Scotland's day but Botham got the whisky

IT was the day that Scotland did more than beat England at their own game, they hit them for six.

The Scots villagers who turned the cricket world on its head in 1985 by winning the National Village Championship at Lord's yesterday reunited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their historic victory.

Freuchie Cricket Club, in Fife, which consisted of builders, a forklift driver, and a plumber, made sporting history when they beat the Surrey side Rowledge to win the National Village Championship at Lords.

Then more than 3,000 fans travelled to London to see the team, who were led into the famous ground by a piper.

Yesterday, the 13-man "Lord's squad" gathered to view TV footage of their momentous win and watch the current Freuchie side play a celebratory 20:20 match against their local rivals Falkland.

Thirteen trees were also planted in the grounds of Freuchie Primary School to honour each of the players.

Yesterday the team captain, David Christie, 73, a retired painter and decorator who still lives in the village and works as the club's groundsman, said he was "thrilled" to be reunited with his 1985 team mates on the nearest Sunday to their historic match. Most of Freuchie turned out to celebrate the anniversary of the day 13 local legends put the village on the map.

"The final at Lord's was the greatest moment of my life as far as sport goes," he said. "Nobody gave us a chance, and when we won the semi-final against a very good side from Derbyshire we were still just excited about the prospect of playing at Lord's. But as the big day approached our attitudes changed. We weren't just going there to play a game - we wanted to win."

"Nobody gave us a chance, but we gave the English a shock. The celebrations afterwards were terrific. Ian Botham came to our reception - I wouldn't say he gatecrashed our party because he was more than welcome - but he drank quite a bit of my whisky. I'd been presented a gallon-bottle of whisky and every time I passed, Botham's big arm came out with a glass - but he was superb and talked to all the guys. He's remained a great friend to the club."

Botham, who was unable to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations in Freuchie, revealed he had stumbled upon the team's after-match party by chance, but said he had instantly become a fan of the team. He said: "I have been to a few parties in my time, but few can compare with the Freuchie one. It all happened by chance.

"I was playing for England against Australia at the Oval and the squad happened to be staying at the same London hotel as the Freuchie guys. They made me feel really welcome.The publicity they got for their victory was amazing - they not only put Scottish cricket on the map, they put themselves on the cricket map throughout the world."

Yesterday the local MP, Sir Menzies Campbell, who opened the club's match with local rivals Falkland said: "I wasn't an MP until 1987 but when Freuchie went to Lord's in 1985 I was deeply interested in the outcome. I'd played cricket at school, although I was a sprinter. The athletics master said I spent far too much time on the cricket field, but this was also a big event in its own right.

"It was so important to Freuchie, to Fife and to Scotland. It was a Scottish occasion. Thousands of people went south, and while they were optimistic after winning the semi-final, few truly believed the team would pull it off.

"But captain David Christie had instilled confidence in his players and to take on the English at their own game the way they did was magnificent."