Edinburgh South Cricket Club celebrated its end-of-season club day at Inch Park last Sunday 26 September.
Blessed with unseasonably good weather, Sunday provided a chance for members from across the club to socialise and celebrate a hugely successful summer.
The 1st XI was promoted to ESCA Division 1 and also won the Terry Newcombe Trophy, the 2nd XI was crowned champions of Division 7, and the club was able to revive its 3rd XI for the first time in years. Such was the level of interest in the game this year South even loaned out squad members to rival clubs who were a player or two short.
The Club Day saw various small-sided games contested by scratch teams from across the men’s section, the thriving women’s section, and the junior section, which is run in conjunction with Boroughmuir CC under the SouthMuir Sharks banner.
Points were awarded to the teams who did best in the different events, be it the lawn bowls, the more conventional five over contests, or the best-dressed team.
Passers-by would have perhaps done a double-take, as the usual charming sights and sounds of club cricket – whites, leather on willow were replaced by outlandish fancy dress and a PA system which was used both for music and mild, good-humoured sledging.
Indeed, one cannot imagine another occasion over the decades cricket has been played at Inch Park where a Henry VIII lookalike faced up to bowling from Deadpool. At the end of the contest, the Auld Reekie Socks pipped the Marvel-lous Cricketers to the inaugural Club Day title.
There was a barbeque and pitchside bar that ran throughout to keep everyone fed and watered; the day concluded with the 2021 awards presentation, which allowed captains and coaches to thank and congratulate the fully deserving winners and the volunteers on which the club relies upon.
2021 award winners
Senior teams
1st XI
Players’ player – Nabkishore Pani
Captain’s player – Vipin Gupta
2nd XI
Players’ player – Paul Reddish
Captain’s player – Russell Barnard
3rd XI
Players’ player – Jaskaran Singh
Captain’s player – Sharan Reddy
Batting award (most runs scored in season)
Nabkishore Pani
Bowling award (most wickets in season)
Farhan Sheikh
Most Improved Player award
Daniel Saunders
Outstanding Young Player award
Harry Barratt
Women’s Development team
Player of the year – Dorcas Owen
Many thanks to George O'Neill and Daniel Saunders for the write up and photos.