Sandy Strang on Scottish cricket: Macgowan bows out after career lasting 55 years

Denis Compton was still strutting his Brylcreemed cavalier stuff. Jim Laker was still a year away from achieving immortality with 19 Aussie wickets at The Oval.

Cue the summer of 1955, and the arrival on the Scottish cricket scene of Stirling County legend Douglas Macgowan as a raw 14-year old batsman and left-arm spinner.

Now, 55 seasons on, Dougie has taken his sweater from the umpire for the last time with more than 800 wickets and nearly 20,000 club runs to his name. Macgowan, 69, has just taken his final competitive bow in the County's 3rd XI East League match against Leith FAB, before wrapping it all up in a 35-over friendly at New Williamfield the following day.

Ironically, he leaves just as his club prepare for arguably the most important game in their history, this Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Uddingston. They will be underdogs, but don't discount an upset. County have a hard-nosed gritty spirit, the likes of which saw Dougie Macgowan through 55 seasons.