Cricket Club Magazine
Ashes 2015
MAGAZINE DIRECTORS: JOHN RAE / CHRIS LAWLOR ADMIN: LUCY FEATHERSTONE EDITORIAL: TOM WATSON FINANCE: TOBIAS LAX
PUBLISHED BY: Cricket Club Magazine LTD a subsidary of All Sports Publishing LTD Killingworth Lane, Backworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE27 0BB No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any mean, or stored in a retrieval system without prior written permission, except as permitted under the copyright designs and patents act 1998. Applications for permission for use of copyright material shall be made to the publishers. Š All Sports Publishing LTD all rights reserved
Contents Egham Spencer Poole Town Wokingham Crompton Toft Firwood Bootle Kimbolton Durham Cookham Dean Moddershall West Bergholt Brentham Wellesbourne baildon shifnal ashes 2015 review benwell hill newcastle
Egham CC It is almost impossible to delve too far back into the past but records show that Egham Cricket Club was hiring rooms for its monthly Committee Meeting as early as 1860 and according to the Victoria History of Surrey, cricket was being played in Egham in 1750. The present club was formed in 1913 and bore the name of Somers XI after MR R Sommers who was responsible for its activities. They have certainly come a long way since then and Club Representative Bob Amon took the time to tell us more about how they’ve been getting along lately. He told us, “Egham Cricket Club has four sides playing in the Surrey Championship which is one of the strongest leagues in the country and every year we are optimistic that all our sides will do well and look to promotion and this coming season is no exception. The first team were unlucky not to be promoted last year and in 2015 we look to have a stronger squad with our amalgamation with the cricket section at Royal Holloway University which is in the Borough
of Runnymede.” Atmosphere “The general mood at the club is one of optimism throughout. At Egham there is a hard working committee backed up by several volunteers and their hard work is to be seen with the ground and club looking in excellent condition and ready for the preseason friendlies prior to the league campaign starting in May.” “Youth Cricket plays a major part at Egham with 5 different age groups making up the league sides and every Monday there is over 100 boys undergoing coaching and training with several fully qualified coaches overseeing their progress. The club looks to bring on several of the boys to 1st team standard and this has been the policy throughout the years Egham has been playing cricket at its present site. Our success is reflected by the fact that currently two of our past colts Matt Dunn, who has played for U19 and U20 England sides, and Safir Anzari who is on the verge of England honours have recently signed extensions to their contracts with Surrey.” “Younger Members and Older
Members have a great team togetherness throughout all our sides and this is down to the Captains and Vice Captains. They train together and many of them are friends and socialise together. Communication is very important and of course the President and the Chairman play an important part with both being actively involved with the day to day running of the club. Colts parents also play a vital part with 3 of them serving on the executive committee and one of them is our Welfare Officer who oversees the club’s Clubmark Accreditation.” “Egham Cricket Club is sited in its own grounds and plays a major part in the community. Not only is cricket played there but also senior and junior football every Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter months. The Ladies and Girls have their own evening for coaching and training and their section is only in its third year and this coming season should see a lot more competitive games. For several years Egham has been associated with disabled cricket and the club encourages games to
be played.” “The clubhouse plays a major part in the community with local companies using the facilities throughout the week. These are nationally known such as Proctor and Gamble and British Gas and of course Kerry Foods which is famous for many food products especially richmond sausages that are featured on all the club kit as well as local smaller companies who actually play cricket matches on the ground in midweek. Also parts of the ground are used for dog training and keep fit classes. Private parties also are very popular with the local residents. In the near future the club will become a polling station with the elections taking place.” “The facilities at Egham are admired by visiting clubs, particularly the teas which are renowned for their quality and amount. The Dressing rooms were upgraded a few years ago and every year improvements
are made to the club to ensure the standards are maintained and all visitors are made welcome with the well stocked bar playing an important part in the socialising at the club. The artificial nets are a new complex having been paid for by a grant and Egham can say they have all the necessary requirements to host a very good standard including
Surrey staging their Inter County Junior games.” “Egham, like many clubs, work very hard to ensure the interest in cricket is maintained and without doubt this is getting harder every year. Egham is better placed than most but other interests are catching up. Schools no longer place importance on cricket and although Egham has connections with local schools, cut backs to their budgets prevent them from having their own facilities and therefore a great emphasis is placed on clubs to attract the boys. Computers, sport on TV and the problems within the English Cricket in general all add to a somewhat difficult future but everyone at Egham is confident problems can be overcome and the general satisfaction of playing and watching cricket will remain paramount. The Surrey Championship is working very hard with Surrey County Cricket to ensure the ambition is maintained and everyone in cricket is confident the sport will continue to be a major part.”
