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2007 Scotland Tour

A group of 19 Sarasotans , eleven players and eight supporters , including our president, scorer and coach, gathered in Edinburgh on Saturday, June 30. The idea for the tour arose with an unprecedented invitation to help celebrate Dunfermline Cricket Club’s 150th Anniversary. Dunfermline is a Sister City of Sarasota and we arrived bearing an official letter of greetings and congratulations from the Mayor of Sarasota to the Provost of Fife and Dunfermline CC.

It turned out to be a remarkable tour on several other counts. The Scottish hospitality was spectacular. The scenery and the city of Edinburgh were stunning. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our hosts, we were able to play four games in eight days despite the worst summer weather in years. For the first time ever on tour, with only 11 players in the squad, none succumbed to injury or fatigue and Sarasota fielded a more or less fit XI for all four games. Amazing, since most of the squad were making liberal use of Edinburgh’s many bars and pool halls.

The tour started disappointingly with a call from Broomhall CC on Sunday morning saying their waterlogged ground was unplayable. We drove out anyway, hoping at least to make use of their net, only to find it was too wet even to practice. We went on to Dunfermline regretting the lost opportunity of playing on a gem of a field, surrounded by trees and stone walls.

At Dunfermline we were kindly entertained to tea and able to watch their Scottish Cup match with close rivals Freuchie from a cosy perch in the bar. We returned to Edinburgh having accepted a generous offer from Dunfermline of a 20:20 game on Tuesday evening to replace the lost fixture with Broomhall. (Mike Warren of Broomhall offered to reschedule for the following week but we were unable to delay our return home.)

Dunfermline CC vs SICC, Tuesday, July3 (20:20)

Dunfermline won the toss and chose to bat on a breezy, sunlit evening. With a bit of bounce and movement off the seam because of some dampness in the pitch, the Dunfermline batsmen seemed content to defend, despite the limited number of overs. When they tried to force the pace they made mistakes .Wickets fell steadily and the run rate remained pegged at under five an over. Andy Woodcock’s off spin and Ram’s medium pace proved most effective. They took three and two wickets respectively and went for less than three runs per over. Dunfermline were all out for 91 with three balls to spare.

Sarasota’s batters opened steadily and were able to play within themselves while keeping up with the required run rate.With 20 runs needed off the last five overs and seven wickets in hand, Warren McGregor and Gerry John played coolly, pushing singles and making the odd boundary.Gerry hit a final four with two balls to spare and Sarasota won by seven wickets.

Dunfermline 94 all out (19.3 overs) SICC 94 for 3 (19.4 overs) SICC Won by 7 wickets

Dunfermline CC vs SICC, Wednesday, July 4 (Single Innings Declaration Match)

We were in the bus early for the drive over the Firth of Forth and an 11:00 am start at Dunfermline. This match was to be traditional declaration cricket with stops for lunch and tea. Along with our kit we carried club blazers and ties to wear at the Civic Reception after the game to celebrate Dunfermlines’s 150th Anniversary.

Dunfermline won the toss and unsurprisingly chose to bat on a bright and breezy day. The wicket had been covered over night and appeared to be playing easily when Lomesh Prasad struck in his second over. Sarasota were off to a good start with Dunfermline on 6 for 1 in the fourth over. This soon changed as club pro Waqas Ahmed played himself in and proceded to dispatch the ball to the boundary with some frequency. He and club coach Steve Fryer put on 100 for the second wicket befor Fryer was bowled by Andy Woodcock. Ahmed went straight after, lbw to Warren McGregor for 70, and with two key wickets down and the score on 108 for 3, Sarasota looked to be back in the game. However , A. Ferguson and G. Sharp, the pair that followed, after surviving several early appeals for lbw, built a solid partnership and added a further 94 runs before retiring undefeated on 48 and 37, respectively. With 48 overs gone and time left for another 50 or so, Sarasota were hoping that a declaration might come sooner rather than later. It came 20 minutes before the schedule tea break after 57 overs and with Dunfermline on 253 for 7. Warren McGregor, Lomesh Prasad, Andy Woodcock and Don Bacchus all took wickets. Warren, Ram and Don were particularly economical, going for less than three runs per over.

Sarasota started to bat after taking an early tea but with little real prospect of making the more the more than six runs per over required to win in the 40 or so overs remaining. After openers Andy Woodock and Lomesh Prasad went early, Sarasota were two wickets down for eight runs in 12 overs. At this point there was a long rain delay and despite a decision to play an extra hour, the point was long past at which either side could reasonably expect to get a result. Chris Persaud and Warren McGregor continued on a difficult, damp wicket, batting well in the face of some accurate bowling from Ahmed. They retired undefeated on 31 and 36, respectively, leaving Gerry John and Martin Finn to play out a couple of overs before play was called with the match drawn and Sarasota on 83 for 3 after 33 overs.

