Will the Aussies now have their tape measures out?

Metric muddle catches out the cricketers of Balmoral
Shirley English
The Times
September 16 2005

ALL summer the ageing bowlers at Crathie Cricket Club struggled to find their length during home games and were eventually relegated.

The amateur team, who play at Balmoral Castle and whose patron is Prince Philip, thought that they had suffered a mysterious and calamatous loss of form after decades in the top divisions of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association league.

Much to the frustration of the batsmen, they only managed to win two home games all season and when they played away, they invariably overpitched when bowling.

However it has emerged that bad bowling was not solely to blame for their fall from grace. Their disastrous season was instead the result of a metric muddle by the Queen’s groundsmen, which meant the team unknowingly played all summer on a wicket almost 7ft too long.

It was not until they faced a relegation battle at home against Methlick last month that the mix-up was discovered. An experienced Crathie bowler who had been away all season returned to play for the crucial game and after bowling a few bad balls, declared that the pitch was too long.

Renwick Elder, the Crathie captain, said: “He bowled a few, not very well, then told me, ‘This pitch is too long’. I had put it down to bad bowling but our vice-captain got out a measuring tape during tea break and he was right. It was very embarrassing as no one had noticed before.”

Metropolitan Police officers, on duty at Balmoral to guard the Queen during her summer visit, offered to act as independent adjudicators and confirmed fears that the wicket was indeed 22 metres instead of 22 yards.

Bob McAra, 55, club secretary and a medium-pace bowler, said he could not remember such a bad season in 31 years of play. “The staff at Balmoral always make up the pitch for us and we just turn up and play,” he said. “I didn’t realise what was wrong, I don’t think anyone did until that day, not even away teams. We’d had no complaints.”

It is still to be ascertained how the error occurred. “We think groundstaff did one of two things. They either measured 22 metres instead of 22 yards, or perhaps measured 22 yards from the batting crease,” Mr McAra said, adding sportingly: “But we are as much to blame as we never realised the pitch was too long.”

The Methlick players were told and the game continued with Crathie snatching one of only two home wins of the season. Methlick were relegated to grade three of the league.

But it was not enough to save Crathie who also went down to grade three for the first time in their 57-year history after losing their final game to grade two champions Inverurie two weeks ago.

Mr McAra said Prince Philip was amused when he was told the story after a friendly game at Balmoral last weekend. He was sharing a cup of tea with players in the rustic heather-thatched club hut, whose facilities stretch to a cramped changing room and a lavatory, and asked politely if the team were happy with the ground and the pitch.

Mr Renwick said: “I said, ‘No! Haven’t you heard about the 22-metre pitch?’ He thought it was hilarious.”