Spencer CC Based at Fieldview in Earsfield, London, Spencer CC will compete in the 1st Division of the Surrey Championship in 2015. They are led by Chairman Neil Harrison who is supported by Secretary Matt Nunn and the club is looking to progress under their guidance. The club’s preparations are well under way for the 2015 campaign and 1st Team Captain Neil Baker took the time to speak to the club’s official website about what they are hoping to achieve, saying, “The end goal will always be promotion back to the Premier League. Other goals are to make sure Spencer continues to be an enjoyable place to play, and we continue our traditions of producing our own players through our Junior and Pathway sections. Apart from playing good Cricket… We’ve always been a club whose sides have battled and fought for every run and wicket. In 2012 when we won Division 1 we were often in a lot of trouble in games, but always found a way
to battle through and win. Perhaps we lost that slightly last year. I want to rekindle that fight and togetherness.” One of the standout features of the Spencer set up is the superb youth section that they have in place. This part of the club looks to provide youngsters from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any side to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their juniors can progress over the coming years. In order to help ensure that these players enjoy a smooth transition into the senior game they also have the Spencer Academy which plays 40 overs matches in the Surrey Trust Leagues on Sunday afternoons. This gives talented youngsters a
clear pathway into the adult game and they hold mid-week training for the players involved and also encourage them to attend adult training. In order to further ensure players enjoy a smooth transition into the senior game they also have a number of additional sides. This allows them to give players experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having so many sides is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. There is much to admire about the superb set up that Spencer CC currently has in place and hopefully they will be able to continue in the same manner for many years to come.
Poole Town CC Poole Town CC currently competes in the Premier 1 Division of the Dorset Cricket League and is a terrific example of a well-run community establishment that plays an important role in their local area. They are led by Chairman Peter Dooker who is supported by Secretary Jo Pilley and the club has made a considerable amount of progress under their guidance. In 2014 their first team put together a campaign to remember as they compiled a record of fourteen wins and just four defeats from their twenty matches with the other two scheduled fixtures being abandoned. This saw them finish the year as champions with 306 points on the board. This was a terrific achievement for everyone involved with the club and was a reflection of all of the hard work
that has gone into making them a success. This is not a club that will sit back and relax after their title however and their focus has now switched towards making saw that they are successful again in 2015. As long as they are able to retain their current group of players and perhaps make one or two quality additions to freshen up their squad they should be challenging once again. Poole Town is not a club to focus solely upon their senior section however as they also have a number of youth sides in place. These teams look to provide youngsters from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent if they are to be successful, particularly in the current
financial climate and this is an area that Poole Town appears to have covered. Coaching staff involved with the youth sides are confident that they’ve a number of players currently involved with the potential to go on and have a successful future in the game. It will certainly be exciting to see how they can progress over the coming years. In order to help their youngsters to make the sometimes difficult transition into the senior game Poole Town also run a number of additional sides. This allows them to give players experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process.
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Wokingham CC
We caught up with the club’s President Martin Wilson to find out more about the good work that they have been doing lately. “Junior cricket is incredibly important for the future prosperity of the game and of course the Club. We currently have 190+ Junior Members from U7 to U17, both boys and girls. The work and energy put in by the coaches and parents who organise is tremendous and is an invaluable life line for any club. Our current Chairman, was previously head of our Junior Section and is very keen to promote the skills and enthusiasm of our young members. Indeed on a Saturday, of the 55 players required, about 20 of those are U18, so it cannot be understated as to the importance to the future and current success. Separately we also have a thriving and growing Women’s section with our 1st XI competing in the Southern Premier League, and with the 2nd XI winning promotion last season. We are also extremely lucky to count Charlotte Edwards, England Women’s Captain, as one of our members.” He told us, “I became President in 2013 following being Chairman for 4 years during which time I
lead our Clubs ground relocation project and construction of our wonderful new facility. The move was completed ready for our first season in 2012. The most challenging aspect is actually not being so heavily involved in all the details anymore, but members still expecting me to know everything that’s going on. It is however an honour to fulfil such a position and to represent our Club. We have a wonderful new Chairman, Paul Hayter, since October and he has been a breath of fresh air in bringing everybody together and building a team of volunteers with a common goal. The rewards are numerous, but in particular it’s pleasing to see all our plans and hard work behind the scenes come to fruition as people of all ages, not just our members and guests, getting involved with the sport and activities and enjoying being part of our community. “We have an open selection policy, but most importantly the best way to integrate young and older players is for them to see each other in action. There is little to no benefit in selecting young players
to make up the numbers in Open Age Group matches, as it does not give the players the chance to learn and grow from taking part. Cricket is a great game for levelling ability and for players of all ages to take part together. We have a group of dedicated coaches looking after our Juniors and several of them still play and so are able to support their development from within the team, not just from the side line. Additionally we previously identified that it is not always an easy transition for our Juniors to make the step up from Junior Age Group cricket into Senior Cricket, and so we took the decision to create an Academy structure. This was intended to provide focus and an extra level of coaching to those young adults (U15-U21) who have the chance of playing at a high level within our club, and bridge the gap between Junior and Senior practice/match scenarios. We also bring in experienced external coaches to supplement our own pool of club coaches to help them reach the next level of their ability.”
