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The Saturday XI - Social Cricket at SCC
The Saturday XI (Sat XI) is SCC’s social cricket team, playing non-league cricket against both local teams in Singapore and touring teams. Subject to ground availability, the Sat XI typically plays most weekends between April and November.
Legend has it that the Sat XI got its name because it was initially composed of “gentlemen” who didn’t work on Saturdays and spent their afternoons playing cricket on the Padang. However, the more likely explanation is that, at the time, SCC had only one or two league teams that played on Sundays, leaving Saturday afternoons for the social team.
In the past, only those who had played league cricket for SCC could join the Sat XI. But as SCC’s number of league teams and members grew, this rule was relaxed. In fact, many recent Sat XI captains haven’t played league cricket for SCC.
Today, the Sat XI squad consists of around 80 members. Due to the rise in league fixtures and limited ground availability, not all Sat XI matches are played at the Padang on Saturday afternoons. Some now take place on Sundays or even Fridays. Please refer to the tours and fixtures section for a full list of Sat XI matches.
While the Sat XI always plays to win, the focus remains on enjoying the game, both on and off the field. With an average player age of 50+, most participants (with a few exceptions) acknowledge that their prime cricketing years are behind them, reflected in the Sat XI anthem: "I ain't as good as I once was."
In recent years, the team has maintained the tradition of starting and ending the cricket season with tours to Chiang Mai and Phuket, respectively. Other tour destinations include Manila and Jakarta. For upcoming tours, please refer to the tours and fixtures section.
Sat XI Captains
The following players have captained the Sat XI from the 1980s to the present:
Geoff Hall
Haider Sithawalla
Suresh Prabhu
John Ewing
Jeff Allen
Mike Grice
Bob Powell
John Morgan
Bill Smart
Steven Blow
Zoher Motiwalla
Simon Mansfield
Matthew Streeton
Hugh Darwell (?-2018)
Ajay Aggarwal (2019)
Rohit Shah (2020 - 2022)
Ash Raivadera (2023 - )
Saturday XI captains from 1987 to 2008
From left to right in chronological order is Suresh Prabhu , Jeff Allen, John Ewing, Mike Grice, John Morgan, Bill Smart, Steve Blow, Zoher Motiwalla, Simon Mansfield. Missing is Bob Powell.
Matthew Streeton – Textbook!
The long walk back – Hugh Darwell
Sat XI Trivia
Arvind Apte, who played for India, and Graham Thompson, who toured England with the New Zealand team, are two ex-Test players/squad members who have played for the Sat XI.
His Excellency Sir Hamilton-Whyte, the British High Commissioner, was a regular Sat XI player, with his wife handling the scoring duties every week.
In the days before mobile phones and the internet, Molly took on the role of effectively selecting the Sat XI team.
There was once a season where the rather unconventional idea of having two on-field captains, one for each end of the wicket, was introduced.
Peter Mackenzie invented the Full Mackenzie and later added the Half-Mackenzie—both stylish manoeuvres of diving after the ball had long passed, frequently adopted by Sat XI teams.
Ed Kozlowski, an MCC member, always played for the Sat XI in his MCC sleeveless sweater, regardless of the heat.
Recent Events/Tours/Photos
Sat XI on Tour in Manila
By Sat XI Captain, Hugh “Huge” Darwell
On 14th May, the Saturday XI embarked on their second overseas tour of the year, this time to Manila to face the Manila Nomads. After a day of golf to acclimatise, the touring party held a "confession session" in place of a fines session, with Father Confessor Suresh "Senior Prata" Prabhu dishing out penalties in the form of donations to the poor box. The team was then advised to stay well-hydrated ahead of the gruelling Saturday match.
Arriving at the Nomads ground early Saturday afternoon, the team appeared a bit dustier than the dry outfield that awaited them. After losing the toss, Sat XI was put in to field. Bruce "I'm retiring after bowling that $hit" Grigg opened the bowling and delivered over 4 overs in his 3-over spell, largely due to wides that kept the skipper busy behind the stumps.
Streets made better use of the new ball, though two tough catches went down during his tight spell. The short boundaries proved tricky until Sandeep stepped up to stem the flow of runs with 6 economical overs. Griggsy returned to bowl but was promptly dispatched to the outfield after 2 more overs added 6 wides to his total, finishing with figures of 2-48. Lucky also endured some punishment but managed to pick up 2 wickets, with the Nomads closing at 5-257 after their 30 overs.
A daunting target was met with enthusiasm as Rohit "HH" Shah struck another 50 retired off 44 balls. Garth, the ringer, contributed a solid 31 off 29 before the skipper topped off his day with a golden duck to go along with his earlier dropped catch. Bill Smart marked his Sat XI return in style, smashing 39 off 19 balls before exhaustion set in. Saltie’s late cameo of 24* off 17 wasn’t quite enough, with Sat XI finishing on 8-242 after their 30 overs—a valiant chase under tough conditions.
Post-match recovery involved more rehydration... following the latest sporting protocols, naturally.
A thoroughly enjoyable tour, with special thanks to TM Saltie for his (nearly) flawless organization!
Griggsy’s last (?) match at the Padang – 4th April 2015
The skipper tossing in Chiang Mai - March 2015
Sat XI in Chiang Mai – March 2015
Warming up in Phuket
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