Issue 83

The 2025 season has been as busy as always at Grange Loan, where junior cricket has been in nonstop action through the long summer evenings. This year we had the added bonus of some decent cricket weather and very few call-offs, which has added to the enjoyment (I hope I haven’t jinxed it for next year by saying that!). We have witnessed many achievements from our junior members this year across all age groups. The Carlton Cubs, Kwik Cricketers, U12s, U14s, U15s, and U16s have all provided memorable moments during the season. Additionally, girls’ cricket continues to thrive and it was a pleasure to watch the U16 team play their first home fixture in the new Girls U16 Scottish Cup. The primary school and new senior school teams have also had an action-packed season playing numerous fixtures against neighbouring schools and benefiting enormously from the new Friday afternoon training sessions. Our annual social events such as the junior sixes didn’t disappoint (as always!), and Martin continues to do an amazing job arranging, scheduling and scoring the numerous matches throughout the day with his usual unflappable style. This event is always a highlight in the juniors’ calendar and allows our younger members to gain some invaluable cricket wisdom from our older juniors (translation: appealing for literally everything). This stands them in good stead for when they transition to senior cricket and it’s been fantastic to see so many juniors making their senior debuts this year. A large number have also managed to play alongside a parent in the process which hopefully they enjoyed without household disagreements or parents being run out by their offspring! Speaking of which, this is a good time to mention that we are hoping to bring back the parents v players Kwik cricket match early next season, so please note that all parents have a few months to dust off your vintage kit and pretend those knees still work! A number of our juniors continue to participate in the regional and national cricket pathways, which is a testament to the unique junior programme we have at Carlton. I’ve loved reading about the numerous match-winning performances from these future Carlton superstars – we’re already preparing the trophy cabinet extension for the years to come. It has been a pleasure to meet our new members this year, and it was great to see so many people at our end-of-season BBQ and prize-giving. Well done to all the 2025 prize winners, and thank you to all the team coaches and managers for their excellent speeches (some funnier than others – you know who you are), as well as Euan M for cooking 250 burgers at record breaking speed. As always, there are so many people to thank for their help in making the junior section at Carlton thrive. Firstly, to the coaching staff led by Stevie, who work tirelessly to help our junior members improve their cricket skills whilst having fun. Secondly, to the grounds team who always have the pitches marked out for the different junior matches and keep an eye on the master fixture spreadsheet for any clashes, not an easy task at all when the ground is in use every day of the summer! Next, a huge thank you to the members of the junior committee – Charles, Euan, Kelly C, Kelly F, Kailas, Keith, Martin, Mary, Stevie and Val who all help out in so many different ways. A special mention to Mary who has helped enormously with our important safeguarding work to ensure that we continue to operate at such a high standard. Lastly, to all our parents for their ongoing support and help throughout the season A Season Packed With Fun Thoughts and Thank Yous Siobhan Fontenla Junior Convenor

It would be remiss not to include my usual plea for extra help and remind you that we are always delighted to welcome anyone who would like to get more involved with the junior section of the club. The commitment can be as small (cake baker or first aid kit manager to name a few) or as big (junior committee member) as you want, so please do get in touch if you are interested and would like to discuss further. Finally, the junior committee would be delighted to receive any feedback on what has worked well this year and also what we can do to improve for next year and beyond. We really do want our junior members to have a voice at the club so please ask for any feedback that they may have and complete the survey that Stevie has sent on Pitchero. Thanks again and see you all for winter training starting in January 2026 – details to follow soon! Siobhan was pleased to join Omar Henry, newly installed as President of CruicketScotland when he visited Grange Loan in August. Omar saw the Wednesday evening junior session in full cry. He recognises that fostering junior cricket is essential to improving the game in Scotland. He was mightily impressed by what he saw and heard at GL and hopes to explore ways of supporting and developing this model across Scotland. BRAND NEW JUNIOR Many congratulations to Women’s XI star Heather Tait on the safe arrival of Màiri Dorothy Mackie born on 27 September. As Heather noted, Màiri is already the proud wearer of a very stylish cable knit cricket sweater.

We are very keen to hear from our junior players about their experiences at Carlton in 2025. Their ideas, concerns or suggestions matter greatly for our continued improvement. Here is a link to a short survey… (there is a parents’ section as well!) Why this matters: • Listening to junior members helps us create a more child-centred culture, improve the environment, and make decisions with their needs in mind. • Some things adults may not notice, but young people see, we want to learn from these. Please encourage your child(ren) to complete the survey, or help them to do so if needed. We welcome frankness, positive or critical , we want to learn and improve. If a junior member would prefer to submit feedback in another way please let us know, we want to give everyone a chance to tell us what they think! Many thanks Stevie, Director of Cricket HOW WAS CARLTON FOR YOU THIS YEAR? JUNIOR PLAYER SURVEY

MANY THANKS TO ARTEMIS AND WJM FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF JUNIOR CRICKET AT CARLTON And thanks also to everyone who has supported junior cricket at Carlton this season. It wouldn’t happen without the help of so many. Many hands make light work and more assistance is always welcome - particularly at the Junior social events which are so important to the club. If you want to find out more about how to help junior cricket please get in touch (juniors@carltoncc.co.uk)

Looking to take care of your health by boosting your strength and fitness, to transform your body shape and improve cricket performances? Inside Out could be your solution. Parents of junior cricketers are welcome too. Go to www.insideout-pt.co.uk for more info or email Coach Marc to book a free taster session: support@insideout-pt.co.uk. FITNESS TRAINING AT GRANGE LOAN CALLING ALL ART AND DESIGN STUDENTS WHY NOT USE CARLTON AS A SUBJECT WITHIN YOUR PORTFOLIO? There are lots of possibilities. Landscape of Grange Loan Player Portraits Drawings or paintings of action (taken from the website photographs) Collage or montage We’d love to exhibit your work in the pavilion next summer!

