Congratulations to our "U19" team on its performance in defeating The Forty Club Scotland last month with Ewan Stewart leading the assault with 99 not out. The on and off-field demeanour of the team merited the XL Club's nomination for the Henry Grierson Trophy which award is to be presented to the winning team at the XL Club's Annual Dinner in The Long Room at Lords on Friday, 18 October.
In the final judgement of the panel the Accies' team was awarded the runner-up spot to Giggleswick School and the extract from the XL Club Newsletter is as follows:-
"THE FORTY CLUB TROPHY
CONGRATULATIONS TO GIGGLESWICK SCHOOL
The 2013 Forty Club Trophy has been awarded to Giggleswick School, in Settle in North Yorkshire. The Assessment Panel of Adrian Gale, John Widgery and Barry Aitken met on Tuesday of this week and took more than 3 hours to consider all the district nominations.
The nominations were Glasgow Academical u19 XI [SC]; Pocklington School [NE]; Old Swinford Hospital School [WM]; Denstone College [EC]; Christ's Church School, Brecon [WA]; Millfield School [WE]; St John's School, Leatherhead [SX]; Bearwood College [SO]; the Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover [CP]; Parmiter's School, Watford [NT/EC]; and Giggleswick School [NW].
Eventually the Panel sifted these down to three - Giggleswick School, Glasgow Academical under 19 XI, and the Duke of York's Royal Military School in Dover. In all three matches against the Forty Club, the performance, attitude, behaviour and skills of the boys had been of a very high standard and the Panel eventually agreed that it was Giggleswick School which had performed the best.
The School has been informed and the Headmaster Geoffrey Boult is delighted - and as a result will be attending our Annual Dinner at Lord's himself, accompanying his team skipper. Both will be presented to our Patron before the dinner and for both it will surely be a very special occasion."
All nominee teams will be presented with a shield by Mike Gatting at the dinner to commemorate their efforts. Accies will be represented by Dhruv Satpute, the team captain, together with Colin Dawson at the ceremony whilst Alex Dowers, our Chairman, and Richard Andrew, the 1st XI captain will also be in attendance. It will be a memorable evening not only because it is in The Long Room but also because HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh and Patron of the XL Club, will be in attendance. With a bit of luck some photos may follow for posterity!