Crompton CC Crompton Cricket Club are members of the Central Lancashire Cricket League. We are located centrally in the village of Crompton off Glebe Street, Shaw, our entrance and car park situated at the end of Christine Street. Crompton Cricket Club have been members of the Central Lancashire League since 1896. We operate two senior cricket teams, 1st XI and 2nd XI as well as four junior teams, Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 13s, and Under 15s.
All our junior cricket teams have qualified coaches who are dedicated to making sure all our junior cricketers learn in a safe and secure environment. All our coaches are CRB checked as are our Child Welfare Officers. On the social side our clubhouse has a large function room, a snooker/games room as well as an outdoor children's park and beer garden. In addition there is the cricket pitch, a football pitch and masses of well kept grassed
areas, all within a secure and safe environment. Our ground is completely enclosed with beautiful far reaching views over the Pennine Hills which are the envy of many other clubs. So whether you wish to play cricket, watch cricket or just socialise, why not come and pay us a visit. Our facilities are also available to hire at extremely competitive rates, so pop in and see what we can do for you.
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TOFT CC Their first team has put together a superb campaign this time around having compiled a record of 9 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses in their 20 matches with 2 fixtures not reaching a result. This sees them near the top of the table with 305 points on the board. This should provide them with the perfect platform upon which to build as they look ahead towards the 2015 season. So long as they are able to retain their current group of players and perhaps make one or two quality additions they will be in for another successful effort. From a batting point of view Jake Hancock has been in fantastic form having scored 1107 runs in total including a memorable knock of 123 not out. He has averaged close to 60 with 8 half centuries and 2 centuries. He has not been their only prolific run scorer however as Rob Jones has also contributed regularly and has an average of 50. They have been well supported by the rest of the batting line-up with James Drummond and Henry Hughes in particular chipping in with some valuable runs to give Toft a formidable batting line up.
They have been well supported by an effective bowling attack as well. James Lomas has been their main strike bowler having contributed 53 wickets for an average of just 21. Rob Jones has been a reliable option with 26 wickets at an average of just 19. A number of other bowlers have been able to chip in with some important wickets when it has mattered with Pete Talbot, Jack Goode and Matthew Cornes all helping Toft to establish themselves as
one of the most feared attacks in the league. Away from the first team Toft deserve a tremendous amount of credit for the superb youth section that they have in place. This part of the club looks to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club to be
able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their juniors are able to develop over the coming years. In order to help their youngsters to make the sometimes difficult transition into the senior game they also have a number of additional sides running. This allows them to give players experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having extra teams is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. Toft’s performances on the field this season haven provided something for everyone associated with the club to be proud of. Hopefully they will be able to continue to perform to a high level for many years to come and with the set-up they have in place it seems likely that they will.
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Firwood Bootle CC Their first team put together a solid campaign in 2014 as they compiled a record of 8 wins, 2 draws and 9 defeats from their 22 matches with the other 3 failing to reach a result. This saw them finish in a safe mid-table position with 256 points on the board. This should provide them with a solid platform from which to build as they look ahead towards the 2015 campaign. So long as they are able to retain their current group of players and perhaps make one or two quality additions then they should be in with a good chance of pushing on up the table. From a batting point of view, David Snell has led the way, contributing 881 runs including 4 half centuries and a memorable 109 not out. He has been well supported by Michael Gill and Gregg Butterworth. Their bowlers also contributed significantly with William Purser in particular shining as he finished with 67 wickets at an average of just 13. Chris Cunningham, Gregg Butterworth and Kaine Balgowan also bowled well to form a formidable attack. The club will be
hoping these players perform to the same level in 2015. One of the standout features of the Firwood Bootle set-up is the superb youth section that they have in place. It was set up in its current form in 1995 and has gained a reputation as one of the best in the local area as they look to provide young players with an opportunity to develop their skills in a safe and enjoyable environment. Membership is open to boys and girls of all ages from 6 to 18 and the club encourages anyone interested to come along and get involved. It will certainly be exciting to see how their juniors are able to develop over the coming years. In order to ensure that their youngsters enjoy a smooth transition into the senior game they also run a number of additional sides. This allows them to give players experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having so many sides is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength
in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. In the modern day it is important for clubs to be well-run off the field as well as on it and this is an area that they appear to have covered. Their clubhouse is available for a variety of different functions including conferences, buffets, private dinners and christenings. This has the potential to provide the club with a valuable source of additional revenue which can be particularly helpful during the offseason when they are unable to rely upon matchday income. This can also help to get people involved with the club who wouldn’t usually visit. There is much to admire about the set up that Firwood Bootle currently has in place both on and off the field and this is thanks to all of the hard work that has been put into the club in recent times. Hopefully they will be able to keep up the good work for many years to come.