CARLTON JUNIORS 2025 Many congratulations to all this year’s Junior Trophy Winners U16 Batting - Tom Hathorn U16 Bowling - Finlay Thompson U16 All Rounder - James Stronach U14 Batting - Sam Gilmour U14 Bowling - Elliot Peltenberg Fielder of the Year - Arjun Shelke U12 Player of the Year - Archie Barry Kwik Cricketer of the Year - Caitlin McCosh Kwik Cricketer of the Year - Iris Moncur Kwik Cricketer of the Year - Ewan Mackenzie-Coad Primary School Cricketer of the Year - Ross Kirk Senior School Cricketer of the Year - George Barry Girls’ u14 Cricketer of the Year - Shobha-Viorica Kallamadi Girls’ u16 Cricketer of the Year - Kiera Ansell Most Improved Girl Cricketer - Krithi Subr Most Improved Boy Cricketer - Ted Long Outstanding Performance by a Junior in Senior Cricket - Hamish Foley Maurice Murphy Award for Significant Potential - Sonia Amin

MAURICE MURPHY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING POTENTIAL* SONIA AMIN The MAURICE MURPHY AWARD FOR SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL goes to a player who Stevie thinks has a fantastic batting technique, and is also a really smart cricketer who understands the game really well. Sam says, Sonia has a fantastic work ethic and attitude, composure under pressure, keenness to learn and take advice, resilience when dealing with issue with bowling action this summer *The Maurice Murphy Award was inaugurated in 2019. Maurice served for many years as the club’s auditor and at the time of the first award he was the club’s oldest living member. Sadly he died in 2020. Previous winners are Zaara Dancu, Max D’Ulisse, Ben Stronach,, Gabriella Fontenla and James Stronach. I am sad to see this year’s cricket season come to an end, but it has been an amazing few months. I have been very lucky this year as I had the opportunity to play with the girls’ regional and national teams, as well as playing in the women’s first and second XIs at Carlton. One highlight for me was the intra women’s 2nd XI match, ‘Youngies v Oldies’. Although it was called a ‘friendly’ match, it certainly got very intense, and after a few rows with the umpire and a very tight last over, the Youngies scored the victory. I am sure next year the Oldies will be seeking revenge, so I am already looking forward to next season’s head-to-head. I was also very grateful to receive the Maurice Murphy Award for Significant Potential, which is a great honour, as many talented Carltoners in the past have received the award. I can’t wait for next season, whether playing in the high-level national matches, or just simply playing cricket in the sun all day.

KWIK CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR Caitlin McCosh, Iris Moncur, Ewan Mackenzie-Coad I love Kwik Cricket because I loved cheering on my friends and teammates. I also loved wicketkeeping, bowling, fielding and most of all, batting. I think Carlton Cricket Club is awesome because of learning new shots like the front foot drive and the sweep shot, and I especially loved the exciting games. I’m definitely looking forward to the next season. Ewan Mackenzie-Coad I really enjoy playing cricket especially matches. The kwik cricket matches have been good fun. I think that batting is my favourite bit about cricket but I am getting better at bowling and was very pleased I got a few wickets. I do enjoy fielding and got a few catches this year. I really enjoy playing with the other girls and it's lots of fun at training although my dad says I should try not do as many handstands. I'm looking forward to winter training and improving my bowling. It's been great fun this year. Iris Moncur Iris was unfortunately unable to attend the awards evening. I definitely enjoyed cricket this year, the matches were amazing and training was extremely fun. The coaches were great and always had a bit of advice that would really help me. I really hope more people join this amazing club and enjoy it as much as I did this year! Caitlin McCosh

MOST IMPROVED CRICKETERS TED LONG KRITHI SUBR I really enjoyed the season because the teamwork and effort we put in at training really paid off in the matches. There were some great moments like when Sebastiano scored 7 fours in one match or when I and Ross scored a 6 in the same game. Our communication was good because we never went when our partner said stay and always went when our partner or you said go. And it was great to see new players join the club. It was great fun being in the team that won the junior sixes. I have really enjoyed my season this year. I feel like I have been more consistent in my bowling and I have been able to generate more pace, which I have worked on. With my batting I have been trying to play more confidently especially against faster bowlers. I am very happy that these improvements have been recognised by the coaches through this award. One highlight from this season was that I got my first hat-trick in a girls U16 game which I was very happy about. Playing in both the Women’s 2s and Girls U16 games has helped me to transfer my skills from match to match. I particularly enjoyed playing in the Women’s 2s oldies vs youngies match which was so fun especially with the playful competitive spirit. This award has inspired me to work even harder which I am eager to do next season. Well-earned recognition for the hard work Ted has put in all year. His improvement has been obvious to everyone watching- from the confidence in his shots to the calmness in his bowling. Krithi worked hard this season and has greatly improved consistency with bowling and confidence with batting due to her attitude and willingness to learn.

UNDER 16 ALL ROUNDER OF THE YEAR JAMES STRONACH I've been looking back at my junior career at Carlton and have only just realised how many Scottish Cups I have been fortunate enough to win with the club. I joined Carlton at the end of P4 in 2017 and those 9 years have been really enjoyable, playing in all of those tournaments as well as the friendly games. My most memorable moment has to be winning at Lord’s with the U15s as it is such a good feeling to know that I’ve played and won at the Home of Cricket. Before that, I remember the fun of Kwik cricket and the trips we had to Gala to play in the Rowan Boland tournament. I’m very thankful to all the coaches who have helped develop my game all the way to senior cricket, which is a massive change. It’s been really good having Dan and Stevie to help me with my batting, but I’ve also been out in the middle with Dan a few times this season and this has helped a lot with my game. We've batted in different scenarios and he always has a clear plan on what we have to do for the next amount of overs. I'll miss junior cricket but will hopefully be able to help out as a coach now. This year’s winner has had a truly outstanding season, scoring over a 1100 runs in all matches, including 104 for Eastern Knights u17. He captained, batted, and kept wicket for the Scotland U16 and U17 team, he has become a regular in Carlton’s senior 1st XI making some really significant winning contributions with the bat. An outstanding final year as a junior cricketer.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A JUNIOR IN SENIOR CRICKET HAMISH FOLEY Hamish’s innings of 89* off 98 balls was the foundation of an important victory for for the 4th XI against MDAFS 3 at GL on 29 June which he relives below. Hamish also had innings of 64 for the 3rd XI against Bass Rock and 25 on his debut for the second XI in a year he also led the Scotland u15 team with distinction. One of my highlights this year was playing for Carlton 4 versus Murrayfield DAFS at Grange Loan. This was actually one of the fairly few occasions I’d played at Grange Loan this season. I remember walking out to bat in a tricky/not great situation, and thinking that I don’t get much opportunity to bat on a nice day at Grange Loan so I told myself to enjoy it and go and sort some runs for the team. We were 16 -1 in the 4th over, chasing 211. At the beginning of my innings I just tried to get bat on ball, play straight and not do anything too extravagant. Once I got in I started seeing it better and the runs were coming confidently, I started to back myself taking on fielders in the ring and putting the pressure on the bowlers. Once I really got into my innings, all I told myself was to keep batting to try and get the team over the line (as wickets had fallen and in the 18th over we were 77-5). Once Abhishek came in, I knew that we needed a partnership and we delivered. He batted superbly and took me off strike which was a big help in my innings as it took the pressure off me and I got to sit at the non-striker’s end and watch him do what he did which was awesome. Abi fell at 176-6 so we had nearly a 100 partnership. I really enjoyed batting with him. For us to go on and win the game was a great feeling and one I’ll long remember. It was just such a good day and opportunity to play at Grange Loan and score some runs and carry my bat. But above all it was a great team win!

