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

55 Strathmore repeated their success of last year, and won the League, this time by a healthy margin of 8 points and remained undefeated in the Union. They also won the Three Counties Cup, thus emulating the feat of Forthill XI who, in the somewhat different circumstances of 1940, had also pulled off the double. The strength of the Strathmore side lay in its batting with Strathmore players occupying four of the top seven places in the Averages and Jim Samson topping the pile with 47.44. His highest score was only 62, so that shows some remarkable consistency. Arbroath however won the 2nd XI Championship, and just to show that there is nothing permanent about success, Brechin, bereft by now of most of their fine pre-war players, finished up bottom of both divisions. On Monday 11th August 1947, Strathmore entertained J M Fleming’s Empire XI, containing six Test Match players. The group was spending a week touring Scotland, playing every day at a different venue. Originally billed as a Strathmore Union Select, the home side eventually consisted only of Strathmore players. The day was distinguished by a classy century Strathmore 1947 – Union Champions Back :- J F Farquharson, T W L Bell, D Balfour, E Balfour Middle:- W Hovell (Secy), D D Bell, J C Smith (Ump), J D Henderson, J K Young, A A Sturrock, D G Reid, G Duncan, G B Ross, W C Cook Front: A Ramsbottom (Prof), J A Forbes, J A Smith (Pres), J A Samson (Capt), C W Renilson (V-Pres), D Donald (V-Capt), L Halstead In Front:- F Mann (Scorer)