Kimbolton CC The idyllic village of Kimbolton is situated in the corner of 3 counties, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire and one of its claims to fame is Kimbolton Castle where Katherine of Aragon, one of Henry VIII’s wives, was imprisoned. The Castle today is where Kimbolton School is located and the cricket ground of Kimbolton CC is surrounded on 2 sides by the school grounds and farmland on the other sides. The village only has some 700/800 residents and with the demise of a lot of village clubs it has done well to survive with the relatively small number of residents. The Club has attracted players from within a fairly wide area because of the picturesque nature of the ground and the hard work of some of the Club’s elder statesmen who have poached players over the years. The Club was formed circa 130 years ago, the earliest picture of KCC is dated 1900. For many
years it played its cricket in the Bedfordshire Leagues and moved in to the Cambridgeshire league where it continues to play at the present time. The cricket club pavilion has been developed over many a year, it was originally a shepherd’s hut on the Estate of the Duke of Manchester and was transported to the ground and placed on a concrete base where it sits to this day. Over the years it has been extended with changing rooms at each end and around the early 1960’s water and electricity were laid on and a kitchen and toilets were added. It was during the 1960’s that playing strength of the Club started to rise and this continued through the 1970’s and 1980’s where the Cambridgeshire league and cups were won. In 1979, when the Cricket World Cup was held in England the Papua and New Guinea and Malaysian sides played matches at Kimbolton where we beat Malaysia but lost to Papua and New Guinea in the last over.
The Club started to fall in to decline at the turn of the last century but it has survived and is now back on the way up with quite a young side playing in the Saturday League and theSunday side blooding 13–15 year olds in the Rutland League. The junior section is back, the Club currently has many youngsters at under 9’s and for the first time in quite a few years it has entered a side in the local under 11 league who have lost only 1 game during the season so far. They will almost certainly qualify for the end of season playoff ’s. Off the field the Club continues to move forward, a grant from Sport England has been received to provide disabled facilities at the Club, new covers have been sponsored through Kwik Fit and about 7 years ago another sponsor came forward with funds to enable the square to be re-laid and it is playing better and better and is probably one of the highest scoring grounds in the League.
Durham CCC Last month’s County Championship win at Arundel was a great feeling and one we are very proud of. Lots of hard work and effort went into that win so to have a week’s break afterwards was just what was required. The guys are feeling fit and refreshed and ready to go again against Lancashire tonight in the Natwest T20 blast. We’ve had a good period away from T20 cricket, and with a few defeats in the last couple of games in that tournament we are determined to put that right and put in a big performance. We know we haven’t quite been on top form in T20 over the last few years but we are sure this can be our year. We have a great mix of experience and youth now and I feel we have just the right ingredients to go that step further to Finals Day this year. We have six group games to go and we know a top four spot will take us into the quarter-finals, but we aren’t resting on our laurels to finish third or fourth. We want to finish top if we can or at least second to give us that home quarter-final – obviously it’s still a long way off, but we are setting our standards high this year in all formats. Sunday is the big one for all Durham fans. Yorkshire visit the Riverside for what will be a crucial game for both teams as we both look to challenge for that Championship trophy again. We know how strong Yorkshire are and they are making a great challenge to retain the trophy they won last year. But they took it off us and we want it back in our hands. We have been playing some good cricket lately and we know we can
be better. I think everyone knows we’ve struggled with first-innings runs but last week at Arundel we saw that improve. I’m sure with the nature of this fixture everyone will be pumped up to do well against a very good Yorkshire attack. The omissions of key players for Yorkshire will also be of help to us; the England camp is under way in Spain, so they will be without some big players. Adam Lyth has been in prolific form against us in the last few seasons so to have him missing is good for us, and it means his runs are now a weight on someone else’s shoulders. Gary Ballance, Joe Root and Liam Plunkett are all also missing and we know how dangerous they can be with both bat and ball. Obviously it’s always nice to see the
opposition side without their international players but we still have to show respect to whoever comes in to replace them. We know how good they can be but – and it’s a big but – we also know how good our team is and the cricket we are capable of playing. We haven’t really showed Yorkshire our quality in the last two Championship games so again that’s something we are going to look to put right on Sunday. We know if we want to get the trophy back in our hands then we have to beat the best teams, and as current champions, the Yorkies would say they are the best. Hopefully we get four days of great weather and support and we can finish the game with a win and see us move clear at the top.
Cookham Dean CC COOKHAM Dean CC kept their Thames Valley League Division One title hopes alive with a threewicket win at struggling Eversley. And it was the Dean’s overseas star Godwill Mamhiyo – who played for Eversley last season – who put in a match-winning display with the ball to keep his current side on course for back-to-back championships. Eversley won the toss and chose to bat, making a solid start as Phil Wise and Ibne Sayed (32) put on 74 for the opening wicket. The introduction of Shakil Ahmed (4-67) led to an initial flurry of runs as Syed took 14 runs from his opening over, only for the former Pakistan test player to gain his revenge when he bowled the opener. Mamhiyo then came into the attack and the Zimbabwean and Ahmed were able to exert considerable control, stemming the flow of runs from the Eversley batsmen. Wickets fell steadily, with only Wise (71) managing to provide any contribution of any
substance, and the Boars were well and truly on the ropes at 136-9. However, a cautious last-wicket partnership marshalled by Aftab Habib (29no) allowed them to get up to a competitive total of 170, Mamhiyo taking 6-61 and Ahmed claiming 4-67. With the Cross Green wicket offering some seam movement, two early wickets apiece from Jack Sever (2-41) and Joe Howarth (2-24) left Cookham Dean 51-4 and Eversley strong favourites. However, useful contributions from Kurran Mangat (32), 17-year-old Saagar Kanwar (40) and captain Ben Millar – the latter two sharing a crucial 54run partnership for the seventh wicket – put the visitors back in the contest. There was still work to be done for the Dean when Kanwar departed with 14 still required, but a couple of edges through the slips for four from Ahmed steadied Cookham’s nerves, before Millar hit the winning runs to finish on an unbeaten 20. Cookham Dean sit fourth in the table but are only
11 points behind new leaders Kew, and have a home game against relegation-threatened Stoke Green tomorrow (12.30pm). In Division 4b, Cookham Dean 2nds edged a thrilling contest at home to Stoke Green 2nds by six runs. Parminder Mangat (91) and Jake Richardson (88) led the way as the Dean racked up an impressive 275-7, despite Irham Mughal’s (486) best efforts. In reply, Sim Mangat’s 6-73 helped seal victory for the hosts with just four balls remaining. Relegation-threatened Cookham Dean 3rds suffered a disappointing nine-wicket defeat in a one-sided contest at Division 7b title-chasers Datchet 3rds. Sohil Mangat made 51 and Rob Applegarth added 42, but they received little support as the Dean were bowled out for 162. And that target never looked like being anywhere near enough after Datchet got going, the hosts racing to victory in just the 26th over of the run chase.
Moddershall CC With over two-hundred members a part of this club in Staffordshire, Moddershall has gone from strength to strength. It consists of four senior teams that all play in different divisions of the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire league (the first team in 2007 to do such a feat) with solid and consistent form across the board, and also a successful academy that trains emerging players aged from anywhere between five and seventeen. This part of the club looks to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their juniors can progress over the coming years as they look to develop successful careers in the game. Before becoming founding members of the Stone and District League in 1933, Moddershall used to play just friendly matches on a farmer’s field. Sadly this club was disbanded when World War Two started in 1939 but didn’t stay in this state for long. Eight years later in 1947, three men (Doug Eyre, John Lowe and W. Midwinter) reformed Moddershall again. John Lowe is now the current Life President. Since it’s reformation over sixty years ago, the club was been very successful, being a strong force to be reckoned with in their league, winning not only the league championship and the Bailey Shield Cup but also the Stone Charity Cup on four separate occasions. They kept up this success and strong form when they joined the North Staffordshire and District League in 1975, never seeming to breaking stride when they moved on to the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League in 1990. Among the many league and cup honours Moddershall won the Staffordshire Cup in 2004 and then the Premiership League title in 2008. From this they have had a lot of talent rise up to firstclass cricket, both county and internationally. Sam Kelsall went through the Moddershall Academy to play for both the England U19 squad and Nottinghamshire Outlaws, the latter in 2011.
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They have even had some well-known cricketers from abroad play for them. These have included Rangana Herath, who plays for Sri Lanka, and Inram Tahir from South Africa. Lately they have a youngster from Pakistan who has played for the U19 squad and also assists with coaching both the seniors and at the academy. Moddershall is a safe and friendly family environment who have always made sure that they were part of the local community and engaged with a lot of organizations, which include local schools; Buckaneers Cricket Club, Stone Young Farmers, Sport Asia Cricket Club and Blythe Bridge Junior Football.
West Bergholt CC
“The club remain ambitious. We would like to continue to develop our Colts and to move further up our leagues on both Saturday and Sundays. Having tasted some success we are keen for some more. We would like to re develop our clubhouse and perhaps with all the rain we are having, get some covers for the square. However, we do not want to lose the fun and remain committed to being a local friendly village side. I think with a lot of hard work and fun we will continue to be around for the next generations of cricket players.” “We do see ourselves as a community club. We try and involve the village as much as possible. As part of our festival weekend we have a quiz which is very well supported by the village. Last year we were involved with the local Junior School, Heathlands, by arranging coaches for an after school cricket club which proved very successful. We hope that we will gain more support from players and parents from there and hopefully the school will enter a side in our Kwik Cricket festival in 2015. A few years ago we started a ladies team that plays in the local ladies league. They have gone from strength to strength and are really involved with the club now. Whilst we have not had enough girls to form a team we have had girls playing in the Kwik Cricket sides. Last year Jessica Twydell and Emily Eves were in the Essex U11 development squad.” “Youth cricket is extremely important at the club. We always need extra help and coaches but my thanks go to Trevor Roger, Simon Lockwood, James Banks and Mark Eves for running our Colts sides last year. It was only a couple of years ago that James was a Colt himself! I have always believed in giving youth a chance and this is why we are running the extra side next year. A large number of our “Invincibles” side came through our Colts so we are doing something right. There is often talk that cricket is not as popular as it was but certainly at the younger ages boys and girls are very keen to play and we have large numbers playing in our Kwik Cricket sides. Having a lovely safe ground does help but also where possible giving the youngsters a chance to shine in the adult sides helps their graduation. We are also very proud to be a Club Mark club.”