Benji Risi – 73 off 48 balls 5th XI v MDAFS 4 Aradhy Khadse – 5 for 1 - 4th XI v Penicuik 2 Tom Hathorn – 81 off 95 balls and 2/20 - 3rd XI v Drummond Trinity 2 Sonia Amin– 21no off 14 balls and 4 wickets for 5 including a hatrick - Womens 2’s v SM John Gill – 5 wickets for 15 - 4th XI v Tranent & PV 3 Hamish Turner – 5 wickets for 21 including hat trick - 4th XI v Gala 2 Hamish Foley – 89* off 98 balls - 4th XI v MDAFS 3 Keira Ansell – 5 for 29 - Women’s 1st XI v RHC Lynx Rohan Kumar Jena - 4 for 29 - 5th XI v MDAFS 4 Fergus McKernan 4-14 5th XX v Drummond Trinity 5 Robbie Murray - 47 3rd XI v Dunfermline Carnegie Hamish Foley - 64 3rd XI v Bass Rock Tom Hathorn 4-29 3rd XI v Drummond Trinity 2 Raghuram Parasur 4-27 3rd XI v Kirk Brae Dan Mowat - 4-35 3rd XI v Edin Accies 2 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES BY JUNIORS IN SENIOR CRICKET It is always one of the pleasures of the summer to see our young cricketers making an impact in senior cricket. Over the years there have been many outstanding contributions with ball and bat and in the field, where our youngsters regularly show up their less athletic elders. This year is no exception and it makes judging this award particularly challenging. There was lots of competition for Hamish in getting the award. These were just some of the brilliant performances over the course of the season:

UNDER 16 BOWLER OF THE YEAR FINLAY THOMPSON Finlay put in some great bowling for Carlton juniors and seniors as well as bagging a 4 wicket haul for East. Always threatening a wicket and rarely wasting a delivery. I have really enjoyed my cricket at Carlton this year. I have had the opportunity to play junior and senior cricket which I love as it introduces a whole new side of the game to you, which can improve your skills. The club has also put on several BBQ and pizza nights which I have thoroughly enjoyed, and events such as Junior 6s which was great fun, as it combines different age groups. I have also tried my hand at coaching at summer camps, which is extremely rewarding, getting to hopefully embed the joy of cricket into the next generation. Overall I can look back on this summer, and every summer I have spent playing this beautiful game, and reflect on the friends, lessons, and life skills cricket has taught me, and as I leave the junior section, I know that was the best way anyone could spend their summers! UNDER 16 BATTER OF THE YEAR TOM HATHORN Tom scored crucial runs in the Scottish Cup games against Watsonians as well as an unbeaten 50 to give us a chance in the semi final against Dumfries. He looked the part every time he came to the crease in junior, senior and representative cricket I was delighted to receive the U16 batter of the year at the Junior Prize giving. I have really enjoyed playing for the Carlton 3s, U15 and U16 teams this season. I had worked hard in the winter nets and it was great to see this pay off over the summer. My batting has developed a lot this year and I am scoring at a good strike rate all around the wicket. I think one of my best innings of the season was 81 against Drummond Trinity for the 3s. After losing early wickets, the runs helped set up an important win. My 50 retired against a good Dumfries team in the U16 Scottish cup semi-final was also a highlight. I was really proud that I also got runs for the Eastern Knights and Scotland U15 side. I am already looking forward to training hard over the winter and continuing to develop my batting, bowling and fielding, ready for another season at Carlton.

GIRLS’ U16 PLAYER OF THE YEAR KEIRA ANSELL The last year of cricket has been brilliant, I’ve loved every minute of it! Carlton gives you so many opportunities, and this season has created some amazing memories. I was part of a Girls U16s team that keeps getting stronger. I played in the Women’s 1st team (second in the WPL), and the Women’s 2nd team (winning the Challenger Cup), I played in the Eastern Knights and Scotland Girls u15s teams with Carlton teammates. I played in the Carlton State School team, I played a few games for the Boys U14s team and the Mixed Development team. Thinking back, it’s strange that this time last year cricket wasn’t my main sport - I was competing in judo and swimming but then cricket went crazy! Looking through my mum’s calendar, I counted up that I have played over 40 matches and done over 100 training sessions. Last season was so good it's hard to believe next season could be better, but there's a WPL to win, a Challenger Cup to retain, a Girl's U16 cup to win, and it’s tied 1-1 Youngies vs Oldies! What a season for this girl! Guaranteed wicket taker, worked hard on line, length and variations, worked very hard on batting and fielding. Has gone from being a bowler to having potential to be an excellent all rounder. Fantastic attitude. During the season Keira was at training one Monday evening and a boy’s u16 match got underway. Carlton were one player short and Keira asked to play. Not only did she field brilliantly, she took a wicket and got the team over the line with the bat scoring two peerless boundaries. Says it all about her skill and commitment.

