 14 with Charis Scott taking 5-2. Their lowest total - 42 - was also in 2017 against George Watson’s College in the Scottish Cup Final. Just how low were this season’s low scores?

Ratings War Viewing figures on Carlton’s YouTube Channel compare favourably with those of other clubs. Here are the season’s Top viewing figures on Carlton’s YouTube Channel 1.9k Views - Carlton v RHC - 17 June A close finish. Batting first Carlton scored 212-7, skipper Pillai top scoring with 63, well supported by Gavin Murray on 45. RHC were well set at 169-4 when the skipper brought himself on. He took 5-34 to give Carlton victory by 10 runs. 1.3k views - Carlton v Heriot’s - 8 July Another nail biter. Carlton dismissed Heriot’s for 95 - 3 wickets each for Angus Beattie and Rua McIntyre. Wickets fell regularly and when the 8th and 9th both fell on 90, things looked bad. But McIntyre and Allardice survived to secure a narrow win. 1.2k Views - Carlton v Meigle 29 April. The season opener at GL - 3 wickets for Ali Evans and Rory Allardice restricted the visitors to 176. Dan Da Costa then scored a blistering 100* (off 90 balls) to make a memorable debut. 1.1k views - Carlton Falkland - 12 Aug A tight performance in the field restricted Falkland to 219-5. 61* from Arun Pillai supported by 49 from Dan Da Costa were the mainstays as Carlton reached the required total to win by 6 wkts. The highest viewing for Carlton’s lower teams was 1k views for Carlton 3 v Selkirk which ended in victory for the visitors. 437 viewed the Women’s victory over RHC in which Cara Gibson scored 120*. The most viewed short is Rua McIntyre’s dismissing Grange’s Angus Brown in identical fashion at GL and Portgower Place, which has 7.2k views. The Final of the National T20 Final between Carlton and Forfarshire was streamed by CricketScotland and had 1.9k views. The final of the Masterton between Carlton v RHC was streamed by Linlithgow CC and attracted 1.8k Views. The Scottish Cup Final between Forfarshire and Uddingston streamed by CricketScotland had 5.7k views.

Congratulations! Welcome Back Jamie A highlight of the season was to see Jamie Beattie back in action following serious health problems over the last two years. Jamie played 14 matches this season for the 2s and 3s, taking 16 wickets in all. His best for the 2s was 3-43 at Gala and his 4-22 for the 3s against Westquarter and Redding was an important contribution the 3s late rally and eventual survival in Division 2. Jamie was also an important member of the junior coaching squad and showed his prowess in the kitchen by rustling up an excellent chilli for the Chilli and Quiz night. Rt Jamie in action at GL and, left, enjoying the sun with teammates at Gala Many congratulations to Gregor McIntyre whose engagement to Susan Jones was announced in August.

Carlton was pleased to welcome the legendary figure of Alex Steele to Grange Loan when he turned out at the end of the season for the 40 Club Scotland in their match with their English rivals. The former Scottish internationalist is now 83 - and that would itself be a source of some inspiration. But Alex suffers from a debilitating lung disease and plays carrying an oxygen tank. Read more on this BBC Report. Alex won 30 Scotland caps between 1967 and 1982. His best score for was 97 against Ireland at Hamilton Crescent in 1968. In 1971 he caught the great David Gower in each innings of Scotland’s match against the MCC at Titwood. Alex most recent previous visit to Grange Loan was in 1988 when he opened the batting for Forfarshire and scored 22. Prior to that he had played six other times at Grange Loan with a highest score of 56* in 1988. Forfarshire were victorious on both occasions. ALEX STEELE AT GRANGE LOAN Photos - above in action at GL; below left - a stumping turned down at GL; below in his prime for Forfarshire

