Cricket

History of Drumpellier Cricket Club

Drumpellier Cricket Club has been part of sporting life in Coatbridge since 1850, making it one of the oldest cricket clubs in Scotland and one of the longest-established sports clubs in Lanarkshire. The club’s history has been recorded in publications including Drumpellier CC 1850–1906 and A Portrait of a Cricket Club, Drumpellier 1850–1950, reflecting the depth of its place in Scottish cricket.

For generations, cricket at Drumpellier has been played at Langloan, a ground with a remarkable history of its own. The first recorded match at the ground was in 1860, when Colonel Buchanan’s Scotland Team played Ireland. Langloan later hosted first-class cricket, including Scotland v Ireland in 1980 and Scotland v Zimbabwe in 1985, and it remains the home of Drumpellier Cricket Club today.

Over the years, Drumpellier has been associated with a number of players who have made their mark beyond the club game. Charles Turnbull Mannes, who played club cricket for Drumpellier from 1888 to 1914, went on to represent Scotland in first-class cricket in the early twentieth century. The club was also home to Budhi Kunderan, the former India Test wicketkeeper-batsman, who became a major figure in Scottish cricket and is remembered as Drumpellier’s first professional. 

Today, Drumpellier Cricket Club continues that proud tradition by providing senior and youth cricket, welcoming players, families, supporters and visitors to the club. With a history stretching back more than 175 years, Drumpellier remains an important part of cricket in the west of Scotland and a central part of the wider Drumpellier sporting community.