U14 BATTER OF THE YEAR SAM GILMOUR I have loved this year at Carlton because I’ve just started playing senior cricket. Everyone is so nice and I’ve had so much fun playing with different people from the club. One of my other favourite things about Carlton is the under 14 Monday night games as you get to just play and have fun with friends. I also love the camps, they are so fun to participate in and the coaches this year, Dan and Olly, were really great and funny, I’ve learned a lot from them too. I think this has been one of my favourite years at Carlton so far! Sam Gilmour, batter of the season, has developed into a very graceful and powerful stroke-maker, summed up in his match turning 50 off 20 balls against MDAFS I really enjoyed this season as it was my first year playing in a men’s team, the 5s, and continuing to play in U14s. The men’s matches have a very different atmosphere compared to juniors with the longer format and tea in the middle. There were many memorable moments for both teams. The 5s won a close victory over Edinburgh South with 4 needed on the last ball and Mike stepped up and hit it! Sometimes it doesn’t go our way like when my U14s team fought extremely hard against Grange only to lose in the final over. I love playing for Carlton because even if things don’t go our way, we carry on fighting right to the end. I am really looking forward to more bowling next season and men’s games. Elliot Peltenberg, bowler of the season, takes pride in developing his craft and bowled numerous unplayable spells at U14 age level and beyond into senior cricket. U14 BOWLER OF THE YEAR ELLIOT PELTENBERG

GIRLS’ U14 PLAYER OF THE YEAR SHOBHA-VIORICA KALLAMADI Highlights of my season - Playing 2 games for boys U12 team (Carlton Swifts) which helped my confidence.Winning most of the Girl’s U14 games we played against Stew Mel & Murrayfield and contributing with both Ball & Bat. Playing alongside my sister Rani Kallamadi (age 9 years) both at U12 & U14 level and in one of the matches as my sister was given an over to bowl, I took a catch off her bowling and she just ran towards me and hugged me so tight. Overall all the girls in U14 had a good game, everyone contributed with both bat & ball , we all enjoyed playing as a team (good teamwork, playing for each other, talking through to get the best out of everyone playing and overall we all had loads of fun) and contributing towards the success of the club. This was a good experience & I really enjoyed playing at different levels for both Girls & Boys teams and have learnt a lot. Carlton as a club has given me the opportunity to learn and play great standard of cricket. I have been with Carlton for last 4 years and it started off all the way back from the days of playing softball cricket at the Carlton ground. Really proud of all the girls I played with and getting awarded as Carlton u14 Girl cricketer of the year means so much to me. I dedicate this award to all the girls I have played at both U12 & U14 this year. Thank you to all the coaches. I just cannot wait for the next season to start and I understand there are plenty of things I need to work on over the winter for the new season. I am very happy to be selected for Eastern Knights (U16) this year along with other Carlton girls. I have also been invited by NFBA (National Fast Bowling Academy in Essex, 2nd year in running) to train with the Academy over the winter (8 training sessions once a month). It was a great time to be playing at Carlton CC this year especially for me as the club has formed a new Girls U14 team. Last season I played good number of games for girls U12 team but this season the experience of playing for U12 helped me to play positively for our girls U14 team. No one has worked harder at becoming a better cricketer than Shobha and her hard work is paying off with good contributions in all matches. And her enjoyment of the game is obvious to everyone and infectious. Well done Shobha.

U12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR ARCHIE BARRY I think it was a very successful year for Carlton under 12’s with lots of cricket played and some excellent weather. It was mostly down to our coaches that we had a successful year. Everyone learned a lot from them this year and they will improve even more for next season. The attitude in the games was great, everybody was encouraging each other and positive. We had some good games against George Watson's, who were the most challenging opposition. Those were the games I enjoyed the most. Playing with my brother in the under 14’s for a few games was a good experience, and sharing a partnership of almost 50 with him was also a highlight of the season I am looking forward to playing next year already, and doing some winter nets with old and new friends. The u12’s are looking good for 2026 too. Archie-has been a top performer throughout and a reliable presence for the team. His dedication and team spirit have been second to none.

SENIOR SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR GEORGE BARRY 2025 was a very successful year for the Carlton Senior School team, in which we played some very good cricket with bat, ball and in the field. We were lucky with the weather this year, and were able to play most of our matches in good conditions. Captaining the side a few times this year was a really enjoyable experience, and what struck me more than ever, was the constant banter and encouragement on the field, even at low points the team always seemed to pull together creating a great atmosphere for playing cricket. My highlight of the year has to be scoring 32* v Merchiston, in a game we won by 38 runs (and which Tom Sweet took a hat-trick!), a performance that really summed up a great team. Thanks to Euan Sweet who consistently managed, advised and arranged the team’s games this year, I can’t wait for season 2026! In addition to his consistent and effective batting and bowling, as one of the older players in the newly fledged Senior School Side, George has become a very effective leader, leading by example in his attitude and value as a teammate - a fine example to the younger members of the team.

I’ve really enjoyed my 2 years in the primary school team at Carlton. One of the most important things has been the coaches. The extra sessions the coaches provided have been extremely helpful for my development, especially my bowling. The coaches’ dedication to being at training every week is really appreciated. As well as the under 12 games on a Friday evening, the primary school team played games on Saturday mornings. These extra games have helped me understand more about cricket. Every kid in the primary school team was very kind and enthusiastic about cricket. The nets were competitive, because everyone wanted to show how good they were. This helped me to become more confident. The bonds we made with each other were crucial for enjoying the games, performing well as a team, and encouraging and being positive to each other through good times and bad times. When I first joined the primary school team, I was one of the youngest there, but all the older boys and girls were very helpful in helping me settle into the team. In the first year I learnt a lot from the coaches and older players, however, this year I was one of the older players, and I was the one passing on my knowledge to the younger players in the team. I would like to say a massive thank you to all the people who make the primary school team possible, such as the coaches and the parents, including Euan, Kailas and Daniel, who organise, umpire, and make the games possible. PRIMARY SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR ROSS KIRK Ross was nothing short of superb with the ball. He’s taken wickets consistently all season and even managed a hat-trick, which was one of those moments that every young cricketer dreams of. Ross doesn’t just bowl well- he’s got that fighting spirit that lifts the team when things get tight. It’s no surprise he bagged the Player of the Season award for the Primary School team. Thoroughly deserved!

