Old Lorettonians George Munsey (2011), James Dickinson (2016) and Jack Jarvis (2021) played starring roles as Scotland defeated the United Arab Emirates by nine runs in a thrilling low-scoring encounter.

Player-of-the-match Jarvis was the standout with an excellent all-round display. He first scored a valuable 20 to help Scotland recover from a top order collapse to post 121-8. But it was with the ball where he excelled. Bowling the same fast and accurate lines and lengths that tormented opposing teams at Pinkie, his 3-21 included two huge wickets in the powerplay that put the UAE firmly on the back foot.

While Jarvis provided the control, it was the explosive Munsey who supplied the initial impetus with the bat. The left-hander's aggressive 26 oozed the flair that made him a cricket hero in his school days. One towering six over the legside would make any Lorettonian feel inspired to play. Though Munsey fell in frustrating circumstances, he showed he remains a dangerman at the highest level.

Joining Jarvis and Munsey in the spotlight was debutant all-rounder Dickinson. Having dreamed of representing Scotland even as a young Lorettonian, he grabbed his chance impressively. His tidy 1-23 was the ideal start, but it was a magnificent caught and bowled opportunity that will live longest in the memory. Pouching a sharp return catch on debut must have felt as good as all those wickets at Pinkie over the years. A very special moment.

The trio's efforts were ably supported by the consistent Matthew Cross, whose gritty 35 held the innings together at a crucial juncture. (Although we will at this point note that, between them, our three OLs scored over half the runs posted in the match.) In the field, Scotland's opening bowlers Gavin Main and Brad Currie set the tone with tremendous spells, paving the way for the our heroes to take centre stage. 

For Jarvis, Munsey and Dickinson, these were performances to cherish. A chance to replicate the success they enjoyed at Pinkie and Newfield, but this time on international duty.

And suffice to say, their performances on the big stage made the whole Loretto community proud.

David Hinchliffe
Head of Cricket