The report from Thursday’s newspaper can be found here:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Community/Heritage-and-History/article/4569/freuchie-cricket-club-to-relive-lord-s-glory-of-1985.html

They’ve also reproduced the full report from The Village Cup victory of 1985 here:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Community/Heritage-and-History/article/4616/from-the-archives-fabulous-freuchie-win-at-lord-s.html

Finally, they’ve put together a wee gallery of pics from 1985 here:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Photos/Our-galleries/slideshow/149/from-the-archives-freuchie-cricket-glory.html

A job well done by our friends at The Courier. Thank you.

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We had only fifty copies of the first edition (duly marked as such) printed. Today (2nd September) thirty five of the fifty are already spoken for.

If you want a copy, don’t just speak to someone at the club – please email secretary@freuchiecricketclub.com or phone John Anderson on 0137 857 292.

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Gour keeps a watchful eye for overstepping ..

Relaxed at deep mid wicket ..

Thanks for now, bowler ..

Well played Neil, Gour, Mickey, Robbie – and so many others.

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More information about the book, including a downloadable excerpt, is available here.

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Posters are already on display for what is being billed as Freuchie’s Glorious Weekend, but there’s an important date before that. This Sunday (22nd August) sees us hosting a Kwik Cricket festival – no less than twelve junior teams in competition, groundsmen Dave Christie and Dave McIntosh tearing their hair out to find six wickets dotted about the park.

Then the Glorious Weekend as billed: We are going to have a celebration of our 1985 Lord’s victory, spread across 4th and 5th September, with a family Fun Day on the Saturday and a 20:20 match on the Sunday. Some details have still to be worked out, but here’s the general set up:

The Fun Day will have craft stalls, bouncy castle, face-painting, and most importantly, ‘taster sessions’ of sports in the new games area in the school playground – short tennis, cricket, netball, dodge ball and so on. There will be a free family disco in the clubhouse, starting at eight o‘clock. Tea and coffee will be available at the clubhouse throughout the day, and we are keen to get as many people as possible coming to the club to see what a fine place it is.

Through the efforts of Scott McCrone, there will be an exhibition of some of our historic photographs, backed up by video footage of the great Lord’s adventure, courtesy of BBC and STV and our own Jock Wallace and his employer and major club sponsor, Black Light. That’ll be running all through the weekend (except during the Saturday evening disco, when it will be taken down to protect it from any over-energetic dancers. Swing yer Maw, swing yer Paw, swing yer Grannie through the wa’ …..)

On the Sunday, we will be gathering around one o’clock, with an opening speech from Sir Menzies Campbell at half past one. Cricket Scotland president Bob McFarlane will take over, with our 20:20 against Falkland kicking off at two o’clock. We’re hoping that between innings, there will be time for a very short junior game to let people see a few of our stars of the future.

And THE BOOK – THE BOOK! “Freuchie Cricket Club, 1908 to 2008” – a really beautiful hard-bound book of over 230 pages. Compiled by Scott McCrone (busy man, our Scott) and with an introduction by Sir Menzies Campbell, it has copies of old minutes, photographs, fixture cards, score sheets and a special section on the Lord’s victory. We will be giving it its official launch on 5th September with a limited First Edition of fifty copies. It may sound dear at £40 a copy, but many people, on seeing a draft copy, have said things like “you’re crazy – you’re way under-priced at £40!” and “this is family heirloom stuff!” Come and judge for yourselves – there will be at least one copy to see even if the first fifty have been snapped up.

Also on the Sunday, time yet to be decided, it is planned to have a tree-planting ceremony in the newly-landscaped school playground, commemorating the Lord’s squad and the official opening of the new multi-use games area.

And  there’s more, even if not exactly on the weekend – The Daily Record plans to run a feature on the Lord’s team on the actual anniversary of the victory, while STV cameras aim to be at our ground on 1st September to prepare for a horror show of all these aging faces ….

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Like his older brothers John and Dave, Bobby was a long-standing servant of the club, both as a player (First XI Captain in 1973) and as a member of our committee

Our sympathies go to his wife Lillian, daughter Julie and all the Christie family.

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Meanwhile, the Seconds were at home to Heriots. Captain Kenny reports:

Saturday saw Heriots 2s come to Muir Road. Kenny won the toss and put the visitors into bat. Freuchie bowled tightly with the score at only 49 for 2 after 20 overs but then Heriots started to swing the bat a bit, their opener H Wright hitting a few sixes which saw him reach 88 before Allan Wallace bowled him. R Ruru scored 43, Freuchie bowling Heriots all out for 233 in the final over.

