Obscure Falkirk Matches - 8th Jul 1891

I have come across many cricket matches in Falkirk between footballers and cricketers, but this is the earliest match that I have found listed as between Falkirk FC & Falkirk CC, earlier matches were always listed as between cricketers & footballers, but never ascribed to a club [on either side].

There were other reciprocal games, eg East Stirlingshire played East stirlingshire FC occasionally at football, but Falkirk FC, as far as I know, never played a cricket team at football. Sadly I do not have the complete scorecard for this match but at least it shows that many of our best players of the time were willing to turn out for such a match, it probably more shows the broader sporting viewpoint of the time [compared to now and the disparagement of cricket in Scotland for no good reason], and that footballers, although not fantastic at other sports, did practice them during the off season.

Wednesday 8th July 1891, Crichton Park, Falkirk
Friendly Cricket Match
Falkirk CC					Falkirk FC
?.Grant	b Smith			0	A.Stark	b G.Brown			4
?.McVicar	b Smith			1	H.Smith	c Higgins b J.Brown			7
J.Brown	b Gillespie			3	?.Hamilton	b G.Brown			0
G.Brown	b Smith			2	J.Drummond	b Todd			24
W.Todd	c & b Smith			3	J.Gillespie	b J.Brown			0
?.Barr	b Smith			0	W.Murphy	lbw b G.Brown			0
?.Callander	c McDonald b Smith			2	W.Roberts	run out			0
?.Higgins	hit wicket b W.Murphy			0	P.Rankine	b Todd			8
?.Rankine	b Smith			4	?.McIntosh	b G.Brown			13
?.Mathieson	b Smith			1	J.Murphy	not out			0
?.Liddell	not out			2	T.McDonald	b G.Brown			0
Extras				6	Extras				8
Total				24	Total				64
Known Bowling Figures
Falkirk FC Bowling					Falkirk CC Bowling
H.Smith	?	?	8	8	J.Brown	?	?	7	3
J.Gillespie	?	?	5	1	G.Brown	?	?	23	5
W.Murphy	?	?	6	1	W.Todd	?	?	11	2
Falkirk FC won by 40 runs.

Notes
Crichton Park was on the modern Bell's Meadow, more toward the BMX Track than the centre, but the exact location is still unknown.
(NB - I have had a message from Alan McCabe questioning the location I have given for Crichton Park, given the information he has sent me, I shall be looking into the situation, later)

William Todd may have bowled for both sides, as the printed scorecard gives Todd as the bowler of Mathieson, but the report claims Harry Smith took 8 for 8, Todd was also a member of Falkirk FC, though made few appearances, so it is a possibility.

Harry Smith, Falkirk FC's goalkeeper was also a regular cricketer for Stenhousemuir CC [I believe he was a leg spinner].

Falkirk FC had two McIntoshes playing at the time, the brothers John & Gilbert, John was the better footballer, Gilbert the better cricketer, so this was probably Gilbert, but the scorecard only stated 'McIntosh'.

Falkirk FC had two Hamiltons playing at the time, the brothers Thomas & William, William played more cricket, so I presume it was he, but have no real data.

This was the first ever match played by this, reformed, Falkirk Cricket Club. They never lasted long, not surprising as [apart from Castings CC] the town has never had a regular club.