JUNIOR FIELDER OF THE YEAR ARJUN SHELKE Carlton is a very professional club and has very friendly environment just not for players but for families too. The past season was spectacular for me giving me an opportunity to play with older children and enhancing my abilities. This season I really enjoyed playing matches for the junior and senior teams. My fifer for the Mixed Development team was a highlight of my cricketing season and winning fielder of the year is the cherry on the cake. I would like to thank all the coaches for supporting and encouraging me to keep getting better. Carlton Cricket Club provides a cohesive environment for budding cricketers to sharpen their skill sets and be ready for the future. The senior and Mix dev team skippers really look after the young people and guide them to handle well all the situations. I really look forward to playing in the U-13 cup next season and want to bring the cup back home. Arjun - a well deserved winner of this year’s fielding award. You just have to watch the way he moves to know he is good fielder and will become a great fielder when he keeps working at the technical aspects. He is extremely quick across the ground, is agile and keeps himself low to the ground, has a great pair of hands and a strong throwing arm. I’m excited to see how he develops over the next few years

As the U16s come to the end of their junior cricketing journey, the games are usually good fun. The majority of the players now recognise each other or have got to know each other through playing for the Eastern Knights or Scotland teams together. With players desperate to get their friends out, hit them for 6, or just having a nice chat when out in the middle, the games have been played in the right spirit. If you compared 2025 to previous seasons you might think Carlton Boys U16 team had a disappointing year with no trophies or places in competition finals. However, there is so much more to cricket and this year saw some great successes for the whole squad not just playing games against their own age group but making huge and match winning contributions to the whole Carlton club. Playing for senior teams from the 1st XI right through to the 5th XI, where a league game against MDAFS saw two of the U16 squad produce a mature and hard-hitting partnership to get a fabulous win. The U16s had a decent season this year, playing 14 games and winning 11 of them. In the Scottish Cup matches, the U15s lost to Watsonians in the first round with the U16s making it to the semi finals where they lost to the eventual winners Dumfries in the final over of an extremely good game. Congratulations to Tom, Hamish, Oli and James for being selected to play for Scotland and to Lewis, Atreya and Finlay for the Eastern Knights. With Hamish and James, we have the Scotland U15, 16 and 17 captains which is a great achievement. More importantly to see so many U16 players take part in the Carlton Junior 6’s was testament to their attitude and willingness to not only play for Carlton but also to contribute to the wider club inclusiveness and friendship, demonstrating that Carlton CC’s future is in very good hands.Thank you to Charles, Ian and Brian for assisting with games and to Dan, Oli and Stevie for their coaching. U15/16 A late season victory over Watsonians was the last junior outing for a number of our u16s. They will soon join us in thinking that youth is wasted on the young………….

U16 GIRLS The U16 girls’ hardball team had a great season and have gone from strength to strength again. The girls won most of their league games, although it became apparent this year that playing all women’s and girls’ fixtures on the same day (Sundays), was a stretch too far for some clubs, who ended up fielding weaker teams in their U16 games, making some games rather one sided for our girls. The girls played in the first ever U16 girls’ hardball cup game on 8 June, with Carlton hosting Stew Mel. We lost this game, but not without a good fight, and some great teamwork and camaraderie on display. Players included Sonia, Keira, Abby, Bridget, Aggie, Elsie, Emily, Coco, Anvi, Krithi, Izzy, Lindsay, Libby, Charlotte and Amy. Team managers rotated throughout the season, with Alan, Scott, Ajitha, Kartic, Ian, Graeme, and Anish all giving their time and enthusiasm to take the games. Many thanks to them all. Many of the girls had the chance to play in WPL and Challenger league games, as well as Women’s 2s friendly and intra club games. The captains are very good at encouraging and including our younger players, who have learned a lot from playing in adult teams. Comments from some of the team managers: Graeme Caton: One of the most improved players is Krithi. She delivered an outstanding individual performance with her ’all bowled’ hat trick against Stew Mel. Alan Ansell: Abby and Lindsay also stand out for the improvements they have made over the year. Aggie, Sonia and Lindsay stood out as great fielders, especially their ground fielding. And from girls’ head coach Sam - I have been beyond impressed at the progress that has been made and it has been immensely rewarding for me as a coach to see the huge progression in skills. The girls turn up with things to work on, are starting to ask questions about their game and are keen to practice scenarios. They are genuinely a great group of girls and supportive teammates to each other. I cannot wait to see what next season brings for this group.

A barrage of green tick marks is what would greet the U14 team admin upon opening up Pitchero at the start of the week, resulting in an extra team being added and a lot of U14 cricketers playing a lot of games. Indeed, Carlton sent two completely different line-ups to Gala within a couple of weeks of each other – testament to the commitment of the players and those who get them there. There were many great moments and matches across the season. A nail-biting Carlton derby at Cavalry Park, a last ball dramatic loss at Bass Rock and several tight victories in high quality matches with MDAFS. Two of these games with MDAFS were turned by what were probably the performances of the year – half centuries by Ollie M and Sam G. While the batting and bowling were consistently impressive throughout the U14s, what would be mentioned time and again by opponents’ managers and supporters is the high standard of fielding, which, on several occasions, was the clear difference maker in a contest. This is not something that just happens, so praise and gratitude must go to Stevie and the Carlton coaches for the emphasis and skill they devote to this in training. Most pleasing of all though, is the communications from other teams praising the attitude and sporting behaviour of all our teams – even in trying circumstances. Credit goes to the players, their families and the coaching staff for upholding the values of Carlton when they represent the club. It seems it was a season for the lefties, with both batter and bowler of the season being prolific left-handers. Elliot Peltenberg, bowler of the season, takes pride in developing his craft and bowled numerous unplayable spells at U14 age level and beyond into senior cricket. Sam Gilmour, batter of the season, has developed into a very graceful and powerful stroke-maker, summed up in his match turning 50 off 20 – bringing up his half-century with a glorious maximum! BOYS U14 A looming sky at Gala brought flooding to nearby St Boswells but didn’t interrupt the game.

