Winter Blues for Cricketers' WaGs

Yes, it was time for Breadalbane Cricket Club to make cricket a truly year-round sport, by entered the Norwich Union Indoor Cricket league in Perth.

The first round of fixtures, on 19 October saw the Breadies pitched against Northern CC and old rivals Strathearn, from Perth. However, with Breadalbane’s relative inexperience in this form of the game, it was to prove a tough introduction. Despite fielding and bowling reasonably well in both matches, and restricting the opposition to achievable totals, the Breadies failed to chase down the runs, losing too many wickets along the way. With a scoring system that results in 6 points lost for every dismissal, this always makes the task so much more difficult.

Revival

However, on the evening of the second round of fixtures, on 2 November, Breadalbane looked more determined (and even slightly menacing in a new all black kit) facing a taxing round of fixtures.

Firstly, a stiff challenge against the Cricket Development Squad (Scotland’s potential stars of the future) proved a tough contest. Despite a good performance in the field, with one of the Breadies’ own stars of the future, Robert Thompson, quitting himself well on his return from injury, the Development Squad emerged victorious.

But the Highland Perthshire men were to have the final say, beating Kinross easily in the last game with a good, tight batting performance followed by a superb display in the field.

Another round of fixtures is due in December, and Breadalbane hopes now to capitalise and push on in the Indoor League.

With the Club’s annual awards dinner on 18 November, the AGM of the Cricket Union the following week (at which the Breadies are due to pick up a hat-trick of awards) and with forward planning for next season, it rather appears that cricket has become a truly all-year pastime here in Highland Perthshire.

by Mark Bridgeman