Sandy Strang on Scottish cricket: Anniversary party eases relegation stress for Kelburne

Their first XI may well be flirting with SNCL relegation - Kelburne will feature in the forthcoming play-offs as they strive to retain their only recently re-acquired national league status - but this didn't dampen the spirits down Whitehaugh way on Sunday as the Paisley club celebrated their 150th anniversary with a commemoration match.

"We are greatly honoured," says President Kenny McLeod, "that Cricket Scotland agreed to send a team to help us celebrate this grand milestone in our history. Some distinguished players have played here over the years, like the great Scottish internationalist Willie Nicol, originally from Gala, but later so identified with Paisley that he became known as 'Willie Kelburne', and more recently South African Test fast bowler Roger Telemachus.

In the 1950s, Australian captain and commentator Richie Benaud graced the Whitehaugh turf when he led an Australian XI to victory against Scotland. Kelburne were also the first winners of the Scottish Cup in 1966."

For the record, a strong Scottish President's XI featuring ex-internationalists Iain Kennedy, Tom Black, David Simpson and Alan Stevenson won by three wickets against a Kelburne XI led by Steven McLister and boosted by ex-Whitehaugh stalwarts Gregor Maiden, Javed Ashraf and Anjun Aslam.