Cupar Cricket Club celebrate 125 years of cricket

Cricket has been was played in and around Cupar since early 1836, with the Fife Herald noting that fixtures were spasmodic between that year and 1884. The first  two matches were  against Dundee and Mr W Horsburgh hit the first century for the club in the second match, and in 1871 Cupar were shot out for 3 runs against Abbey Park of St Andrews.

It was in 1884 that the current Cupar Cricket Club was formed when Fred Horsburgh(son of Mr W Horsburgh) returned to Cupar and set about looking for a suitable ground, and a field to the west of the town behind Bonvil House was identified. After considerable work the first match took place between the Club’s first and second XIs.

The club has continued to play on the same ground which in 1910 was renamed Duffus Park when it was bought by and gifted to the town by Dr Barclay of Bonvil.

This will not be the first time that a Scottish representative side has played at Duffus Park. In July 1886 Scotland played against Notts Amateurs losing the two-day match by five wickets.

To celebrate their 125th anniversary, Cupar have arranged a full week of cricket  and the highlight is the match against the SCU President's XI (Jim Young, pictured).

The SCU President's XI contains a blend of youth and experience, current and past internationalists, and will be led by Cricket Scotland’s Operations Director Euan McIntyre. Also included is National Coach Peter Steindl, returning to the ground where he was professional in 1991.

There is also the  father-and-son combination of Peter and Gordon Drummond. Gordon, fresh from captaining Scotland to victory against Canada in the Intercontinental Cup, and  his four-wicket haul against them in the second ODI,  will be looking not to be overshadowed by his father.

SCU President's XI: Euan McIntyre (captain, Heriots), Robbie Birrell (Freuchie), Gordon Drummond (Carlton), Peter Drummond (Meigle), Cameron Farrell (Heriots), Ben Fox (wicket-keeper, Watsonians), Alan Hamilton (Falkland), Gavin McIntyre (Heriots), Steve Paige (Watsonians), Peter Steindl (RH Corstorphine), Tino Weeraratna (Heriots), Andrew Eglinton (Largo) 12th man.

Cupar: Ian Wilkinson (capt), Matt Wilkinson, Gareth Trayner, Hamish Forsman, Michael Murray, Stevie Mair, Brian Russell, Danesh Bailwal, Eric Parsons, Jim Braid, Gordon Anderson

Scorer: AC Baxter (Scribe)

The match starts at 1pm and is 40 overs-a-side