Despite his death last year Yasir Arafat has returned to the Scottish Cricket team-the Saltires. Well actually nice as it would be to think that the great Palestinian Nobel Prize winner if he could return to our midst would choose to support the local cricketers it is another guy with the same name who is turning out in the blue flannels. Scotland' cricket team, like its footie and rugger colleagues are not amongst the top nations at the moment and Arafat has a lot to do if the Scots are to make their mark on the (untraditional in the frozen north) summer game. Its frankly too cold to expect to enjoy cricket in these parts and if it is not snowing then it is the midges which make it a penance to leave the security of the pavilion.
The Merse has its own Country House cricket field at Manderston. Huttonian is thinking of organising a single wicket tournament later this summer to raise money for a local cause. Open to people of all sexes there will be valuable prizes to be won-two overs only per person and a soft(ish) Australian 'out back' ball to face -no body armour or even 'boxes' to worry about. Unlikely to get a guest appearance from Yasir Arafat or even Abu Mazen who, it is said, bowls a wicked leg break but you never know. A national paper may send an ace freelance reporter to cover the event. If it is Huttonian's friend he probably won't bother to turn up, publish an account of the match anyhow and rely on getting the details of the scores from spectators who were not there. Indeed he could save us all a lot of trouble by publishing the outcome a few days before the event. There is professionalism for you.
Anyone who would like to play (and can afford the £20 fee) please use the comment link
