Selkirk Cricket Club was founded in 1851 by a pair of Yorkshiremen named Humber and Newbury who, the club’s centenary history relates, had been contracted to install new looms in the tweed mills that were then the town’s major industry. Many of the mills have long since gone but the cricket club endures to this day. Read more.
Initially the club played on the riverside at what is now Victoria Park before moving to the current ground at Philiphaugh in 1872 where it has remained ever since. The new ground was provided by John Murray, laird of the Philiphaugh estate, beginning a long and productive relationship with the Philiphaugh estate that continues to this day. Sir Michael Strang-Steel, the current owner of the estate, is, like his father before him, the club’s President.
The cricket ground at Philiphaugh was opened with great ceremony and a match against the Grange then, as now, considered Scotland’s premier club. To the great satisfaction of the large crowd, Selkirk triumphed by 28 runs. It was the first of many famous victories.
The Border League was founded in 1895 and Selkirk have since won the title on no fewer than 23 occasions (though honesty compels us to admit that too many years have passed since the club’s last triumph). In 2011 the Border League folded and Selkirk CC joined the East of Scotland Cricket Association. We presently play in Division Six of the East League.
The club has produced an entire XI of cricketers who have represented Scotland as well as at least a brace of Oxford and Cambridge “Blues”. The most recent Selkirk cricketer to play for Scotland is Iain Philip.
One could also select a fiercely excellent team from those who have played at Philiphaugh. Among those so available for selection: Wilfred Rhodes, George Hirst, Frank Woolley, Tich Freeman, Les Ames, Learie Constantine, Keith Miller, Alma Hunt, Maurice Leyland, Imran Khan, Kim Hughes and a good many other titans of cricket too.
The Border League was one of the oldest cricket competitions in Scotland. Until it folded after the 2011 season seven clubs competes for the trophy: Selkirk, Gala, Hawick & Wilton, Kelso, Langholm, Melrose and St Boswells. At various times other clubs have also been members of the league. These include: Berwick, Dumfries, Carlisle, Lanark, Penicuik and St Michael’s.
Selkirk have won the title on 23 occasions. The list of champions (to be completed and updated) is:
2009 Gala
2008 St Boswells
2007 St Boswells
2006 Kelso
2005 St Boswells
2004 St Boswells
2003 Kelso
2002 Kelso
2001 Penicuik
2000 Berwick
1999 Kelso
1998 Berwick
1997 Penicuik
1996 Gala
1995 St Michael’s
1994
1993 Dumfries
1992 Kelso
1991 Kelso
1990 Kelso
1989 Kelso
1988 Kelso
1987 Kelso
1986 Kelso
1985 Kelso
1984
1983
1982 Selkirk
1981
1980 Selkirk
1979
1978 Selkirk
1977 Selkirk
1976 Langholm
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970 Selkirk
1969
1968 Selkirk
1967 Selkirk
1966 Selkirk
1965
1964
1963 Selkirk
1962
1961
1960
1959
1958
1957
1956 Gala
1955 Gala
1954 Gala
1953 Gala
1952 Gala
1951 Gala
1950 Gala
1949 Gala
1948 Selkirk and Gala
1947 Carlisle
1946 No championship
1945 Adolf Hitler prevented play
1944 ”
1943 ”
1942 ”
1941 ”
1940 ”
1939 Selkirk
1938 Dumfries
1937 Selkirk
1936 Carlisle
1935 Dumfries
1934 Carlisle
1933 Carlisle
1932 Gala
1931 Carlisle
1930 Carlisle
1929 Gala
1928 Gala
1927 St Boswells
1926 Gala
1925 Abandoned, no Champion
1924 Abandoned, no Champion
1923 Selkirk
1922 Selkirk
1921 Gala
1920 Gala
1919 Selkirk
1918 The Kaiser prevented play
1917 ”
1916 ”
1915 ”
1914 Abandoned due to WW1
1913 Selkirk
1912 Gala
1911 Hawick
1910 Hawick
1909 Peebles
1908 Gala
1907 Gala
1906 Selkirk
1905 Selkirk
1904 Gala
1903 Selkirk
1902 Gala
1901 Gala
1900 Gala
1899 Selkirk
1898 Selkirk
1897 Selkirk
1896 Selkirk
1895 Selkirk