GIRLS U14 The Under 14 Girls team was a new venture in Lothian Juniors this year. For girls who are just starting to play hardball cricket, but aren't really ready yet to play with the U16 team. At the start of the season, it wasn't entirely clear what level of enthusiasm there would be for this level of cricket. Only 5 teams entered, and in the end only 3 teams (including Carlton) played more than one game. Carlton played 6 games (mostly against Stew Mel!), and 14 players played - and enjoyed - their first games of hardball cricket. I think we can label this a very successful first season. Our first game was against Stew Mel in Inverleith Park (Stew Mel's astro was busy that morning). The team got straight into the match, batting, bowling and fielding well; particularly fielding, it was notable how sharp they were at backing up and preventing singles turning into twos. It was also very encouraging that even in this first game they - and their parents - supported and encouraged each other. The result of all this cricketing excellence was that they recorded their first ever win at the first opportunity. The enthusiasm and excellent cricket continued through the next three games, at MDAFS and Stew Mel (twice). Once again, the most striking thing about the fixtures was how quickly our players had gelled into a team. There was plenty of chat in the field, plenty of support for each other, and once again plenty of sharp fielding. The games were rapidly growing in quality as all the new teams got to grips with playing hardball cricket. Next up was an evening festival at Grange, who ambitiously tried to hold a 4-team round-robin competition in an August evening. The players continued their fine form from the previous games, and enjoyed the experience of short sharp games against different opposition - at least until the gathering gloom made it hard to see what was happening! Our final game of this inaugural season was at home against Stew Mel on the last (and sunny) Sunday in August. Both clubs added a handful of U16 Girls, which seemed to lift the U14 players' level even further. The tinder-dry outfield certainly helped the score along and provided a challenge for the fielders. This was a great end to the season - Stew Mel had been formidable opponents all summer, and it was good to finish with another game against them. And it was great to see our U14 players looking as if they belong in a team with our U16s. That was a very successful and hugely enjoyable season! Congratulations to the players: Abigail, Angel, Ariana, Chloe, Coco, Divisha-Rani, Eva, Florence, Heather, Holly, Izzy, Shambhavi, Shobha-Viorica. Huge thanks to Kalyan who managed most of the matches, and to Graeme, Lorna, Peter & Scott who scored, umpired and ferried kit. Martin Firth It was an absolute pleasure to manage the u14 team, I couldn’t be happier with all the girls, it was great to see them enjoying their cricket, showing great intent with bat and ball, playing as a team and improving every game, thank you so much to all the coaches , I can see their hard work paying off. Kalyan

This season saw the introduction of a new team at Carlton, the State Senior School S1-3 team. With the continued success and popularity of the State Primary School team at Carlton, and a relatively large group of successful primary players moving on, it made sense to attempt to continue Carlton’s provision for our state school players as they move on to secondary. Any doubt about the viability of such a squad were soon dismissed on seeing the players take advantage of the offer of training sessions on Friday afternoons at GL by turning up in numbers that must have rivalled any other squad in percentage of eligible players attending (photo below) As a new team, it was going to be a challenge to find fixtures among teams who already have established fixture lists for the summer school term. However, it was great to work together again with MDAFS in our joint endeavours to provide more cricketing opportunities for Edinburgh state school players. The team played their debut game in the shadow of Murrayfield Stadium at Roseburn Park (photo above) with a MDAFS Senior School team. These well-matched teams went on to meet each other several times, both home and away, in games that were highly competitive, highly skilled and played in great spirit. Senior State School S1-3 Team Success Fr A New Venture

Senior State School S1-3 Team We are also very grateful to Merchiston (photo above), Stew Mel and Watson’s for hosting matches with our new team. Carlton were successful at Merchiston, thanks, in part to a hat-trick for Tom Sweet (photo of hat-trick ball below). It’s missing leg, it’s missing off, but it’s hitting middle! They were less successful from a results point of view at Watson’s (against some familiar, friendly faces) and at Stew Mel, although the games were thoroughly enjoyable and the experience invaluable. The final game of the year was a hard-fought Parents/Players game with the Parents being cruelly denied the victory by a late rain storm - photo right. Submitted by Euan Sweet the man who does so much to bring junior cricket together at Carlton. Many thanks Euan!

Senior State School S1-3 Team Many thanks go to the parents and players for the commitment they showed to this new team. The players showed up and engaged with enthusiasm at all training sessions while, even though it is a relatively small pool of players, we were able to field full teams at all fixtures. This new venture wouldn’t have got off the ground without Stevie committing his time to coach the team at the Friday afternoon sessions and at matches. The players were extremely lucky to benefit from such high-quality coaching at training and in match situations. Congratulations to George Barry - the first Senior School Player of the Season. In addition to his consistent and effective batting and bowling, as one of the older players, he has become a very effective leader, leading by example in his attitude and value as a teammate - a fine example to the younger members of the team. MCC FOUNDATION In addition to representing the Carlton’s state school teams, four of our U12 players were selected to represent the Edinburgh MCC Foundation U14s in a tournament for the 4 Scottish MCC Foundation teams held at Strathallan School. They progressed to the Northern regional tournament held in Northumberland where they ran a much older and experienced Newcastle team close.

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U12 This season wasn’t just about the wins or the wickets, it was about watching the team grow together, seeing the confidence build in each player, and enjoying the sense of camaraderie that comes when a bunch of enthusiastic youngsters give their all for the team. Week after week, they turned up with smiles, cricket bags bigger than themselves, and the kind of energy that makes early Sunday mornings completely worth it. Kailas Shelar Team Manager for the u12s A most enjoyable season. What a fantastic summer it’s been for the Carlton U12s! With a bit of help from the Scottish sunshine (yes, it really did make an appearance more often than expected!), we managed to squeeze in a brilliant number of matches this season. The kids gave us everything - effort, energy, laughter, a few bruises, and a whole lot of unforgettable cricketing moments.

