Glens Promoted to Premier League
The journey to National League cricket has been longer than some might expect but the Glens will now take their place at top-table of Scottish game.
In 2012 a 1st XI consisting only Chris Greaves from the 2015 team won two play-offs in a single weekend at Falkland. Captain Chippy Dale won the ESCA Division 1 title at a canter and the club was abound with excitement at the prospect of National League cricket.
On the Saturday we beat Dundee HSFP who won the SPCU title and then on the Sunday won a further play-off versus Edinburgh Accies who had finished bottom of the CSL Championship table.
So the Glens who won both play-offs easily embarked on a campaign in the CSL Championship with considerable investments made in facilities and a move to a new ground on the horizon. Under new skipper Greig Hopcroft the team finished third, a fine showing all said an done – Forfarshire were Champions and heading up to the CSL Premier League and neighbours Falkland edged runner-up spot from the Glens by a 16 run aggregate.
A league restructure engineered by former Cricket Scotland CEO Roddy Smith ensured that was the end of National League cricket for the Glens though; Falkland were also promoted (no play-off needed for the Scroggie Park club) and the Glens were consigned to the new ESCA Championship – lots of time and money wasted; until now!
Having missed out to RHC in 2014 a young Glenrothes 1st XI embarked on a campaign with genuine focus. Scotland legend Ryan Watson and coach Graeme Beghin both left for Forfarshire but Chris Greaves stayed on and Rizwan Akbar joined from Freuchie to add some steel to the developing young side, captained by Robbie Wright.
Winning every match of their league season wasn’t quite the steam roller campaign it sounds; there were close things against Grange and Carlton at home and even basement side MDAFS pushed the Glens close.
Whilst Chris Greaves (1203 runs) and Rizwan Akbar (50 wickets) take the plaudits it was a genuine team effort and the whole squad can be proud of what they achieved.
A wide ball by Gordonians at Freuchie on Saturday spelled the end of an invincible league campaign for Robbie Wright and his team. The celebrations were well deserved and it was great to see so many from the clubs past, present and future at pitch side to cheer on the lads.
The CSL Premier League represents a new chapter in the history of Glenrothes CC, a chance to play at the summit and highest attainable tier of Scottish cricket for the first time.
The jump will not be easy, the off-season planning will be arduous and as in most previous years the players will be expected to rise to a new challenge; but all said and done the Glens wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Champions – Full 2015 Squad:
Alec Davies
Ben Wilkinson
Chris Greaves
Fraser Gosse
Fred Culley
Graham Dodds Jnr
Guy Hudson
Guy Robinson
Jordan Davidson
Kenny Crichton
Kris Glen
Mark Braid
Rizwan Akbar
Robbie Wright (Captain)
Scott Lucas
Shane Munro
Shaun Davidson
Vasu Reddy
Special thanks also to Lesley Anne Davidson (Scorer), Gary Wilkinson (Live Streaming), Robert Hutchison (Team Admin) plus John Bell, Chris Yarwood & Ross Mearns (Groundsman).
2015 Scorecards & Match Reports