Having successfully achieved our pre-season target of winning the ESCA Championship - and doing so undefeated - the 1st XI qualified to meet the winners of the SPCU North East Championship in a play-off match on Saturday 6th September to determine which side will replace the relegated Meigle in the Eastern Premier League in 2026. Our opponents in the play-off, Freuchie, secured the SPCU title a week earlier, having won 10 of their 12 completed matches. Forty years ago, almost to the day, our opponents - who we had not played since 2013 - had achieved an unexpected victory in the final of the UK-wide village competition at the ‘home of cricket’ and, in so doing, helped to put Scottish cricket on the map. Indeed, several of our members were at Lord’s on that famous day to support our compatriots.

Falkland CC’s Scroggie Park was the picturesque venue for the showdown. An early 11am start, to allow for the shortening daylight hours, meant an early meet at Myreside for the team and their supporters who travelled by coach, met later at the ground by additional supporters who travelled independently.

Given his success with the toss for most of the season, it was almost inevitable that skipper Gareth Weatherall would make the right call again and decide to bat first. The tried and tested opening pair of Oli Hairs and Mike Carson immediately took the initiative and scored freely from the outset. When Freuchie skipper Scott Birrell joined the attack his first ball was driven straight for 6 by Mike Carson who, in doing so, reached 30 and exactly 1,000 runs for the season. Mike is the eighth club member to reach this mark and only the third non-professional to do so. Following a replica a couple of balls later, Mike only managed another couple of runs before falling for 38 to the first ball of the 11th over with the score on 81. One run later both Dan Kirk and Tom Wylie had been dismissed as the Freuchie spinners began to have an impact.

At 95, Oli was judged LBW for a 38-ball 53 with 8 fours and 2 sixes. Kenny Rae then dug in and compiled a composed 25 as wickets continued to fall around him, before an important run-a-ball 24 from Gregour Carr took the total to an underwhelming 165 in the 38th over. All ten wickets fell to the Freuchie spinners. Scott Birrell, who took the first wicket, ended with three. Jeandre Niemann was arguably the pick of their bowlers, taking 3 for 29 from his 10 overs. After finishing his bowling spell, he relieved fellow South African amateur Werner Brand of the keeping gloves to allow Brand to take the last four wickets for only 17 runs.

The beginning of the Freuchie innings almost mirrored our start, although it was Werner Brand alone who took the attack to opening bowlers Gregour Carr and Donovan Du Randt. He was almost solely responsible for the run-rate of 7 per over before his dismissal for a hard-hitting 56 from 41 balls, which included 8 fours and 2 sixes. With the score at 71 he was bowled by Gareth Weatherall from the final ball of the 11th over. Gareth’s first over had been taken for 9 runs but, following that vital dismissal of Brand - Freuchie’s leading run-scorer of the season and with a double century to his credit - he then bowled unchanged with his next 9 overs producing another 3 wickets for a mere 17 runs. His 4 wickets took his total for the season to 45 - the most by anyone in the 1st XI since professional John Pollard’s 64 in 1995.

From that point on, only two Freuchie batsmen reached double figures as Gareth took control and Gregour took three wickets. Following a wicket from Oli, there were several notable contributions in the field. Firstly, it having been noted that the number 8 batsman had a tendency to wander out of his crease, Dan Kirk spotted another careless saunter and - from a few yards behind the stumps - proceeded to underarm a ball from Donovan to stump the batsman. This was followed, a mere two balls later in the same over, by Tom Wylie fielding a ball at backward point. With the batsman having been sent back by his partner when looking to run, Tom transferred the ball from his left hand to his right on the run and threw down the wicket - Dan just managing to get out of the path of the throw! With the score now at 115 for 8, the Freuchie number 10 threw the bat at Gregour and Callum Martin took a very good running, falling catch at deep mid-on. Three balls later Gregour applied the coup-de-grace when he bowled the last man.

And, so, a much-needed victory was achieved and, thereby, premier division cricket secured for 2026. This was the third occasion on which promotion has been achieved by the 1st XI in a season immediately following relegation – 1990 and 2006 being the previous examples. The 22 victories recorded in the season is the most achieved in the club’s 150-year history, while the 3 defeats suffered, all in cup competitions, is the lowest since 1959.

One important consequence of our 1st XI being promoted to the EPL, while the relegated side Meigle re-join the SPCU next year, is that there is one fewer club in the ESCA Championship than normal promotion and relegations would provide for. As a result, ESCA rules reduce the number of relegations from the Championship and lower divisions from the normal two to just one. This provides a reprieve for our 2nd XI who finished ninth (of ten) in Division 1 and who would otherwise have been relegated to Division 2 next season.

Several refreshments were enjoyed by both players (including a very happy 2nd XI captain) and supporters in the early-evening sunshine in the pleasant surroundings of Scroggie Park. Thanks are due to all who travelled to deepest Fife to support the side. Our transport, having been unable to reach the ground, was awaiting the arrival of those who had travelled with it in Falkland’s main street where - under the watchful eye of club treasurer Ewan Robertson - a happy band embarked for a joyous, if noisy, journey back to Myreside. As we approached our destination a cheer went up as it was spotted from Colinton Road that lights in the pavilion could be seen indicating that the bar was actually open! The perfect end to a perfect day and a great way in which to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary.