1933 saw the admittance of Huntly into the League, something Buckie and G Coutts, in particular, campaigned for for a number of years.
Despite the Club having a hard struggle to survive, the pitch and the pavilion were in good shape for the coming season. On the playing side the Club had several promising youngsters and although not expected to win the league or the newly instigated knock out cup hopes were high for an improvement on last season's performance. Things did not begin too well with heavy defeats at home to Huntly and at Nairn.
The K.O. Cup first round tie with Ross County drew a large crowd to Cluny Park and the locals were not disappointed, Buckie winning 128 to 74 with G Murray taking 6 wickets for 36 runs.
In the semi-final later in the season, Buckie travelled to Fort George and lost by only 2 runs to KOSB despite a fine 44 not out from G Milton. Result was 155 -153.
In the league Buckie dismissed Elgin for 111 with Coutts taking 5 wickets for 43 runs, but Buckie were shot out for only 43 thanks to the bowling of H Birkin, an ex-Notts professional who took 5 wickets for 6 runs, as well a lack of patience by the Buckie batsmen.
Two home defeats from Northern Counties and KOSB followed before Buckie recorded their first league win. Huntly were the victims losing at Castle Park 74 - 78 for 9 with G Coutts (5 for 20) and J Nicol (42) sharing the honours.
Buckie disappointed the home support when they lost 76 to 74 against Forres, the last two wickets going down with only 3 runs required. The local correspondent suggested that a "judicious block would pay dividends rather than try to swipe every ball to the boundary". He came up with more advice after the next game, which Buckie lost 97 to Northern Counties 179 for 7. G Coutts scored 43 not out, but there were 6 ducks and the reporter felt that, and the fact that a total of 100 seems to be beyond Buckie, was due entirely to a lack of practice.
Another home defeat from Nairn preceded two good wins, both away. Buckie beat Forres by 6 wickets 88-90 for 4 and defeated KOSB by 3 runs 114-111. C Milne took 4 wickets for 11 runs at Forres and W Stewart 7 for 46 against the soldiers.
Aberdeen University had no answer to the bowling of W Stewart in a friendly at Cluny Park. Stewart took 8 for 3 in Buckie's 135-84 victory.
Elgin were the final opponents of the season coming to Cluny Park and taking the 2 points in a 106-52 win. G Coutts who had not had such a profitable season took 5 wicket for 52 runs.
1934 was not a good season for the Club. They went through the season without winning a league game and they picked up only one point, drawing with Nairn County away at The Links.
G Coutts had a fine spell in mid season, claiming 6 wickets for 40 runs against KOSB, 8 for 36 at Elgin and 6 for 37 against Huntly, whilst G Murray took 6 for 62 against Northern Counties at Inverness.
The match reporter in the Banffshire Advertiser appears to have taken a rather bias view of the Buckie v Northern Counties game (scores 49 against 62 for 7) which he thought Buckie was unfortunate to lose. He states: "Counties umpire's decisions did not please the crowd and the LBW against J Hamilton was quite erroneous. Buckie were superior to Counties in the field and though they lost the match they really won".
Buckie did win a friendly game with Banff 153-6 to 56 and in the K.O. cup first round they were drawn away to KOSB. No result of this game appeared in the press but it was KOSB who took part in the next round of the competition and lost heavily to Northern Counties.
1935 saw an improvement in the Club's fortunes winning four and drawing 2 of the 12 games played to finish in 5th place.
The season did not start too well. Two home defeats from Elgin and the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) based at Fort George were followed by a first round exit from the K.O. Cup at the hands of Northern Counties.
Buckie's first win came at Fort George thanks to some excellent fielding and fine bowling by G Coutts who took 7 for 16 as the HLI totalled only 34. Buckie replied with 85. Following the game the players adjourned to the Sergeants Mess for a meal and a sing-song with several Buckie players doing their party piece.
Buckie lost narrowly to Elgin 68 to 77 for 9 and even without Coutts, had Elgin struggling at 18 for 5 at one stage. Huntly came to Buckie and won by 5 wickets but in their next game, the return at Castle Park, Buckie won by the narrowest of margins 109 -108.
Buckie hit their best score of the season, 153-9 against Forres at home, but the weather intervened with Buckie in command and the visitors standing at 59 for 4 An 18 run defeat 98-116 from Northern Counties at Inverness was followed by a fine 7 wicket win at Forres. The St Lawrence batsmen had no answer to the bowling of Coutts (6 for 24) and Father Kerr (3 for 7) and totalled only 44.
Buckie kept up their good form drawing at Nairn with then unbeaten County side. The scores were Buckie 142, Nairn 135 for 9. The local side then defeated Northern Counties 114-92 and the match report was quite descriptive. Examples being "Nicol was bowled by one of Whitton's 'fizzers'" and "Jappy 'tatter walloped' Noble's stumps for a duck".
In the final game of the season Buckie had the opportunity to be the only side to beat Nairn County but with the football season now started Buckie were understrength and were well beaten 40 - 100 for 3.
During the season Buckie played two friendly games with Keith Sports. The first game played at Keith resulted in a 1 run win 28-27 for the home side, but the return game was a different story altogether. Buckie scored 193 with the first three batsmen scoring well - A smith 47, J Nicol 41 and G Johnston 42. Keith Sports replied with 69 and G Coutts returned figures of 5 wickets for 12 runs in both the matches.
In July the Cluny Park was gifted to the town by the Laird of Cluny. Following the handing over ceremony of the feu to Provost Merson by Mr Linzee Gordon and his daughter Mrs Burkinyoung, a cricket match took place between Buckie and an Elgin team captained by Lord Provost Hamilton. The result was a win for the Elgin side: R C Hamilton's XI 121 for 6, Buckie 68.
In 1936, a Canadian Touring XI visited Britain. Included in their team was George Scott from Huntly who had made several appearances for Buckie. He developed his cricket in Vancouver and played with distinction against the Australians who were defeated when in Canada.
Upon receipt of the letter reproduced below a fancy dress cricket match between Buckie and the Nigger Minstrels group was fixed for 3rd June 1936, but there was no further indication that the game took place.
"All Blacks" to Visit Buckie TO PLAY THE CRICKET CLUB Dear Ambassador - No doubt you will have noticed from the Press that the war in Abyasinia is supposed to have finished. Some of the black lads got out of control through an overdose of Colman's and to give them time to cool down, I decided to take a holiday in the Holy Land; but I am sorry to say there is not much holiness here just now. Arabs murdering Jews and Jews murdering Arabs. Luckily I am neither.While walking down the Jaffa road the other morning, thoughts of Buckie came into my mind. What could be better, I thought, than another visit to my favourite herring port of a few of my devoted followers! The great game of cricket flashed through my brain. So, therefore, I decided to write and ask you to make arrangements for a cricket match between the Nigger Minstrel Troupe and the Buckie Cricket Club. Do your best to keep the flag flying. Cheerio old native. I will be seeing you at Epsom on Derby Day. Put your turban on "Pap Up" for the big event. - Your Emperor |
Buckie did not fare too well in the league, winning only 2 games out of the ten which were played and losing to Huntly in the K.O. Cup Semi-final after getting a bye in the first round. Several friendly games took place, notably against Stenhousemuir and they put up a good show losing 126-9 to 102.
They defeated Fraserburgh Toolworks 54-48 with W C Campbell taking 6 wickets for 5 runs at Fraserburgh.
Two games against Keith Sports resulted in one win apiece.
A match against the Rev S H R Warnes XI was abandoned due to a thunderstorm with the Reverends XI 24 for 8 in reply to Buckie's 140.
A second game between the sides took place with Mr Studley Herbert, husband of the Countess of Seafield featuring in Warnes XI. Warnes XI were all out for 54 with father and son, George and Victor Coutts, both taking 4 wickets, whilst Buckie scored 64-9.
G R Coutts had had a good season finishing top wicket taker in the league with 43 wickets. He also played twice for the North Select against Aberdeenshire captaining the side on the second occasion.
