West of Scotland Cricket Club

The West of Scotland Cricket Club is a large cricket club based in Glasgow, Scotland. Their ground is Hamilton Crescent lohttp://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/button_extlink.pngExternal link (remember http:// prefix)cated in the Partick area of Glasgow's West End.

The current Chairman of the cricket club is the long-serving John Thomson.

The current First XI Captain is IDK Young.

West of Scotland, traditionally, are one of the working class cricket clubs in Glasgow and on a summer's day there can be quite a jovial, rowdy, yet well informed support on the famous banking.

At the moment West boasts of the ultra talented, powerful opener Douglas Lockhart. Lockhart is a member of the Scottish National side as well as being an Oxford Blue and having had trials with Derbyshire CCC.

Another player to have played at county level is Gregor Maiden. His stint at Lancashire was injury plagued though and is now back in Scotland with Grange CC.

West has also produced an array of youngsters who have come through the ranks and now play an impressive level of cricket. Moneeb Iqbal now plays at Durham CCC and made his first class debut last year. In this game Iqbal took a stunning catch on the deep square leg boundary and it has been said that Iqbal is a favourite of Durham captain Michael Hussey.

Another player who came through the ranks of this prestigious club is IDK Young, Ian Young was a member of the MCC young cricketers programme and this stylish left-hander has played extremely well during his period at Lord's. Young returned to Scotland for the 2007 season and will captain the team in 2008. More notably Ian was twelfth man for the English test side when they played the infamous test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in 2006.

Another product of the coveted West Youth system is Craig Wright, the ex-Captain of the Scottish national team. Wright left West of Scotland for Carlton CC due to work commitments. He has now moved back west to the controversial Greenock CC all-stars and captained them to SNCL Premier League Success in 2007.

2006 Season

West of Scotland Cricket Club were promoted to the SNCL Premier league following a final day nailbiter in 2006 and returned to the highest level possible for a Scottish club to play at for the 2007 season. Stand-out performances came from Scottish International Douglas Lockhart with 802 runs at an average of 57.29, Indian pro Barrington Rowland with nearly 1000 runs at an average of 56.24 and the experienced trundlers Mark Gilchrist and John Cameron who took a combined total of 56 wickets at averages of 15.97 and 10.88 respectively. Able support was provided by Ricky Windows, Aussie amateur Tim McKay and Gautam 'G' Hariharan. Young Gregg Watson also scored his first SNCL century with 103*. But we're back for 2009 baby!!!

2007 Season

Following the resignation of the 1st XI captain Mark Gilchrist the then vice-captain Gregg Watson took over and despite an unsuccessful season team spirit and morale was restored.

The season started poorly for the West with defeats to Uddingston and Ferguslie. However, in the Uddingston match, star opener Dougie Lockhart suffered a knee injury which was to put the powerful opener out for the season. However, Ian Young and Barry Rowland made encouraging starts on their return to West with innings of 63 (against Ferguslie) and 90 (against Uddingston). Then, in an all-Glasgow affair West restricted the Clydesdale heavyweights to 185-4 in their allotted 47 overs. However, as was to be the theme of the year, West subsided meekly to 120 all out.

They then recorded their first win of the season against southsiders [http://www.poloc.com Poloc] by 17 runs, Barry Rowland in the runs with a superb 101, while Tim McKay supported with 58*. Ian Cran was the main wicket-taker with 3-45. However, seven losses and six wash-outs meant that West were already relegated by the time they recorded their second win, in a match against second-bottom Heriots on the final day of the season.

Ian Young has been nominated as Captain for 2008 with Douglas Lockhart as Vice Captain. The eleven will be chasing promotion back to the premier division next year.

Juniors

The current starlets of this junior system are members of a somewhat underachieving under 18s side. However, West has many talented players in its junior system, including 17 year old Cameron Gibb, 16 year old seamer Max Ralston, 15 year old pace bowler Gavin "Guvnor" Smith, Recently turned "Leg Spinner" to "Seamer" 15 year old Chris Ross, Alfred "Alfie" Lloyd who's punishing drives, slog sweeps and cuts make bowlers of the calibre of Moneeb Iqbal sit up and take notice and 11 year old Andrew Umeed, who recently scored 147 in a district U12 tournament. Within the last few years, the West junior section have delivered many things including the achievement of sending out an unknown year old playing U18s cricket by the name of Sunny Ahmed, who dared to go out to face the lightning pace of Scotland U17 bowling allrounder Craig Morrison without protection. Another household name of WOSCC is 14 year old Blair Moffat who memorably made his debut for the 3s in a hoodie and jeans after getting a late call from Captain McKendry. He was quoted as being (by Stewart Murray) "the most unathletic boy I have ever seen" after the "bounce" game which the Ferguslie opener took part in and subsequently ruined the spirit in which it was played.

1st XI Players Profiles

Gregg Watson(Vice-Captain): Opening Batsman RHB/RSM

IDK Young: Batsman/ Occasional Bowler LHB/RM

Douglas Lockhart: Opening Batsman/ Wicketkeeper RHB

John McGrady: Middle Order Batsman/ Occasional Wicketkeeper RHB

Ian Cran: Bowler RHB/LMF

Gautham Hariharan: Bowler RHB/RMF

Stewart Leggat: Batsman/ Occasional Bowler RHB/OS

Max Ralston: Bowler RHB/RM

Kevin Kahler: Bowler RHB/RSM

David McNulty: Bowling All-Rounder/Pinchhitter RHB/RFM

Ross Brown: Batsman LHB/LM

Craig Brown: All-Rounder RHB/OS

Tim McKay: All-Rounder RHB/OS

Mike Wrathall: Batsman/Occasional Wicketkeeper/ Occasional Bowler RHB/RM

—Duncan Kelso: Tail-End Batsman/Traitor

Gordon Goudie Bowler RHB/RF

External links

* [http://www.westofscotlandcricketclub.co.uk/ Official site www.wdcu-cricket.net - WDCU Site] hello