Roseburn Park was engulfed in mist when I arrived. Murrayfield Stadium glowered above those engaged in sporting activity in front of me. But this wasn't rugby, it was cricket. An East of Scotland Cricket Association (ESCA) Division 1 match between Murrayfield-DAFS and Drummond-Trinity. The scene was, frankly, somewhat damp and dismal, not exactly the image of cricket one might expect. A far cry from the archetypical cricketing scene of warm evenings on the village green. This is cricket in a public park on a chilly early May day – in Scotland.
In the middle, frantic swishing and swiping from the lower order batsman was making little impression on the scoreboard. 66 for the loss of six wickets (off 26 overs) was the unimpressive score for the away side Drummond Trinity. They play their matches at another public park, Inverleith, having previously been based at the Bangholm ground in Trinity. The tall Murrayfield-DAFS bowler from the Water of Leith end was bowling with 'good wheels', though the damp ball was playing havoc with his control. A damp ball poses a lot of problems for the fielding side. Each time it went into the outfield, it had to be dried in a large cloth.
For many, damp days like this only highlight how unsuitable Scotland is for cricket. While not ideal climate-wise, lots of cricket is played in the country, though it rarely garners much media attention. Scotland's remarkable win over England on a scorching day in 2018 was one of the few occasions that the sport has burst into the national consciousness. More recently, the sport has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons; the damning report into Cricket Scotland which found that this governing body failed on almost all tests of institutional racism.
This is not the only challenge the sport faces. In April, Poloc Cricket Club lost control of their Shawholm ground, emphasising the difficulties faced by this primarily amateur sport. It shows how tenuous is the existence of even the most established clubs. The dissolution of the club was marked by a display of photographs from its 145 years. They have now been added to the Mitchell Library archives as the club passes into history.
The smattering of spectators at Roseburn looked on as an overambitious 'hack' caused the downfall of another batsman. He got a smattering of applause on his return to the boundary edge. His replacement stepped out with a beanie hat, reflecting the chilly afternoon. The fielders had their hands deep in their pockets, not due to a lack of interest but to somehow keep themselves warm. The highlight of this batman's short but entertaining stay was a well struck boundary which forced the square leg umpire to inelegantly duck out of the way.
Some lusty hitting helped the batting side encroach upon a 100 and perhaps gain a foothold in the match. Some sloppy fielding gifted a few extra runs, with the wicketkeeper imploring his teammates to remain on the ball ('wakey wakey'). A big six over midwicket further boosted the batting side as the hazy sunshine tried to burn through the mist… but ultimately failed. Teapots (when fielders frustratedly put their hands on their hips) were seen across the field as a couple of lofted shots landed just in front of fielders. A score of 104-8 off 34 overs (of the allotted 40 per side) suggested that a vaguely competitive total of 125 was possible.
Then, the number nine batsman fell as a well-struck pull shot found the midwicket fielder's hands. The sense of relief for the bowling side was palpable. As was the frustration of the batsman ('Why didn't I hit it over his head?' he seemed to be saying as his teammates sympathised). With nine wickets down, the batting team congregated around the scorers' table, hoping the final pair could eke out a few more runs. Their hopes were in vain, the batsman 'skying' the ball vertically into the grey sky and was, after a bit of uncertainty between fielders, caught. 109 all out. Polite applause greeted the batsman and fielding side as they returned to the side.
As the players went inside for refreshment the park quietened. In the distance a tram trundled by. Suddenly, the motor of the heavy roller started and the groundsman drove it swiftly out to the middle to roll the wicket. In the five minutes or so he had, the wicket could hardly be dramatically improved but some of the worst indentations were flattened out. The improved appearance helps the batsman feel a little more confident. The true value of the roller is in the days before the match, flattening and hardening the wicket. Though, true hardness requires warmth and sunshine which both have been severely lacking recently.
The ground has never been an easy one to keep in top condition as Roseburn Park acts as a floodplain. A large flood in 2000 precipitated the flood defences project which was completed in January 2018. The west section of the park did get flooded by the surge of December 2022 (the biggest flood since 2000), but not the main cricket square in the eastern half.
In essence, it's a good venue for the sport, with generously proportioned boundaries and trees around it which provide some shelter from the wind. But in the past it had a bad reputation among cricketers as it was poorly maintained (by Edinburgh Leisure). This is seen across the city in the public parks. The Meadows has three cricket squares, which I walk past most days. I'm told that the pitches there were properly maintained 40-50 years ago but now get cursory attention.
Murrayfield-DAFS have now taken a more active role in pitch preparation and this seems to have helped produce a much better playing surface. The club was formed from a merger between Murrayfield CC and DAFS (Department of Agriculture & Fisheries in the Scottish Office) and for a time used the old Civil Service ground at Muirhouse. This was home to an infamously tricky surface, thankfully now history.
The square at Roseburn was relaid and turned around about a decade ago and seems to be playing much better these days. 109 might have been a more competitive score in the old days of an unrolled square. The improvements in the square at Roseburn have gone alongside a general growth in the club (four Saturday XIs), as well as a successful junior section which has produced several good players. Efforts by the Friends of Roseburn Park to transform a broken down old toilet block into a smart cafe have also added to the sense of improvement.
As the mist again closed in and the breeze cooled, the brave players prepared to head out again. But not before finishing off their large mugs of tea, warming their hands at the same time. The fielding side started to limber up and the opening bowlers started to turn their arms over. A warm-up is certainly required on a day like this. The batsman received a few 'throw downs' to get them ready for the first salvos. They also played some shadow shots, imagining flowing drives, not the hurried jabs that usually constitute a batsman's initial efforts.
The opening bowler had a rather staccato run up and struggled to find consistency, conceding six runs off his first over. The left-handed opening batsman made a particularly bright start, picking up several twos and handy boundaries with his slightly unorthodox but effective strokes. The early overs lacked threat and the victory target of 110 looked like it would be a cakewalk. As Murrayfield-DAFS reached 21-0 off three overs, the fielding side looked dispirited and a sense of the inevitable took hold. The dipping temperature didn't help. It really wasn't a day to be out in the field. Those walking by were all wearing thick jackets.
Then, suddenly, the right handed opener is out, edging a good ball to the wicketkeeper. The number three batsman came out and started steadily. Clearly he was planning to steer rather than blast his side to victory. At 34/1 off seven overs, they were well on target and rain was all that could prevent them from winning. They duly reached the target in the 31st over with five wickets down and rain in the air.
The next day, Roseburn was bathed in warm sunlight as cacophonous Celtic fans thronged round the local hostelries. A lovely afternoon for cricket, not the misty chill the players had to battle through the day before. Such are the challenges and vagaries of cricket in Scotland.
Charlie Ellis is a researcher and EFL teacher who writes on culture, education and politics
