Cricket Club Issue 42 | Page 39

Northern Counties the pupils now also attend Northern Meeting Park for regular training sessions. Club President Stewart Lackie, and Club captain Mike Evans, have been assisting with the Fortrose training and are delighted with the progress. Training facilities are being upgraded. Two new mobile nets and a second bowling machine have been purchased and new matting is under consideration. The Committee appreciate that they need to have a greater awareness of opportunities beyond cricket. It is hoped that discussions with the Meeting Park’s owners, the Highland Council, could lead towards greater use of the venue to produce a true community facility, and to further improvements to the facilities by club members, who appreciate that Council funds are restricted. Stewart Lackie commented, “The 150th anniversary is increasing the visibility of the cricket club, and we were delighted to hear that the Highland Council is to provide Northern Counties with a Civic Reception at the Town House in August, recognising the significant contribution the club has made to the community since its’ inception at the venue 150 years ago. We have also been fortunate in recruiting so many new members, including Australian Matty Newman, a green keeper at nearby Castle Stuart Championship Golf Course. A fantastic addition with both bat and ball, he leads the Nosca batting aggregate by a huge margin, with two centuries and two fifties in his six innings so far this season. Both Matty and Dave Dugdale have been selected for the NOSCA Select team, and produced excellent performances. Apart from the weather, our main problem is the retention of trained young players who so often head South to Universities and subsequent employment, but we have made good progress in a short time, and I am confident that Northern Counties will be around in another 150 years,” Stewart concluded. Home of finest Bangladeshi / Indian and Balti Cuisine Sam and his team have over 30 years experience between them in the trade. Opening Times Mon - Wed: 12 - 2pm. & 5 - 11pm. Thurs - Sun: 12 - 11pm. Business lunches from Mon - Sat from £6.95 local home delivery available Phone: 01463-713-111 Website: www.samscuisine.com 77/79 Church Street Inverness IV1 1SE www.sportip.biz 39