The highlight of the 2023 was undoubtedly the U15 journey to and then victory at Lord’s. This was a massive win, not just for the Carlton Juniors but for Scottish club cricket. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at Lord’s but thankfully was able to watch on screen - although if that wasn’t an option, I could rely on Keith’s WhatsApp ball-by-ball commentary. What was obvious watching the match was the great team effort across all the players and the wider club that helped get them there. Carlton is a fantastic club to be part of - a huge amount is down to the teamwork across the whole club - a large team of volunteers all working for the best of the club. I would like to thank all the off-field teams involved in running the club. Grounds team - I am very grateful to Alasdair for picking up the reins again and it has been great to have Russell Weir back at Carlton. Alasdair and Russell work so well together for the benefit of the club and I want to thank them both very much for their commitment and hard work. They know the challenges we faced with the season only weeks away and their support was invaluable. Thanks also to Ken Nisbet for his continued excellence in the scorebox, despite the challenges the technology seems to throw up every week. He thinks he has scored more hat tricks this season than ever. KERRY’S VOTE OF THANKS FOR 2023 Coaching team - Stevie, Dewald and all the other coaches who are involved in both the senior and junior sides of the club. It is always great to see young players coming up from Juniors and taking on coaching responsibilities although we can always do with more coaches. If anyone is interested in coaching please look out for the Cricket Scotland run courses. Teas team - thank you to Caroline, Richard, Fi, Frances and Karen for producing fabulous Carlton Cricket Teas this year. We are a dwindling but dedicated team, however, we are always needing new volunteers to help - even if just for one tea. All help is gratefully received. Kerry gets a hand on the Masterton trophy

Management and other committees - so much work goes on behind the scenes to keep a club the size of Carlton running. A huge thank you to all those involved and others involved supporting to help get our teams out - it is a massive logistical task for what I believe is the biggest one ground cricket club in Britain. Social team - although we don’t strictly have a social committee (anyone want to start one happy for volunteers - please contact me), it was great this year to hold social events on evenings organised by teams starting with 3/4s Sausage Sizzle, Women’s Bingo, 2s Chilli and Quiz, 1s Darts Night and Bob’s Quiz. It was good to see different people own, organise, prepare, manage and cook for these events. Special mention to Andrew (sausage sizzle), Charis (bingo), Jamie (Chilli), Armaan (Quiz), Ben (Darts board) and of course to Bob for his quizmaster skills. We’ll be looking to 5s for kicking off the social season - though why wait until the start of the season! Carlton is a very busy club - the fact that we can put out so many Senior and Junior teams and have time to host touring teams and friendlies is testament to the huge amount of work carried out by the Groundstaff, and a massive effort from Amelia as Fixtures Secretary and Kelly, Junior Fixtures. It’s a very difficult task especially given the pressure on the limited number of grounds in Edinburgh - which is getting harder year on year. A long term aspiration for the club is to get a second ground - or at least access to one. It might seem like a pipe dream but I think it is something we should be seriously considering and be on the look-out for opportunities in this area. This year saw the upgrading of the nets and the installation of a new artificial wicket. Club facilities need to be constantly maintained and upgraded and with rising costs we had to take the difficult decision to increase fees this year. We rely on fee income, sponsorship and bar takings to keep the club running - so the more we raise in sponsorship and the more the social events are supported, the more we can do as a a club. It was wonderful welcoming new players to club - hopefully they will be back next season too. We will miss players who have moved on for work or studies - you will always be welcome back at Carlton. The people are what make our club so special.

First Team Shirt Sponsor First Team Sleeve Sponsors Cala Homes Umair Mohammed Cosmetic & Sports Dentist Junior Cricket Shirt Sponsor Junior Shirt Sleeve Sponsor PizzaGeeks Women’s Shirt Sponsor U15 at Lord’s Sponsors Cala Homes, Artemis Fund Managers, Umair Mohammed Dentistry Player Sponsors Artemis Fund Managers , Brass Neck Rum, The Free Company, The Opticians in Marchmont, Ardnamurchan Distillery, Mitchell Glass, Wright Johnson and Mackenzie LLP Other Sponsors Jump Ship Brewing - Player of the Month Wright Johnson and Mackenzie LLP - Junior Prize Giving Board Sponsors Chambers Tutoring, Littlejohns, Womens and Mens 10K, Wright Johnson and Mackenzie LLP Match Sponsors Archie Gray, Jim Fiddes, Angus & Ann Mair, Colin Campbell, Paul Bailey Carlton could not have achieved its successes without the support of its sponsors. Thank you for helping us to realise our ambitions.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF CARLTON’S CONTINUING SUCCESS Interest in Carlton grows each year as we succeed at all levels. We will continue to focus on developing the next group of club, regional and international champions. So, here’s an opportunity to share in that success by investing in future winners. Sponsor a player, an event, active schools or secure a pitch side banner promoting your business. Please contact Domenic at sponsorship@carltoncc.co.uk

SEE YOU IN 2024!