CRICKET FESTIVAL IS A BIG HIT WITH KIDS
CRICKET EK PRIMARY SCHOOL FESTIVAL
Hunter Primary School were celebrating recently after being crowned champions at East Kilbride’s first-ever indoor cricket festival.
Four schools from the town and Strathaven sent a team of primary four pupils to the Alistair McCoist Sports Complex earlier this month to battle it out for the coveted trophy, with Hunter Primary seeing off local rivals Canberra in the final to claim the silverware.
St Hilary’s and Strathaven-based St Patrick’s also competed and every pupil received medals and an indoor cricket ball for playing their part in a fantastic event, which was organised through South Lanarkshire Leisure’s Active Schools programme
In preparation for the event, East Kilbride Cricket Club development officer, Derek Wright, visited all schools for five weeks, delivering fun cricket taster lessons to prepare the children for the competition.
As well as this, Derek visited these schools and spoke of opportunities for the pupils to play cricket in the community setting.
Derek said: “It was really great to see the kids having such a good time playing cricket.
“Given that the children only had four cricket sessions prior to the day itself, they executed their new skills really well and the tournament was played in great spirit.
“Hopefully the kids will feel inspired and will come along to EK Cricket Club to continue their development and make new friends.
“A huge thanks to everyone involved in making the tournament such a positive event.
“Special thanks goes to our sponsor www.jmanderson.co.uk. Without their contribution we couldn’t have staged such a memorable event.”
Sponsors James M Anderson Ltd provided all cricket balls, medals, and trophy as well as supporting the schools transport to the event.
East Kilbride Cricket Club would also like to thank South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Active Schools Coordinators for their support with planning the event.
If you, or your child are interested in playing cricket, please email juniors@ekcricket.co.uk or visit www. calderglensportshub.co.uk for more information.
TRAMPOLINE ASPIRE STARS IN THE MEDALS
Aspire Trampoline Club have been in the medals recently with a series of impressive displays.
Most notably, member Nicky Smith overcame a broken ankle to become the first senior men’s British trampoline champion from Scotland.
The youngster qualified for the finals by winning two Spring Series competitions, in the disability performance category, breaking several records for execution and difficulty.
Nicky then travelled to England for the British Trampoline and DMT Championships at Birmingham Arena where, after the preliminary round, was in the lead by 1.6 marks.
The final saw the best battling it out to become British champions and, despite his nearest competitor trying the most difficult routine he had ever performed, Nicky became British champion by a margin of 5.4 marks.
That was 12 weeks after Nicky broke his ankle during a trial for the Scotland Double Mini Trampoline team in June.
That, combined with problems of getting training time due to health and safety issues, did not bode well, but he still took the top prize.
Nicky and three team-mates from Aspire Trampoline Academy then competed at the Scottish Championships in Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth.
On the Saturday, East Kilbride youngster Connor Hamilton won gold at trampoline 13+ level 3, with Connor the youngest in his age group to qualify.
Marni Todd won silver in Double Mini Trampoline (DMT) girls’ 13+ level 1, while Findlay Robertson, in the boys’ level 2 DMT for ages 11-12, won the Scottish Championship by the slender margin of 0.2.
Connor Hamilton was back in action in DMT 13+ level 2 where he won gold.
And Nicky, who had just completed his duties as a judge, won with a personal best and a national record in senior disability, also taking the award for the highest overall score in his event.
Club coach Norrie Smith said: “All in all, it was a very successful culmination to a turbulent season.
“The club hope that next year will go much smoother, wherever they are.”
BOWLS RED DEER AWARDS NIGHTS
Red Deer Bowling Club hosted their annual presentation dance earlier this month as they looked back on another successful season.
Club president Davie Laverty was on hand to present the trophies and prizes to all the winners and runners-up on the night.
