2011 – West’s 150th Anniversary Season – A Real Opportunity to Celebrate our Immense Sporting Heritage since 1862
January 18, 2011Since West was founded in 1862, a great deal of history has been created at our famous Hamilton Crescent ground in Partick. Hamilton Crescent is arguably the only sporting ground in the United Kingdom to host four international sports – cricket, football, hockey and rugby union.
In 1872, the first ever Football International was played at Hamilton Crescent. This was between Scotland and England (a 0-0 draw) followed by another two games between the Auld Enemy in 1874 and 1876 (both wins for Scotland). A plaque, proudly placed on the Clubhouse wall, was presented to West by the Scottish Football Association in 2002 to celebrate the 130th Anniversary of that First International Match.
Four Rugby internationals were played in the early 1900s and in 1914 a hockey international was held between England and Scotland.
The Scottish Cup Final in 1876-77 between Rangers and Vale of Leven graced West’s turf and Hamilton Crescent is now the oldest SURVIVING ground on which a Scottish Cup Final has been played.
Hamilton Crescent is, and has been, predominately a Cricket Ground which has seen 58 International Matches and many famous faces over the years. From 1868, Partick witnessed International Cricket with games against major Test playing countries as follows:
6 v New Zealand (1927 to 1989)
5 v South Africa (1907 to 1951)
4 v Australia (1930 to 1989)
1 each v West Indies (1966),Bangladesh (1998) and Pakistan (2003).
West of Scotland Cricket Club has played its part in administering Cricket in Scotland. The following members have carried out with honour the role of President of Cricket Scotland (formerly the Scottish Cricket Union):
1880-81 J MacNeil
1910 H Tennent
1984 W M Mann (our current Hon. President) elected from Glasgow Academicals CC.
1999 T Anderson
2004-05 T Anderson
2008/9 J H D Young
In addition B H Hope was a long serving Treasurer of SCU.
22 members of West of Scotland Cricket Club have played International Cricket for Scotland.
3 members have captained Scotland. Craig Wright, who won 194 caps between 1997 and 2009 and currently shares the most number of caps held, was skipper from 2002 to 2009. Douglas Lockhart has won 178 caps from 1995 to 2010 and has also captained Scotland on a number of occasions. Alistair Storie, who won 33 caps from 1989 to 1995, also captained Scotland during 1993 to 1995. The following – in date order – have been capped:
1 D C R Buchanan (the Club’s founder) (1865)
1 A K Tennent (1907)
4 J M Tennent (1922)
1 W J M Beardmore (1924)
1 W A S Elder (1936)
1 A F Wensley** (1938)
1 R D Fairbairn) (1938)
The next cap awarded to a West of Scotland Cricket Club member was in 1980 to the current Chairman, Gordon Smith.
4 G M Smith (1980)
30 D L Snodgrass (1982)
3 D L Haynes** (West Indies) (1983)
10 C E B Rice** (South Africa) (1988)
1 J G A Williams (1989)
33 A C Storie (1989)
13 M S Richardson (1990)
178 D R Lockhart (1995)
194 C M Wright (1997)
93 G I Maiden (1998)
10 C J Richards** (Australia A) (1999)
4 S D Gilmour (2001)
21 M M Iqbal (2002)
43 G Goudie (2004)
and in 2010 – Lynne Dickson (age 17) was capped 10 times by Scotland Ladies to become West’s first lady internationalist.
** As these players were Club Professionals their appearances for Scotland were regarded as “non-cap”.
Many of the early Benson and Hedges One Day games against English Counties came to Partick and in 1991 the redoubtable Dickie Bird presented Groundsman Warne Haining and Ground Convenor Tom Anderson with an outstanding Pitch Report for the match v Kent.
Scottish Cricket Cup Finals have been regularly held at Hamiton Crescent since the mid 60s, the 2010 Final matching Uddingston (the winners) against Stirling County on a superb summer day when Hamilton Crescent looked its very best.
In 1957 the first Indoor Cricket School of its type in Scotland was opened by England Test batsman, Cyril Washbrook. This facility is still used by many Clubs but is in need of substantial upgrading and modernising for the future.
The ground – in addition to cricket – is used by Partick Thistle for training, by Hyndland Secondary School throughout the year for Physical Education and by Hyndland Primary School for various school events.
Our 150th Anniversary Season not only provides an ideal opportunity to celebrate the Club’s strong heritage throughout the season but also to generate extra income to ensure that West can move confidently forward in its ambition to extend its reputation as a strong community orientated Scottish Cricket Club.
This will only be achieved with the help of every single member of West and I know that Gordon Smith and his Board look forward to everyone’s active support in ensuring a successful season on and off the field in this our 150th Anniversary Season.