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Brentham CC
They have a history of which they have every right to be proud, having built a reputation for having a friendly approach towards serious cricket. They place a strong emphasis upon club loyalty with over half of their players being ex-colts. They are always keen to welcome players of all ages and abilities. The club has achieved tremendous longevity and celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2008. This is a testament to all of the hard work that has been put into Brentham over the years. They are certainly not resting on their laurels however. They are looking to improve their facilities by improving their clubhouse in order to enable them to look forwards to a bright future. This has the potential to provide them with a valuable source of additional revenue which is particularly important during the off-season when they cannot rely upon matchday revenue. One of the other areas that they are looking to develop is women’s cricket at the club.
In order to help their young players to successfully make the sometimes difficult transition into the senior game they also run a number of additional sides. This allows them to give players experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having so many sides is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up as replacements with a limited amount of disruption. There is much to admire about the work that has been done at Brentham Cricket Club and they clearly play a vital role in their local community, helping people to enjoy the game.
Wellesbourne CC Wellesbourne CC is a terrific example of a superbly run village cricket club that plays a vital role in their local community. We caught up with their Chairman Phil Rothwell to find out more about the superb work that they’ve been doing in recent times. He told us, “The off-season has been very good; we’ve been very active with looking to extend the clubhouse in the next 1218 months. In the last four to five years we’ve invested in new outdoor nets and have looked to improve the clubhouse year on year to bring it up to date. The work began the day after the season finished really with
our groundstaff committed to being there every week. Our indoor nets have gone really well with probably the best regular attendance we’ve had in the 35 years that I’ve been here.” “We came 2nd in the league last year and our targeting winning the Premier League. We’ve been in the top 3 regularly so don’t feel that we are too far away. With the ability that we’ve got in that team we feel that’s a realistic target and it’s like anything in that it’s never easy to win the title but I think the focus is good and we’re looking forwards to the challenge. I think we’re the only club in the league to have a team in the
Premier and Second Divisions and with the talent that we’ve added we’re optimistic of challenging for promotion with the 2nd team if we can build some momentum early.” “In the last two or three years youth cricket has become a massive influence at the club. Dick Hayden took over thejunior section around ten years ago and since then we’ve grown that area considerably. In 2010 we had twenty junior members registered and last year we had just short of one hundred from the ages of five up to about fifteen so the progress has been considerable.
Baildon CC Baildon is not a club to focus solely upon their senior section and this is reflected by the fact that they also have a number of youth teams in place. These sides look to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area they appear to have covered. It will
certainly be exciting to see how their juniors are able to develop over the coming years. In order to ensure that their youngsters enjoy a smooth transition into the senior game they also run a number of additional sides. This allows players to gain experience of adult level cricket even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having so many teams is that it allows the first XI
to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. Baildon’s good season is certainly not a one off and is thanks to all of the hard work that has been put into the club. Hopefully they will be able to continue in the same manner for many years to come.
Shifnal CC One of the standout features of the Shifnal set up is the superb youth set up that they have in place. This part of the club looks to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is important for any club that is looking to be successful to produce their own talent and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be excit-
ing to see how their juniors can progress over the coming years. In order to help them to make the potentially difficult transition into the senior game they also have a number of additional sides. This allows them to give players experience of adult level rugby even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another benefit of having more than one senior team is that it
allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or work commitments they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. The recognition that Shifnal have recently received is a just reward for all of the hard work that has been put into making the club a success.
P L e A S e d T o S U P P o rT. . .
Shifnal Cricket Club
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Ashes 2015 review Player of the series Stuart Broad. Raised his bowling to a new level in this series, both technically and strategically. At Trent Bridge, he took on the mantle of senior bowler in the absence of Jimmy Anderson, and his spell on the first morning was one of the most decisive in Ashes history, effectively won the match and series for England in the first hour and a half. Ashes 2015 ratings: How England’s and Australia’s players shaped up Read more
The series was won on the first morning at Trent Bridge and Stuart Broad was the man who effected this knockout blow with his 8 for 15 exposing the flaws of Australia’s batsmen in the shortest first innings in Test history. Stuart Broad, who bowled more overs with more maidens, more wickets and a lower bowling average than any other regular on either side. In a funny, in-and-out series, one thing was clear: England won because Broad played well in every game. Also the bravest terrified batsman on either side.