Season Highlights There were so many memorable moments this season, but a few stand out that really deserve a shoutout. First off, we’ve got to talk about Anas - our very own six-hitting machine. Whether it was a sunny home fixture or a chilly away game, Anas made sure that at least one ball would end up over the ropes. He’s become known among the team as “Mr. Maximum” a title he’s earned this year. His fearless approach with the bat gave Carlton some electrifying starts, and that big grin after every six was priceless. Then there’s Ross, who’s been nothing short of superb with the ball. He’s taken wickets consistently all season and even managed a hat-trick, which was one of those moments that every young cricketer dreams of. Ross doesn’t just bowl well- he’s got that fighting spirit that lifts the team when things get tight. It’s no surprise he bagged the Player of the Season award for the Primary School team. Thoroughly deserved! Another highlight came towards the end of the season- the unbeaten 53-run opening stand between Rajveer and Anas. It was the kind of partnership that coaches love to see - smart running, strong communication, and clean shot selection. They played with maturity beyond their years, setting up the match beautifully and showing just how much progress they’ve made since the start of the season. That stand will be remembered for a long time. U12

Of course, cricket is a team sport, and every player contributed in their own way. Ted, Sebastian, Ben H., Ben C., Milo, Ojas, Hrehaan, Neevan, and Om Patil all had some impressive moments through the season, whether with bat, ball, or in the field. Each of them brought something different to the team. There were some outstanding catches, well-timed boundaries, and plenty of determined spells with the ball that helped Carlton stay competitive in every match. Recognition & Awards It’s always special to celebrate the individual achievements at the end of a long season, and this year was no exception. ● Ross - Player of the Season (Primary School team)- for his consistent bowling performances and leadership on the field. ● Ted - Most Improved Player- a well-earned recognition for the hard work he’s put in all year. His improvement has been obvious to everyone watching- from the confidence in his shots to the calmness in his bowling. ● Archie - Player of the Season- a top performer throughout and a reliable presence for the team. His dedication and team spirit have been second to none. Congratulations to all three, you’ve done yourselves and Carlton proud! A Word for the Parents & Volunteers Now, no youth cricket season runs smoothly without the army of parents and volunteers who make it all happen. A massive thank you to all the mums, dads, and guardians who made sure the kids got to match on time (sometimes at very unsociable hours!), supported from the sidelines in sun, wind, and drizzle, and helped whenever needed, from scoring and umpiring to car-sharing and snack-running. Your support is the backbone of this team. U12

A special mention also to the behind-the-scenes heroes who helped manage the season: Daniel, Abhishek, Umer, Charles, Vipin, and Bhaskar. Whether it was coordinating fixtures, setting up training, or managing logistics, you’ve all played a massive part in making sure things ran smoothly. It truly takes a team off the field to make a team on the field. Team Spirit & Progress What really stood out this season was the enthusiasm of the kids and the steady progress we saw in their skills and confidence. From the first few nets of spring to the last game of summer, you could see how much they’ve developed, not just as players, but as young cricketers who understand teamwork, resilience, and respect for the game. There were moments of pure joy, diving stops in the field, team huddles after a wicket, and those little smiles after a good over or a well-played shot. Even in tough matches, the boys showed determination and a great attitude. That’s the true spirit of Carlton cricket, play hard, play fair, and always enjoy the game. Challenges & Looking Ahead No season is without its challenges. Towards the end, we did struggle a bit with player availability for away matches, which made team selection tricky at times. But that’s part and parcel of junior cricket, holidays, family plans, and school commitments all play their part. The important thing is that, despite the hurdles, the kids who played gave it their all every single time. And that’s what matters most. Looking forward, I’m genuinely excited to see many of these players move up to the U14 level next season. It’s going to be a step up, tougher opponents, longer matches, and more opportunities to grow. But I have no doubt that this group is ready for it. The skills they’ve built, the friendships they’ve formed, and the passion they’ve shown will carry them a long way. If this season is anything to go by, the future of Carlton cricket looks bright. These kids have the talent, the attitude, and the support around them to go on and achieve great things – both on and off the field. Final Thoughts As a team manager, it’s been a privilege to be part of this journey. Watching the kids turn up week after week, learning, laughing, and improving- that’s what grassroots sport is all about. They’ve made us proud, entertained us, and reminded us why we love this game so much. So, to all the players- well done on a cracking season! Keep practicing over the winter, keep the enthusiasm alive, and come back next year ready to take on the next challenge. Here’s to another brilliant season ahead- more runs, more wickets, more fun, and maybe even a bit more sunshine! Until then, rest up, recharge, and get ready… because I, for one, can’t wait to start the next season already! Many thanks to Kailas for all his hard work to make so much exciting cricket possible this summer. U12 U12 Girls Susie McCosh This year we had over 30 girls in the U12 section, with excellent numbers turning up for the fun training sessions every week. The section played in 4 girls’ Kwik Cricket tournaments, enjoying the brilliant atmosphere that the host clubs created, as well as the opportunity to play in real match situations. It was great to see the girls’ build their confidence in these matches and start to understand how the skills that they are learning every week, are relevant in games. The coaches bring great energy to the Monday sessions – which is something that the girls’ all really enjoy. Thanks to them, and to Martin for all their hard work.

