Huntly Cricket Club

Huntly Cricket Club is based in the North East of Scotland in the picturesque Region of Aberdeenshire. The club originated in 1854 and in turn has a very rich history which spans 166 years. Originally the club participated in the North of Scotland League until 1998 and in turn became the most successful club in the area. The club joined the Strathmore Union in 1999 with the clear ambition of progressing through the newly structured Cricket Scotland league system, and in turn become successful instantly at the higher level with 1 championship win, and 7 runners up spots during a period of 16 years until 2015. Within that aforementioned period the club started to hire overseas players, who in turn brought great experience and added skills to the club. Azhar Ali the current Pakistan test Captain undoubtedly was the club’s most famous Professional to date who has went onto achieve so much at International level. We have had many other overseas players who have went onto to play 1st Class cricket with South African’s Tebs Mokwena, Francois Hassbroek, & Wikus Botha, all going on to play 1st class provincial cricket in South Africa.

Despite initial success at a higher level of cricket, the club’s 1st X1 players all started to retire around the same period and in turn it also lost a lot of experience with off field management skills from the individuals who departed. In turn the club started to struggle, and the best younger players were lost to teams playing at a higher standard. The club returned to the NOSCA league during 2015, and immediately took stock of rebuilding the club from top to bottom. The investment in youth development was the top priority followed closely by investing in the excellent facilities and the playing surface at the club. Over the next four years the club built the the junior membership up to over 80, and in turn the seeds of investment are now showing much promise to the point along with the return of former young players, the club decided to rejoin the Strathmore Union at the higher level. During a period of 10 years, the club has developed in the region of 30 players at National youth level for Scotland, with current England women’s International, Kirstie Gordon, being the most famous to emerge from the youth system. The club has a reputation of having one of the best girls cricket set ups in the whole country with the local secondary school winning the National championships for the last two years in succession.

As a club our ambition is undoubted, and any future overseas players will be welcomed warmly within a predominately young vibrant club. Our ultimate aim is to be promoted to the highest standard in the country, and to continue to produce quality young cricketers within our youth system who go onto sustain the club for future generations