About Us

Introduction 

Heriot's Cricket Club is one of the oldest clubs in Scottish cricket, having celebrated its centenary in 1989. It was originally founded by the former pupils of George Heriot's School, however, is now a members club. The club celebrated 125 years in 2014. 

Over the years the Club has produced some of the finest players in Scottish cricket and has frequently contributed players to Scotland's senior and youth sides.

We have two squares on our ground at Goldenacre in Edinburgh and currently run four senior sides. The 1st XI play in the Eastern Premier league, the 2nd XI play in ESCA Championship and the 3rd XI play in ESCA Division 3 and a 4th XI who are involved in Sunday League. We also run Junior sides at Under 10; Under 12; Under 14 and Under 16 age groups. In 2021 we introduced our women’s section, who train on Friday evenings at Goldenacre. 

History

Heriot’s Cricket Club was Former Pupils Cricket Club of George Heriot’s. The Former Pupils Club was founded on the 5th December 1889. Heriot’s Cricket Club is the oldest out of George Heriot’s Former Pupils Clubs. 

The clubs first home ground was at Logie Green, however, this was relatively short lived and in 1902 the club was moved to Goldenacre in the Warriston district of Edinburgh and have called it home ever since. The very first delivery at Goldenacre, by William White of Heriot's, produced a simple caught-and-bowled chance, promptly grassed – not the last easy catch to be dropped at the ground. 

The club has always had at least two regular elevens, and often three or four, as well as a continuing link with Heriot's School. However, some of its earliest members were not Herioter’s, including the clubs first Scottish Representative John Mushet, other members were teachers at the School. Mushet aside, John Waddell was another great cricketer who inaugurated a tradition of spin bowling (left-arm, in Waddell's case) and took nearly 300 wickets in six seasons. The Club groundsman was also usually a competent player, who would play for the team as the "professional". This tradition continued until the 1970s, with names including David "Pa" Nicoll, Arthur Creber and George Waites. 

After the First World War, Heriot's FP emerged as one of the leading clubs in the East of Scotland. The playing facilities at Goldenacre expanded to their present dimensions with two, sometimes three, squares. Several talented players appeared, such as batsman Alec Bateman, off-spinner Alex Gordon, opening bowler Jack Nicoll, and aggressive all-rounder Sid Plowright. Two where capped for Scotland, all-rounder Charles Groves and Club professional Arthur Creber, a quick bowler who has the only "all-10" in the clubs history. Wicketkeeper Lindsay Mitchell would later become an influential figure as master in charge of cricket at the school, especially in the period after 1950 when a flood of playing talent emerged to inaugurate the club's most successful period on the field, between 1966 and 1985.

There was no East League until 1953. Once formed, Heriot's FP immediately became one of its leading sides, regularly challenging for the title, although with no ultimate success for many years. The bowling attack was spearheaded by international fast bowlers Jim Souness and George Miller. Ken Scotland, also known as one of the many Herioter's Scotland rugby full-backs, was also capped for Scotland at cricket in 1955. The club had strength in depth, with the Second XI winning the league (Grade A) four times between 1954 and 1960.  Towards the end of the 1950s saw two of the most famous Heriot Crickets emerge from the school, off-spinning all-rounder George Goddard and opening batsman/wicketkeeper Hamish More. With their maturing influence, Heriot's FP finally won the East League for the first time in 1966, and went on to take the title again in 1969 and 1970. Goddard and More became the first Herioter’s to hold down regular places in the Scotland side: More scored his first international century in 1969, while Goddard was eventually appointed Scotland captain in 1974.

Heriot's FP moved to an "open club" in 1974, allowing a limited number of non-Herioter’s to become members. This move heralded a spectacular period of consistent success in an increasingly competitive East League. The championship was won eight times between 1974 and 1983, including seven successive titles from 1977. In addition, the Club took the Scottish Cup in 1978, defeating ancient rivals Watsonians at Hamilton Crescent. Key recruits included internationalist opening bowlers in Peter Rhind, Eric Thompson and Jack Ker, alongside batsman Andrew Ker. George Goddard and Hamish More continued amongst the leading players in Scotland alongside two other home-grown players, spinners Richard Rodger and Euan McIntyre. Both were also capped for Scotland within this remarkable period for the club. Heriot's strength in depth was also apparent with the Second XI winning four Grade A titles between 1971 and 1982.

The run-up to the club's celebration of its centenary season in 1989 was not so successful in terms of league titles and trophies, although the Second XI won the Grade A league again in 1988 (including a "10-for" performance by Dave McDougall). The centenary was marked not only by a cricket week blessed with fine weather and great matches, but also by publication of a detailed Club history which has since been enthusiastically reviewed by no less than best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith.  The interior of the Goldenacre pavilion, including the bar area, was modernised by the Heriot Trust in a further marking of the club's century.

The Club entered the Scottish National League in 1996 as champions of the East League having taken the title in successive seasons in 1994 and 1995. The Scottish Cup was won again in 2000, with victory over Grange in a match played at Boghall, Linlithgow. The club never won the National League, however, the club always remained in the National League until the end of the 2009 season, when relegation followed defeat in a play-off with Forfarshire.  However, the following season we saw an immediate return to the Eastern Premier League (Renamed after the National League). 

In the latter period of the club's history caps have been gained by Mike Allingham, Asim Butt, John Blain, Sean Weeraratna, Dewalt Nel, Stephen Knox and, continuing the More family theme, young Robert More was capped in 2002.  Several rugby internationalists have turned out for Heriot's Cricket Club over the years and the club still retains strong links with its sister rugby club. Ken Scotland, Adam Buchanan-Smith, Andrew Ker and Gordon Ross have all been capped for Scotland at rugby while playing their cricket at Goldenacre in the summer months.

Heriot's won the Scottish Cup in 2012 defeating Watsonians in the final by 6 wickets captained by Scottish international cap Steve Knox in 2013 Heriot's finished sixth in the Eastern Premier Division and reached the final of the Masterton Trophy, losing to close rivals Grange in the final. The 3rd XI finished second in their league and got promoted. 

Cameron Farrell scored a record (including Masterton Trophy games) number of runs with 817 and an average of 68.08. Mark Watt finished top of the bowling figures taking 37 wickets at an average of 17.59. Mark Watt featured in the Scotland U/19 team that went to the World Cup in Sri Lanka at the end of the season. In 2014, captained by Cameron Farrell and Steve Knox as Coach. The club celebrated 125 years. This was marked by playing a Scotland XI on 27 July at Goldenacre as part of the celebrations. The club finished 4th overall in the Eastern Premier League that year, however, the Under 18’s won the Scottish Cup for the first time in the club's history. Led by Mark Watt the team defeated Carlton in the final and also accounted for Grange, Watsonians, Clydesdale and Ayr on route to winning the Cup.

In 2017 under the captaincy of Keith Morton, the club went on to win the Eastern Premier League and in 2019 the Scottish Cup and Masterton T20. In 2021 under new captain and Scotland’s Mark Watt the club won the Eastern Premier League and the Scottish Cup. 

The club also saw capped Scotland Internationalists Mark Watt, Matthew Cross, Gavin Main and Adrian Neill. All represent Scotland throughout major tournaments. 

The current set up holds a first XI in the Eastern Premier Division, Second XI in ESCA Championship and Third XI in ESCA Division 3, 4thXI Development team and a Women’s section. The junior set up covers, under 10's, 12's, 14's and 16's.