Stuart Broad. The Ashes seem to bring out the best out in Broad, and he’s been brilliant again in this series, with 21 wickets at 21 runs each. He also pulled his batting together, and played his part in a 50-run partnership in each of the three Tests England won. John Ashdown Stuart Broad has Stuart Broad, who has been devasalways had the ability for flashing tating when he has got his lengths spells of near unplayability – so right. When he goes fuller – that much so that his eight for 15 at knee-roll length – he is been inTrent Bridge, stunning though it credibly productive. When he runs was, perhaps shouldn’t really have through sides, like he did at Trent come as that much of a surprise – Bridge, this is how he does it. Stuart Broad. Actually his determination to try to bat properly (not always successful) after a torrid 18 months was as impressive as anything. But he bowled well too – especially on one morning at Nottingham.
but he has rarely found excellence so consistently as this summer. Had his best series with the bat for quite a while too. Joe Root. When he fired, England fired. The one batsman on either side to combine resilience with flair for any significant length of time, and his hundred at Cardiff gave England vital early ascendance after a tricky start. Joe Root. Despite getting out to a couple of silly shots, Root lifted himself to the top of the ICC rankings, but more importantly scored two crucial hundreds – one in Cardiff to set the tone for the series, and one in Nottingham to place boot to throat after Stuart Broad filleted the Australian lineup. Joe Root. Between Root and Steve Smith – the two standouts among two disappointing batting line-ups – and though Smith scored more runs, Root finished the series with the higher average and the urn.
Bestmoment
On what proved to be the final morning of the Trent Bridge Test, England, requiring three more wickets to win the Ashes, turned not the senior bowlers Broad and Steve Finn, but to Ben Stokes and Mark Wood. It was a master stroke of sporting psychology: when Wood uprooted the leg and middle stumps of Nathan Lyon, it gave a young man a memory for life. Ben Stokes catching Adam Voges in the gully at Trent Bridge. Then we knew this really was England’s morning/day/match/series. From an Australian perspective, the Lord’s Test. That was pretty special. That catch from Ben Stokes at Trent Bridge to remove Adam Voges. Diving to his right, with the ball almost behind him, it was the champagne moment in a morning of destruction. And catch of the series is not on this list. That catch by Ben Stokes. Otherwise I liked Alastair Cook name-checking Peter Moores after England had won the series. Cook isn’t a natural communicator and can come across terribly, but that was a glimpse of his best qualities.
The first morning at Trent Bridge, of course, when someone must have cast a spell over the ground. Every ball seemed to take the edge and fly to a fielder. The one moment of the summer when it felt like the series had the attention of the entire nation. Ben Stokes’ catch off Stuart Broad at Trent Bridge – it helped turn a breathtaking spell of cricket into something almost ethereal. Ben Stokes catches Adam Voges at Trent Bridge: It felt as if the entire country had stopped work during Stuart Broad’s stunning spell that morning, and nothing caused more delighted surprise – not least in the bowler himself – than Stokes acrobatically plucking the ball from behind him to give Broad his fourth victim. It’s an obvious one, but the absurd catch by Ben Stokes off Stuart Broad to dismiss Adam Voges, in the middle of that absurd morning at Trent Bridge, was thrilling. At that point I was just giggling. Stuart Broad’s eight for 15 at Trent Bridge. It might be a touch parochial to say quite how much I enjoyed this, but I had the day off
and watched the first day of the fourth Test in a pub with friends. From a neutral perspective though, it was glorious to see such a devastating spell of fast bowling: something that is all-too-rare these days and a throwback to the halcyon days of Test cricket that I grew up with.
Benwell Hill CC Phil Nicholson says he is “pretty pleased” with Benwell Hill’s start to the NEPL season.
However. the Denton Bank skipper has challenged his young team to learn from their two early defeats and produce more of the same competitiveness which has yielded two wins and as many winnings draws. The Hill are fifth in the Premier Division and travel to third-placed Blaydon tomorrow. Nicholson said: “The first few weeks were really good, really pleasing. “We had a hard-fought game at the Academy in the first week and gained a winning draw when the game was in the balance. “Then we played well at Gateshead Fell in a rain-affected game and did as well as we possibly could given how much time was lost. “There were really outstanding individual performances. “We picked up a big win at Whitburn and a win at Scarborough in the national knock-out competition. “So the first three weeks went really well. “Then we batted really poorly (at South Shields) and showed our inexperience, missing Zohaib (Khan) and Jack (Clark) on a difficult pitch but not a 58 all-out pitch, having bowled OK. “Then we were better again in the cup at South North, even though we lost.
“We were competitive in that game.” Less so, again, in defeat at Tynemouth. However, the Hill bounced back with an impressive home victory over Hetton Lyons last Saturday and travelling to Blaydon tomorrow Nicholson is keen to see more of the same. He added: “It is important we learn from our start. “We hvaea lot of young players with a lot still to learn and that is what they will do. “So we are pretty pleased so far.
