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

32 were two games short when eventually in late September the Emergency Committee, as it was called, which took the day to day Executive decisions, declared Arbroath the Champions. They had played 15 games and reached 25 points (two points for a win, we recall, one for a draw) whereas Brechin had played 14 games for 21. It followedthereforethat ifBrechinwontheiroutstandinggamesandArbroath lost theirs, the Championship could be tied. But the Emergency Committee (containing incidentally Bob Sievwright from Arbroath and Charlie Moir from Brechin, who presumably withdrew from the discussion of this particular item of business) decided that Arbroath were the Champions, especially in view of the fact that Arbroath had beaten Brechin twice, both home and away. (This is now called the “direct match” in qualification for football’s World Cup) Nevertheless Bob Laing of Brechin felt obliged to object at the AGM to the decision of the Emergency Committee, stating that it would create a precedent. The reply however was that there was already a precedent for the 2nd XI Championship had been decided in this way in the past. Arbroath remained the Champions, but consideration was to be given in future to some sort of percentage system, if all games could not be completed. Had Arbroath not won the Championship, it would have been an outrage, for their two wins over Brechin had been comprehensive with Sievwright, now well over 50, instrumental in both games. 8 for 34 at Lochlands and 7 for 27 at Guthrie Park are figures that could not be argued with. The game at Brechin saw Sievwright dismiss Bob Laing, Willie Eddie and Davie Chapman for ducks, as well as an altercation with his own Umpire over a decision not given, something that The Evening Telegraph says “tickled” the home crowd! One wonders whether Bob Sievwright and the Umpire shared the same car home. Arbroath had further cause for congratulations when their 2nd XI won their Championship as well. Brechin however had beaten Arbroath earlier in the inaugural Three Counties Cup – the Three Counties being Aberdeenshire, Forfarshire (or Angus as it was now called) and Perthshire. This was a new knock-out tournament to be played on midweek evenings. The games were timed in the sense that the team batting second was given the same amount of time by the (neutral) Umpires that the team batting first had. It would eventually move to 25 Overs per side because there are obvious problems involved in time games including opportunities to waste time. Even so, it