After tea, Freuchie’s innings started poorly, with Blair Forrester out from the 1^st ball of the innings and Lee Duncan, who came in at 3, out shortly after for only 6 to leave the score at 7 for 2 off the first over. In came Allan Wallace to start a 71 run partnership with the other opener, Robbie Wright. Allan Wallace was eventually caught by Wallace on 40. Shortly after, the fall of two more wickets saw the score at 116 for 5 off 27 overs. That brought captain Kenny to the crease to start another good partnership and good batting performances from both Kenny and Robbie with a 90+ partnership coming to an end with Kenny on 40 before being run out and Robbie going on to 78 before being caught. That saw Freuchie at 208 for 7 of 40 overs but unfortunately, with some tight bowling from Heriots Freuchie finished 2 runs short of victory.

It was a great game of cricket and although Freuchie didn’t win, they still picked up the maximum points of 12 which Kenny was pleased with.

Special mention for Peter McNicol for stepping in at the last minute to help out after not playing for 4 years.

Secretary’s note: I watched some of the game, in which I thought Heriots had a very strong-looking side. I had seen some of Robbie’s batting when he scored a century against Kinross the previous week but this was different stuff against a very different standard of bowling. Very, very well played, Mr Wright.

We have very little news about Sunday’s Murgitroyd T20 against Stirling County. “Gubbed” was one report, “hammered” another.

However, we end May with the Firsts second from top in SNCl Division II, the Seconds fourth in Division II of the East League. Can we continue this for the rest of the season?

Teams for Saturday 5th June:

First XI at home to Weirs: Scot Galloway, Dave Cowan, Scott Birrell, Robbie Birrell, Steve Rowley, Jock Wallace, Mike Jackson, Dale Cowan, Graeme Christie, Fergus Black, Stuart Gibson.

Second XI away to top of the table Murrayfield DAFS: Kenny Crichton, Blair Forrester, Lee Duncan, Robbie Wright, Shane Munro, Liam Kelly, Ross McMurdo, Grant Horsburgh, Ian Paterson, Rory Brown, Greg Birrell

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Saturday First XI: Scott Galloway, Dave Cowan, Scott Gourlay, Scott Birrell, Robbie Birrell, Dale Cowan, Steve Rowley, Mike Jackson, Jock Wallace, Stewart Gibson.

Second XI: Kenny Crichton, Blair Forrester, Graeme Christie, Liam Kelly, Robbie Wright, Shane Munro, Lee Duncan, Alan Wallace, Ian Paterson, Ross McMurdo, Chris Hunt. Reserves Grant Horsburgh and Greg Birrell.

Sunday – meet at eight am for 9.30 start at Stirling: Scott Galloway, Scott Gourlay, Mike Jackson, Steve Rowley, Dale Cowan, Robbie Birrell, Scott Birrell, Jock Wallace, Stewart Gibson, Graeme Christie

Come and support Kenny and his men on Saturday, and don’t miss the U15 trials on Sunday.

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Photo: Matching winning Freuchie 1st XI

Meanwhile, our Second XI’s 100% record came to an abrupt end. A number of regulars were unavailable for selection, the situation made worse by injuries and call-offs. That said, it was a respectable looking batting XI that took the field against Marchmont. Stand-in skipper Alan Wallace praised Shane Munro for his mature innings of 30 not out and Grant Horsburgh for his contribution, but 139 all out off 47 overs wasn’t likely to be enough. Sadly, so it proved. Robbie Wright bowled economically, but the Marchmont batsmen cruised past our total without difficulty – and without loss. Alan reported that young Ross McMurdo bowled excellently and he had particular praise for the fielding of Cameron Millar and Blair Lawrie. We also have a special thanks to Charles Balfour, who drove up from Newcastle in response to Alan’s appeal for players.

Sunday saw our Thirds at home to Kinross. Both clubs had sides of genuinely mixed ability, but it has to be confessed that our mix was a good deal stronger than theirs. Freuchie batted first, with James Fretwell retiring hurt, but Dale Cowan and Robbie Wright rather took charge at that point, Dale skelping some huge sixes into the football park and retiring when he made his hundred. Robbie was close behind him at that point. He too got to his hundred a few balls later, and likewise retired. That left the way clear for the younger lads, who must have enjoyed batting without any pressure whatsoever.

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