“Hetton are one of the sides who finished ahead of us last year and one of the sides we have aspirations of challenging and finishing ahead of. They are experienced and the sort of side we have to match ourselves against. “So on paper that was our hardest game so far. “If we are going to finish ahead of them, we hvae to beat them and the same goes for Blaydon and the weeks to come. “I think there are a lot of sides who can beat each other this year. “That is the way the league is going to be.”
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Newcastle CC In 1897, Ralph Spencer wrote from Walbottle Hall, Newburn: “I am very pleased to know the Constabulary ground has been secured in the interests of cricket.” He was one of a group of local Victorian gentlemen whose handwritten pledges are the reason there is still cricket in Jesmond today. Earl Grey wrote from 1 Connaught Place, Hyde Park; Walter Scott from the Grand Hotel California, Cannes. Their letters went on display for the first time ever, as part of recent events to mark the 125th anniversary of the ground. They would doubtless all be pleased – in fact astonished – to find today’s busy activity. More than a century after the first match – between the 10th Hussars and the Lords of Northumberland – there’s cricket matches and training seven days a week, involving more than a hundred juniors, four senior teams, and the new girls and women’s squad. But a decade ago, the future looked rather bleaker. The shock announcement that the future of cricket at the historic Jesmond Ground was in doubt resulted in a high profile campaign which energized the local community; ten years on, the results are dramatic. More than £200K has been raised for much-needed improvements, thousands more people are using the ground and pavilion, and plans are underway for a £200K+ scheme to install modern training and changing facilities. The progress has won national and regional awards including the Club Awards national Cricket Club of the Year award. The response to fears of closure was the creation of a new partnership: Newcastle Cricket Club (a new local cricket and community club) and Newcastle’s Royal Grammar School. This multi-purpose approach helped cover the costs of the Jesmond Ground. And Northumberland CCC continues to be based in the ground, playing one and three day Minor Counties matches. On the field, the senior teams celebrated a record season in the North East Premier League in 2013 – Firsts in 4th place, Seconds in 3rd, Thirds in 4th and winning the Banks Cup. A new Saturday Thirds has been created this season, competing in the West Tyne League.
Success stories include Ross Sinclair: the 16-year-old scored 150 and 151 over two days in NEPL matches for the Seconds and Thirds in July – and took four wickets as well! And 11-year-old Emma Gowling has been selected for the County Development squad. Grants from Sport England, the SITA trust and others have funded a digital scorebox and cricket equipment. But there’s more to be done: the club has won ECB support to develop a training area off the playing pitch, so that training and matches can take place at the same time. Fundraising is underway to raise the £130K needed, plus another £90K to upgrade the changing facilities and showers which are showing their age! There’s been investment off the field, with new accessible entrances to the ground and pavilion. 2013 saw this project completed, with a new verandah so that wheelchair users can enjoy watching the cricket. Throwing open the ground to the community has resulted in a big increase in visits all year round. Regular classes and events range from Pilates – which has quickly expanded to three classes a week newcastle – to IT sessions and local council surgeries. This spring, more than a thousand people attended a fortnight of Jesmond Festival events. More 2014 highlights are October’s five-day Real Ale & Cider Festival and the annual Jesmond Fireworks Display, which attracts more than 4000 people. “People seem to really enjoy getting together in these big community gatherings,” said Co-Chair Olwyn Hocking. “This year there was even a Balada, mixing Brazilian cultural performances with a chance to watch the World Cup outdoors on a big screen.” All this wouldn’t be possible without an army of volunteers, and generous sponsors who support the goal of restoring the Jesmond Ground for the community. They include Bond Dickinson, Oaks Properties, British Engines, Elanders, and long-term supporters such as Dene’s Deli and the Cherry Tree. Their wonderful contribution to the long history of the ground have been marked at the club’s English Heritage Open Days in September. To get involved in the club as a player or volunteer – or just to celebrate this remarkable history. The tales on display are testimony to the love and loyalty inspired for more than a century by the Jesmond Ground.
The Caledonian Hotel
Newcastle
The Caledonian hotel Newcastle, is located in the heart of Jesmond, a chic and leafy area, only one mile from Newcastle city centre with a vibrant cafe and bar culture. The hotel itself combines Georgian architecture with a contemporary edge having recently been refurbished. 91 spacious en-suite bedrooms, a fully equipped conference and banqueting centre, and a range of dining options are all available. Choose from the relaxed ambience of the Billabong Bistro, the lively Billabong Bar or alfresco dining on the heated outdoor terrace. With ample free private parking and easy access to all major transport links, including Newcastle International Airport, the Caledonian Hotel is ideally situated for both the business and leisure traveller.
Group and individual bookings are welcome The Caledonian Hotel - Osborne Road - Jesmond - Newcastle upon Tyne - NE2 2AT
+44 (0) 191 281 7881 www.peelhotels.co.uk