ACADEMICAL REPORT 2020
In 2020, COVID-19 caused disruptions to the cricket schedule at a level not seen since WW2, with only a few ad hoc matches taking place, most notably defeating last years’ league winners, Edinburgh CC, by eight wickets with Max Banks (EA 2002-07) taking a five-wicket haul. 2020 also marked the Club’s 165th anniversary so, amidst postponed celebrations, this year’s report takes journey back in time…
We can trace our origins back to 15 April 1855, when the first cricket match was played at Raeburn Place between the Academy and a team of masters and former pupils in a two innings game. The acquisition of a playing field for the Academy was pioneered by Rev John Hannah (EA Rector 1847-54) and Robert Balfour (EA 1827-34; EAC Secretary 1845-1869) and Academicals is now the oldest ‘Old Boys’ cricket club in Scotland; it boasts 42 Academicals who have played cricket for Scotland, including six who have played both rugby and cricket internationally.
A legendary roll call
Leslie M Balfour-Melville (EA 1864-71), captained the Academy in 1871, going on to captain Scotland and defeat Australia in 1872 at the age of 18; he was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Henry J Stevenson (EA 1880-86), one of the great lob bowlers, took five wickets in five balls for the Academy in 1886, repeating this for Academicals in 1894. Thomas R Marshall (EA 1860-67) played for the MCC and Scotland, and alongside fellow Academicals R Herbert Johnston (EA 1875-80) and Henry J Stevenson (EA 1880-86), was on the Scotland side that defeated a Gloucestershire side which included W G Grace in 1891.
At the turn of the century, Academicals was the pre-eminent cricket club in Scotland; players included Rab Bruce-Lockhart (EA 1930-35), James A Stevenson (EA 1922-34) and Archibald MacPherson (EA 1918-27), each playing several times for Scotland.
In the 1930s, Academicals included eight playing members who had represented Scotland and, in the 1950s and 60s, our most celebrated player was Jimmy Allan (EA 1948-61), who won 60 caps for Scotland between 1953 and 1972, played first-class cricket for Kent and Warwickshire and captained Academicals on tours to Ireland in 1963 and 1964 and to Canada in 1969. He was inducted into Cricket Scotland’s Hall of Fame and a bronze head was unveiled in his honour at the National Gallery Portrait Gallery in 2004.
In 1953, the East of Scotland League was formed (with Academicals first winning this in 1957) and, in 1954, the Academicals Centenary was celebrated with a two-day match against the MCC and a Centenary Dinner; the Toast of The Field was proposed by former Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home.
The Academicals’ most successful decade for silverware was the 1970s, winning the Masterton Trophy in 1970 and 1977 and, for the first time, the Scottish Cup in 1974 with Dave Loudon (EA 1963-72) and Henry Fairweather (EA 1953-74) playing their part. In 1979, as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations, Academicals toured North America, playing matches from Vancouver to California.
Professional signings
Originally an exclusive club for Academy alumni, George Reifer was the first professional signing in 1981; he represented Barbados, and later Scotland. Other signings included Nehemiah Perry, who played four Tests and 21 One Day Internationals for the West Indies, and Peter Steindl, who played for Scotland. In the early 2000s, Academicals signed a number of Australian and New Zealand professionals, including Steve Spoljaric who, between 1999 to 2005, scored 4,092 runs at an average of 66 and took 148 wickets; his top score of 275* against Clackmannan in the 2001 Scottish Cup is possibly the highest score in the upper echelons of Scottish club cricket. Another outstanding sportsman, Stuart Moffat (EA 1982-95), represented the Scottish national rugby team and played first-class cricket for Cambridge University. Remarkably, Moffat holds a first-class average of 169.
Recent success
Club Captain Andrew Cosh, grandson of former Scotland captain Major S H Cosh (EA 1930-38) MBE, led Academicals to Championship promotion in 2017, won the Championship batting award in 2018 and became the first batsman to win the Division 1 and Championship awards in successive years. Cosh and former Academy captain, Max Banks (EA 2002-07), scored a Club and Championship record opening partnership of 258 against Freuchie in 2018.
Looking back and looking forward
In its long history, Raeburn Place hosted several international cricket matches beginning with three Gentlemen of Scotland v Players of Scotland matches in 1865, 1868 and 1870 and a further two in 1881 and 1883. The ground saw Scotland’s first ever ‘cap’ game v Cheltenham College Wanderers in 1870, a match between 22 Scotland players and the All England XI in 1871 and a three-day match in 1956 where Scotland (captained by Major S H Cosh MBE) played Ireland.
We are delighted that this historic ground is being redeveloped to reinstate cricket and transform Raeburn Place into a sporting destination worthy of its heritage.
