West Region Newsletter, 86, January 2019 Inspiring Scotland to Choose

All Stars Cricket: Cricket Scotland is preparing for a third year of All Stars Cricket – a programme which provides an amazing first experience of cricket to young children aged 5 – 8. We are delighted that at least one additional West Region club is planning to join in the fun – and we hope that all previous centres will continue to run this exciting programme too.

All West Region clubs planning to run a programme in 2019 have been asked to contact Tim Hart ([email protected]) so that the early planning for this summer can begin.

Coaching News: Thanks to Gill McElnea for running a Basic First Aid for Sport course, at Titwood (Clydesdale CC), on Sunday 27th January. It was a full course – with twelve candidates, from eight different clubs, attending and gaining valuable insight which will help them, and their clubs, to ensure safe environments are maintained.

Cricket Scotland is also running two UKCC Level 2 (Coaching Children) courses during the early part of 2019. Full details, including the booking link, are available on the Cricket Scotland website: http://www.cricketscotland.com/get-involved/get- involved-coaches/coaching-course/certificate-coaching-courses/.

Cricket Scotland News: Cricket Scotland is delighted to confirm that Rosy Ryan’s post is now a full-time one. As well as continuing to have a prominent role within the development of the Women’s and Girls’ game, Rosy will be able to devote more time to helping with the growth of the game within the West Region.

Following the successful trial of indoor Kwik Cricket festivals during 2018, another series of U12 indoor festivals is running from January – March 2019. The festivals, featuring Clydesdale CC, East Kilbride CC, Glasgow Accies CC, Hillhead CC, Uddingston CC and West of Scotland CC are taking place on Sunday mornings, at Uddingston Grammar School.

The new U14 Indoor league got underway on Sunday 6th January, at Hutchesons’ Grammar School – with a round-robin group of matches played by Ayr CC, Glasgow Accies CC and Poloc CC. The league continues throughout January and February – with Clydesdale CC, Ferguslie CC, Kilmarnock CC and Uddingston CC also participating.

For the latest information about Cricket Scotland, and its programmes, please visit: http://www.cricketscotland.com/.

Cricket Society of Scotland: The next meeting of the west branch of the Cricket Society of Scotland will be on Monday 11th February, at 7.30pm, at Clydesdale CC – and the guest speaker will be Mark Peel:

Mark Peel is something of a polymath. Having been educated at Harrow and Edinburgh University, where he read History, he then taught History and Politics at Fettes between 1983 and 2007. He is also the author of about a dozen books, including biographies of Shirley Williams, Donald Soper and the 14th Duke of Hamilton whom Hitler’s deputy, Rudolph Hess, demanded to see when he landed his plane near Eaglesham in 1941. Mark has also written a number of cricket books, amongst them being biographies of , and Colin Milburn. His book “Ambassadors of Goodwill” chronicles England tours between 1946/47 and the Ashes-winning tour of in 1970/71, tracing the transformation from the amateur ideals which the MCC clung to in the aftermath of the Second World War to the hard-nosed professionalism exemplified by Ray Illingworth on that Australian tour. His latest book is “Playing the Game?” which looks at the changing ethics of cricket from the infamous bodyline series of 1932/33 to the present day.

For more information about the west region branch, or the programme, please contact either of the Joint Secretaries: Graham Hollier ([email protected]) or Ewen McConville ([email protected]).

Umpiring News: The West of Scotland Association of Cricket Officials (WOSACO) will be delivering an Umpires’ Course during the early part of 2019, starting in February. More information, including how to register, will be released in the coming weeks. In the meantime, for any further information about WOSACO please contact the Secretary / Treasurer Jim McClymont: [email protected].

WDCU / Senior Cricket News: All clubs have been asked to complete a return, by Friday 1st February, which relates to Sunday League, Evening League and cup competitions.

The request was made by WDCU Administrator Iain Kennedy in mid January – and anyone with any queries should contact Iain directly: [email protected]. As always, for the latest information about the WDCU, and its on-going activties, please visit its website: www.wdcu.co.uk.

Western District Junior Cricket Union / Junior Cricket News: Congratulations to Clydesdale CC who enjoyed great success at the recent Belt-Up Trophies Indoor Super 8s – winning all three age group competitions (U12s, U15s & U19s). There was also further success as all three Player of the Tournament awards went to Clydesdale CC players: Shlok Thaker (U12s), Owen Gould (U15s) and David Sturgess (U19s).

Full details about the event (4 days, 124 players from 12 clubs, 30 matches, 5098 runs, 245 & one hat-trick!), including the scorecards, are available on the West Junior Cricket website – and thanks must go to all players, coaches and umpires, to both Sean Le Blond (Uddingston CC) and the aforementioned David Sturgess who assisted with running the event and to Belt-Up Trophies for their support which included some fantastic trophies and medals for the winners and runners-up.

Women’s and Girls’ Cricket News: The latest Wee Bash took place at Craigroyston High School, in Edinburgh, on Sunday 20th January.

Once again there was a heathly representation from the West Region – with Clydesdale CC, Galloway CC, Glasgow University CC and West of Scotland CC all participating.

The next festival will take place in Glasgow, on Sunday 17th February.

For more information about any aspect of Women’s and Girls’ cricket in the west of Scotland, please contact Rosy Ryan directly: [email protected].

Other News: To celebrate a successful 2018 season, Cricket Scotland is hosting an Awards Dinner at the Crowne Plaza (Glasgow) on Friday 8th March 2019. There will be a drinks reception, the opportunity to meet Scotland Internationalists (female & male), a 3-course dinner, speeches and International Player, and Club, awards – on an evening not to be missed! For more details please follow this link: http://www.cricketscotland.com/cricket-scotland-shop/cricket-scotland-shop-2-2-2/.

The next newsletter will be published during February 2019. If you think that you may have something of interest that could be included in this newsletter, please get in contact with me.

Tim Hart Cricket Scotland Regional Participation Manager - West of Scotland [email protected] 07825-172-346