Sandy Strang: Carry on camping - kids get a feel for the game

"WHO knows? Maybe we could unearth the next Scottish cricketing superstar.

But the main emphasis in our cricket camps is on fun and enjoyment, and the delivery of cricket coaching in a safe, happy and well-structured environment," enthused Kirsteen Ross, recently appointed Perth and Kinross Cricket Development Officer, stalwart of resurgent Kinross CC, and mother of Under-19 starlet Peter, whose heroic last-ball two recently saw Scotland home in Belfast against the powerful Irish.

Kirsteen has just concluded her 'Live Active' July cricket camps, which ran for three weeks at the newly built Loch Leven Community Campus in Kinross - two weeks for ages seven to ten, and one week for ages 11 to 14 - and two weeks at that venerable cricketing locale, the North Inch, Perth. "Nearly 60 children, boys and girls, attended," explained Kirsteen.

"Everyone greatly enjoyed using the new artificial cricket pitches installed at both venues. Rain didn't stop play either, as cricket continued either in the Campus games hall or the large sports hall at the Bell's Sports Centre. We've all had tremendous fun, and several of our participants have already joined the junior sections at their local clubs to continue playing."

Meanwhile, in the south, Cricket Scotland's Development Manager for the Borders, Neil Cameron - in conjunction with the Scottish Borders Council's Sports Development Unit and Active Schools - has been delivering his own revamped version of summer holiday cricket camps. Throughout July and on into this week Cameron's camps have been rolled out to two distinct age groups, five to seven and eight to 12, as part of a broad range of sports activities offered in a multi-sport package. These have been conveniently centred at primary schools in Duns, Earlston, Gala, and Kelso, and attracted encouragingly healthy numbers.

Another cricket camp template successfully piloted last week was a three-day Western Cricket Association event orchestrated by the irrepressibly innovative West Junior Cricket Chairman and Cricket Scotland Board member Keith Young. Based at Shawholm and Albert Park, home to Poloc CC and Weirs respectively, this variant involved 45 promising Under-15 players nominated by their various clubs.

"This was a great opportunity," observed Young, "for many of our best Under-15 prospects to be grouped together for the first time, and assessed by a wide range of cricketing stakeholders - coaches, professionals, senior amateur players, and umpires. To this end we had present the likes of WCA Head Coach Iain Stewart and members of his coaching team; proven club pros Prav Mullick from Ferguslie and Poloc's Fraser Quarterman; Iain Young, captain of Premier League West of Scotland; and overseas amateurs Carl and Tinnus Huyser.

"The boys played three matches - a 35-over contest, a T20 match, and, a new cricket experience for many, a time game - they netted, they discussed, and they socialised together intensively over the camp's three days. We provided every participant with oral, written and video feedback, and our hope is that this entire process will help them to develop significantly as players. Finally the camp will form part of the selection process for the 2010-11 intake for the Under-16 Western Academy."

"One of the aims of our camps is to motivate children to aspire to become the next Kevin Pietersen or Charlotte Edwards," attested the engaging Kirsteen Ross. Out of little acorns . . . But just as importantly lots of Scottish kids have enjoyed a wee taster for the first time of the joys of cricket. The summer cricket camp is surely here to stay.

Portgower Place sees remarkable 459 for 6

A score of 459 for 6 in 50 overs. No, it's not a typo. But it has sent the cricket historians scurrying to the record books. It was the gargantuan total amassed by star-studded Grange IIs in Saturday's East League Division 1 match at Portgower Place. Sent in to bat by hapless Glenrothes on a beautiful track, Grange went into immediate overdrive, led buy ex-Forfarshire batsman Dougie Philip. Philip eventually fell just short of his double century, having blasted a ferocious 195 in under 30 overs. The charge was then taken up by ex-Stewart's-Melville pupil James Hearn - currently on a David Gower Scholarship at King's School, Canterbury, and attending Kent Cricket Academy - who piled on the agony for the Fifers with an unbeaten 85. Simon Taylor, cousin of New Zealand Test star Ross, also chipped in with a quick-fire 72.

In reply toiling Glenrothes, did manage a creditable 145 all out including a doughty 63 from Farooq Khan, but the margin of defeat was still a staggering 314 runs. There is some historical consolation for the shell-shocked Fifers. Grange once made 557 for 9 in a club match against MCC back in 1892, and were themselves victims of a 442 for 9 onslaught by Oxford University Authentics in 1929.

Ebullient Under-18s end Scottish losing streak

THE Saltires may be toiling, fighting a forlorn CB40 campaign, with just one win in seven starts.

The Scotland A team may have lost to some seriously unfancied opposition in Jersey. The Scottish Wildcats Senior ladies team may have taken another mauling, this time from Lancs. No such problems, though, for our Under-18 lads - just crowned U19 Champions of Europe in Belfast - and, crucially, taking another step along the tortuous route to 2012 U19 World Cup qualification.

The young Scottish bowlers stole the show. In four of their five wins - against Ireland, Denmark, Holland, Guernsey and Jersey - they bowled the opposition out for 100 or less. The captain, Watsonians' Paddy Sadler, Cambridge-bound, led the charge, forming a formidable new-ball attack with Grange and Harrow left-armer Stan Shillinglaw, and taking 15 wickets in the tournament. Gangly medium-pacer Peter Legget's 5 for 19 routed Guernsey. Forfarshire all-rounder Aman Bailwal also grabbed eight wickets with his probing left-arm medium pacers, in addition to some useful contributions with the bat, not least a priceless 31 in just 32 balls to set up the crucial first win against the mighty Irish. If there's a problem for coach Craig Wright it's with the batting. Too many batters get a good start, and then fail to build on it. The final game against Jersey was a case in point. Six of our first eight made 20 or over, but none progressed beyond Matty Cross's 33 en route to a team total of 208. Our lads need to develop the mental toughness not to give it away once they're settled in. A grand win nonetheless.