KWIK CRICKET The Kwik Cricket squad have had a great 2025 season. 45 players played in at least one event, including 5 girls in the weeks when there wasn't also a Girls U12 festival. We played 8 events, including our own at Grange Loan. We started with 2 young teams at Grange's festival, and survived a steep learning curve as our players learned to play 6-a-side Kwik Cricket against some older and more experienced opposition. The players learned quickly though, visibly improving as the morning went on, and taking that improvement on to Bass Rock 2 weeks later. Festivals at Stew Mel and Watsonians followed, where the players had become much more confident and came home claiming more wins than losses. They took that form into our home festival, played on a glorious Sunday morning in July. Despite being in the middle of school holidays, we fielded 3 teams, and hosted 7 visiting teams for a riot of Kwik Cricket over the Grange Loan outfield. According to the somewhat unreliable reports from the players at the end of the morning, all 3 teams won all 3 games. That said, I'm pretty sure that as I listened to the excited chatter from all 10 teams as they left GL at the end, I heard reports of more wins than games held. The season finished with festivals at Penicuik, and Watsonians & Stew Mel for a second time. The levels of energy from the players was magnificent throughout the summer - the conveyor belt of talented and enthusiastic crickets at Carlton continues. Congratulations to all the players who played (sorry, there are too many to list here), and a huge thank you to the parents who managed the teams: David, Deepak, Mark, Peter, Steven, Stuart, Taha, Will. I'm looking forward to next year already! Martin Firth

CARLTON CUBS 21 of Carlton’s youngest cricketers enjoyed Friday evenings learning basic skills such as catching and throwing and having lots of fun establishing record noise levels for the season. Many thanks to Rudy who took the lion's share (geddit?) of coaching these sessions and attempting to spot who will be walking out to the middle in Carlton’s First XI in 15 years time.

WHO PLAYED THE MOST CRICKET THIS YEAR? Martin Firth continues his dive into the Pitchero data First name Last name Junior Matches Rajveer Shelar 32 Ross Kirk 28 Hrihaan Parasur 28 Arjun Shelke 28 Archie Barry 27 Neevan Mehta 27 In the previous issue of the Arrow Martin reported that Aaradhy Khadse played an amazing 57 games in all this season - junior and senior fixtures. more than 3 a week! Close behind were Tom Sweet with 50 matches and Arjun Shelke with 43. By comparison the most cricketed senior Sarah Beith could only muster 40 matches - 26 of which were competitive league of cup fixtures. Dan Da Costa also appeared in 26 league or cup fixtures. When the magnifying glass is applied only to junior fixtures, things change a bit. See Table below top of the tree is Rajveer Shelar with 32 outings. Rajveer is still only 10 years old, he may make his senior debut next year in which case he might give Aaradhy a serious run for his money! Rajveer - 32 matches

6 families played over 10 matches with 2 members of the family. The family Subr (pictured above for once off the cricket field!) are top with 24, followed by Khadse, Sweet, Barry, Stronach and Thompson. The family Barry appearances are all made up of pairs of junior players - it's unusual for junior siblings to play so many games together. Of course, that doesn't take into account the actual family combinations. All 18 games with 2 Sweets were Euan & Tom, but that's not necessarily the case for the other families. In fact, Euan & Tom Sweet (photo right)were top of the list of unique family pairs, with Aaradhy & Rahul Khadse 2nd on 16 appearances. The Subrs were 3rd and 5th: Ajitha & Krithi played 14 games together, Atreya & Karthic 8. Sandwiched between them were Finlay & Ian Thompson on 9. Finally (!) one of the great joys of cricket at Carlton is the number of opportunities parents get to play cricket with their families, or at least to watch them playing together. I'm still waiting (and may be for some time) for an instance of 3 generations playing together, but there are plenty of examples of 2 generations doing so. There are 42 families with 2 players, although only 32 of them played matches together. There are 10 families with 3 players, although only 4 all played together. And there are 2 families with 4 players, but unfortunately neither family all played together. ALL IN THE FAMILY More Pitchero Analysis by Martin All families Matches Subr 24 Khadse 20 Sweet 18 Barry 13 Stronach 12 Thompson 11

Family Members Matches Sweet Euan Tom 18 Khadse Aaradhy Rahul 16 Subr Ajitha Krithi 14 Thompson Finlay Ian 9 Subr Atreya Kartic 8 Dunlop Findlay Hugh 7 Hannan Ben Finlay 7 Stronach Ben James 7 The top 6 is completed by three pairs of brothers all on 7 appearances: Findlay & Hugh Dunlop (although this includes their appearance on different teams in the Junior 6s), Ben & Finlay Hannan and Ben & James Stronach. Ben & James are the most active of only three pairs of brothers who have played together where one is a senior player, the other a junior - the others are John & Pete Gill (4) and Hamish & Isaac Foley (1). You might wonder where the Barrys are in this list. Their 13 games were shared entirely equitably between the three siblings, so no pair played more than 5 times together. Mother and son in 2023 As well as occupying 2 of the top 5 positions, the Subrs were also joint last with 13 others: Ajitha & Atreya and Atreya & Krithi played one game together. Atreya & Krithi played together in the Junior 6s. Ajitha & Atreya played together in the Women’s 2s +1 match (data not featured here) and as covered in a previous Arrow they remain the only mother-son combination to have turned out. Two Juniors is the most frequent family combination - 17 pairs of junior siblings have played together, followed by 15 Parent-Junior combinations. 5 Parent-Senior pairs have played: Gajanan & Shreyas Tekale, Ben & Charles Stronach, Amelia & Jamie Beattie, Craig & Kyle Burgess and Keith & Robbie Murray. 3 Senior-Junior pairs have been spotted (Stronach, Gill, & Foley) and 3 Senior-Senior (Beattie, D'Ulisse & Foley). The Beatties are particularly notable, being an unusual instance of a married couple playing together. Neveen and Abhi - the latest parent son pairing - Development XI August 2025

Only four families have had 3 players in the same match. Family Stronach managed it 4 times, followed by Barry (2) and Gill & Khadse (1 each). The Barrys are unique in this list, as they are all juniors. The Gills are also unique - readers of the Arrows Chat WhatsApp group will remember that their appearance was commemorated by a fly-past of the Red Arrows (probably no relation) But wait there’s more! Carlton’s junior section also delivers a regular stream of parents to our senior teams. Many of us have rekindled (or in some cases kindled) our cricket career at Carlton because our children have joined and reminded us how much we loved the game. On average this season, our teams field 1.3 parents who joined Carlton because of their children every weekend. Unsurprisingly, the Women’s 2s, 4s and 5s are the major beneficiaries of this wealth of experience, fielding about 2.5 parents each per weekend. It seems that a prolonged career break is not a good route into the higher teams, although the Women’s 1s and 3s average half a parent a week. Adding parents to the juniors counted above, our teams field an average of 7.3 players each weekend who have joined Carlton through the junior section.

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Shades of Autumn at Grange Loan Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. Robert Frost