HIGHLAND AND LOWLAND BRIGADES’ CRICKET CLUB
2008 SEASON REPORT
2008 was a spectacular season and the Highland and Lowland Brigades’ broke new ground by notching up our first win against the Rifles Cricket Club at St Cross near Winchester. Their natural talent and strength in depth presented us with a significant challenge. We won the toss and with more than 50% of the team being made up of serving officers, we elected to bat. We put on 169 (top scorers: Al Steele – 37, L MacDuff – 27 and N Tomlin – 26) and we were anxious that this would not be enough.
The Rifles were not prepared for the stylish, penetrating and accurate Robbie Donaldson who bowled beautifully. He made the crucial early breakthroughs and then tore through the middle order finishing with a spectacular 5 for 32 with 5 maidens. He was ably supported by Al Steele (2 for 24). However, the Rifles opener appeared not to want to be out; with one wicket to fall and time running out the captain put himself on to bowl. In his second over and with the Rifles on 149 the opener fell leg before wicket! The team performed brilliantly and produced our first win against the Rifles in what was an exciting, tight and hugely enjoyable game.
We were determined to have a result in The Guards match this year and winning the toss we opted to bat with Tom Hawkins and Al Steele setting an opening partnership of 78. The 2nd wicket fell at 147 and the 3rd wicket at 207. We declared with a phenomenal 259 for 7. (Top scorers were T Hawkins – 88, A Steele – 42, J Riddell – 45, G Wearmouth – 29).
The unpredictable and intermittent rain showers were enough to break our rhythm in the field and insufficient time prevented us from bowling them out. The match was drawn with the Guards on 144 for 5. Jamie Riddell had the best bowling figures of 2 for 13.
And so, briefly, to the HAC match. 20/ 20 was the format and on an unusually dark evening the two teams gathered for burst of energetic cricket. Sadly, the HAC were a man or two short and very gallantly the Highland and Lowland Brigades’ Captain, Tim Coles, offered to provide a player. The HAC set an adventurous target for us to chase and in the final moments of the match succeeded in bowling us out.
So in summary, we won one, drew one and lost one and all the while having great fun too!