Dunfermline 253 for 7 (56.1 overs) SICC 83 for 2 (33 overs) Match Drawn

A mad rush for the showers after the game. The Civic Reception started at 7:30 and it was already 7:25. We arrive only a few minutes late, looking unaccustomedly smart in club blazers and ties. (Ckeck the pictures if you don’t believe this.) The City Chambers in Dunfermline are housed in an impressive, high ceilinged, old building. The proceedings began with a speech of welcome from Mrs Frances Melville, the Provost of Fife, who was wearing her gold chain of office. Nancy Gibson, President of Dunfermline Cricket Club responded. Dr Jones representing Dunfermline Sister Cities Association presented SICC President, Laurence Parry, with a beautiful engraved silver plate that commemorates the club’s visit. Richard Lawrence, SICC club captain, ended the ceremonies by reading from the official letter of greetings from the Mayor of Sarasota and presenting the Provost with a waterclour print of the SICC clubhouse. Altogether a wonderful occasion that everyone will remember for a long time to come.

Largo CC vs SICC, Thursday, July 5 (40 overs)

Another picturesque drive across the Firth of Forth, this time heading to the east, ending in the charming village of Upper Largo and a spectacular ground overlooking the sea and the distant mountains on the southern shore. For the first time in three attempts , Sarasota won the toss and chose to bat. The weather was fine, though the sky had the look of rain to come, and the pitch was flat and remakarbly dry considering the amout of recent rain. Andy Woodcock and Lomesh Prasad opened confidently against Largo’s young bowlers, scoring at six an over. The quick loss of Prasad and then David Carr in the seventh and tenth overs didn’t slow the run rate as Chris Persaud quickly got going. Andy and Chris retired not out on 51 and 63 respectively. With solid support from guest player Douglas Rutherford these batsmen saw Sarasota to a close on 40 overs with 225 for 7. Andy returned at the end to strike a lusty six and finish on 60 not out. The game resumed after a sumptuous strawberry tea. The president, Laurence Parry, opened the bowling for Sarasota completing two tidy overs for three runs. Sarasota used nine bowlers in total. Ram Ramamurthy, Martin Finn, Don Bacchus, Shiraz Dharsi and Richard Lawrence all got wickets. Ram was the most successful with figures of seven overs, two maidens, two wickets for six. Largo’s young side batted resolutely for 40 overs and ended on 122 for 7. Top scorers were captain, Dick Dakin, with 31 and Ian Barnes with 46 not out. This game was played in fine spirit and thoroughly enjoyed by both sides. The game was also marked by the first appearance for Sarasota of Sammy John who fielded and batted with aplomb. The rain that had threatened for the second half of the game started as we came off the field. Both sides hastened to the Railway Inn by the harbour to share some well earned liquid refreshments.

SICC 227 for 7 (40 overs) Largo CC 122 for 7 (40 overs) Sarasota won by 105 runs

Hawick and Wilton CC vs SICC, Saturday, July 7 (35 overs)

The wet weather had prevented Hawick from playing on their field since June 2. But they assured us they would do everything possible to get the game on. Their hard work was rewarded by a bright, breezy day. They won the toss and put Sarasota in to bat. It was hard to know what a good score might be with the ball coming on slowly off the soft wicket and the Hawick bowlers getting some movement through the air. The Sarasota top order batted carefully, pushing singles and waiting for the occasional bad ball for boundary opportunities.. With ten overs left, and with Warren McGegor (46) and Chris Persaud (27) back in the dressing room, Saraosota were 110 for 5. Desperate but ineffective efforts were made to accelerate. Two wickets went to run outs and but for a couple of lusty last over blows by Ram, Sarasota would have been well short of their final 142 for 8 from 35 overs. We resumed after tea. With such a low total to defend , Sarasota were going to have to bowl out Hawick in order to win. The opening eight overs by Warren McGregor and Lomesh Prasad netted two wickets and cost just 13 runs. Sarasota were in with a chance. Andy Woodcock and Ram Ram Ramamurthy continued. They bowled straight and were helped by some sharp fielding, including good catches by David Carr, Martin Finn and Andy, off his own bowling. The further the game went, the better the Sarasota total was looking. By the time Andy and Ram had bowled out, the game was was won. Ram took 4 for 21, Andy 3 for 26 and Warren, Lomesh and Richard Lawrence collected a wicket apiece. Hawick ended with 63 off 22.5 overs. Another enjoyable game played with great spirit on both sides. After the game Hawick presented Sarasota with a magnificent quaish. This traditional Scottish welcoming cup (that was duly christened with single malt scotch courtesy of Hawick) will have pride of place in our clubhouse. The bus ride back to Edinburgh through the beautiful rolling hills of the Borders was accompanied by a joyful sing-a-long led by Gerry John.

SICC 142 for 8 (35 overs) Hawick & Wilton CC 63 (23.5 overs) SICC won by 79 runs

A Final Thought

The consensus was that Scotland 2007 was Sarasota’s best tour ever. The tour group knitted together well and enjoyed each other’s company on and off the field. The players were superbly supported by our wives and children and by Gail Landry, our scorer, our president, Laurence Parry and coach Shiraz Dharsi.We played some great clubs and the hospitality was second to none. Special thanks are due to Dunfermline CC and Nancy and Tom Gibson for honouring us with an invitation to be part of ther 150th Anniversary celebrations and for making the game arrangements.

Tour party:

Don and RoseAnne Bacchus, David Carr, Shiraz Dharsi, Martin and Susan Finn, Gerry, Saji and Sammy John, Gail Landry, Richard and Audrey Lawrence, Warren McGregor, Laurence Parry, Lomesh Prasad, Ram Ramamurthy,Vishal Sharma, Chris, Janet and Sheri Thakoorpersad, Andy Woodcock.

Scotland Tour 2007
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