Strathmore Cricket Union: the first 90 years a history 1928-2018

26 compelled to leave the Union. This was a clear piece of sabre rattling and emotional blackmail. It was not to be taken seriously, one feels, and is an ironic comment after all the hard work that Sievwright himself had put in to establish the Union. The big boys usually did stick together and Brechin agreed while Strathmore, without saying anything, tacitly followed suit and the motion fell. But the matter would not entirely go away, for Mr Luke of Montrose gave notice of a motion for next year’s AGM to the effect that there should always be 5 hours of actual cricket, something that would make midweek evening games more or less impossible. Montrose also protested at this AGM about “an Umpire’s decision” in a game against Strathmore in Forfar. What the actual decision was we do not know, and a perusal of the newspapers about the game played at Lochside in June reveals little of controversy. There was clearly little that could be done at this stage in any case, and following some smooth talking from the ever diplomatic and gentlemanly Mr Melville of Strathmore, the matter was dropped and Montrose were refunded their 10 shillings which accompanied this protest. Brechin thencollected their trophies onceagain fromtheEarl of Strathmore. Next year would be different, for an era was coming to an end.