This season’s prize winners were as follows:
Club Triples – winners: Robert Porterfield, Ian Richmond and Stuart Nicholls; runners-up: Cathie McMillan, Duncan Strachan and Graham Johnston
Jubilee Triples – winners: Elspeth Briody, Ritchie Sheridan and Jim Neil; runners-up Chloe Gowrie, Jean Ferguson and Robert Cartridge
Gents Triples – winners: Jimmy Lang, Greg Barbour and Jim Neil; runners-up: Larry Jarboe, Robert Porterfield and Robert Cartledge
Ladies Pairs – winners: Jean Fergusson and Mary McKie; runners-up: Josie Sherry and May McMillan
June and Willie Henderson Trophy – winners: Kevin and John Fennessey; runners-up: Colin Porterfield and Kirsten Mills
Club Fours – joint winners: Colin Porterfield, Davie Laverty, Margaret McDonald and Mandy Ramsay; Jimmy Lang, Ritchie Sheridan, Cathie McMillan and Robert Cartledge (final rained off )
Generation Game – winners: Arthur Meldrum, Kirsten Mills, Gary Mills and Dougie Howard; runners-up: Willie Munn, Raymond Thomson, Margaret Barlas and Kira Ramsay
Two Bowl Pairs – winners: Kirsten Mills and Margaret Barlas; runners-up Liz Gallagher and John Fennessey
Past Presidents cup: winner: Tam Cartledge; runner-up: Robert Cartledge
Monday Night Sweep – winner: Elizabeth Porterfield
Balloted Pairs – winners: David Hunter and Raymond Thomson; runners-up: Colin Porterfield and Gerry Briody
Mixed Pairs – winners: Cathie McMillan and Gerry Briody; runners-up: Heather Hunter and Davie Hunter
Nominated Pairs – winners: Davie Hunter and Alex Kenny; runners-up: Robert Cartledge and Gerry Briody
President’s Cup – winner: Chris McGeough; runner-up: Gerry Briody
Ladies Championship – winner: Gillian Wharton; runner-up: Kirsten Mills
Gents Championship – winner: Chris McGeough; runner-up: Stuart Nicholls • The club also picked up prizes in a host of external competitions this season.
The list is as follows: Lanarkshire League Division One winners.
EK and District Sports Council Civics – Gents Singles winner: Chris McGeough; Ladies Singles winner: Sharon Hendry; Gents Senior Singles runner-up: Raymond Thomson; Gents Pairs winners: Gerry Briody and Robert Cartledge; Ladies Rinks winners: Anne Cartledge, Jean Fergusson, Heather Hunter and Josie Sherry
EK and District Bowling League (Ladies) winners: Red Deer BC; Round Robin: Kirsten Mills, Jean Ferguson Cathie McMillan, Anne Cartledge, Margaret Barlas, Mary McKie and Heather Hunter
EK and District Bowling League (Gents) winners: Red Deer Bowling Club; Top Ten runners-up.
RUGBY EK RUGBY CLUB JUNIOR SECTION
A run of school holidays had seen the junior section impacted of late at East Kilbride Rugby Club, but things began to return to normal over the weekend.
The under-13’s played out a cracker against a very physical Greenock side before eventually coming out on top 43-36. Try of the game went to Logan McGeough, who was on hand to capitalise after powerful drives from first Euan McFarlane, then Evan McKelvie came up just short.
Despite shipping 36 points this was actually a resolute defensive performance against some very big boys, with the tackling of Logan McRoberts and Keegan Lennox particularly strong.
The Primary Four side made up for lost time by playing Saturday and Sunday.
The first match took them to Strathaven where they comfortably came out on top across the three mini-contests.
Tries were spread across the board, with Tristan Skinner, Harris Roslin, Sam Bradley Ellis Walker and Jamie Dale amongst the scorers.
Sunday was a much tougher affair when a Biggar side packed with quality individuals turned up at the Torrance House Arena.
East Kilbride may have lacked some of the sparkle of the farm boys but played much better as a squad to win narrowly. Top scorers on the day were Max McQueen, Josh Wynne, Jacob Cosh and Olivia Hodgkins.
FOOTBALL ANOTHER WOMEN’S TITLE FOR LEE
Glasgow City goalkeeper Lee Alexander is celebrating after helping the club win their 13th Scottish Women’s Premier League title in a row last week.
The Scotland international, who grew up in Stewartfield, has now won nine league titles with the Scottish champions during two spells at Petershill Park.
The club sealed their latest title last midweek with an emphatic 10-0 win over Motherwell Ladies, wrapping up the trophy with three games in the season remaining. And that win, coupled with a victory over Hibs at the weekend, maintained City’s 100 per cent league record this season.
Lee will now take her place in the side for City’s all important last 16 second leg Champions League tie with Brondby tomorrow evening. City hold a 2-0 lead going into the home tie.