2021 Season Update

General | 7th April 2021 | 0

We hope you have wintered well and survived the lockdown. It has been a testing time, but hopefully the end is now in sight and we can look forward to the cricket season with optimism. The ground is looking great, especially with all the work that has been completed to rejuvenate the pavilion. As always, the square is looking healthy and will only improve as the weather turns.

Having had a disrupted and curtailed season last year, our first game is this Saturday at home against Linden Park which will kick off a full season of fixtures, although certain restrictions will remain in place, in line with government and ECB guidelines. The League is scheduled to start on May 8th and should be back to the standard format, with both the first and second teams competing in their respective divisions. Plans are in place to open up the pavilion and, when appropriate, some social events will be scheduled.

In preparation for the new season, it is hoped that this post will give you some information and updates and will look to share more regular communications throughout the season. Please refer to this website for update news and information.

AGM

Due to the pandemic, it has not been possible to organise a full AGM this year. The committee have taken the decision to postpone a formal meeting and put in place some interim measures which will see us through the first part of the season before we are allowed to get together and ratify or amend as required. This is obviously not ideal, but it is hoped will be supported by the membership given these exceptional times. 

The financial and committee will be available on this site soon. The club is in a healthy financial position despite the significant outlay on the pavilion and grounds last year, and should hopefully improve as, once allowed, the bar and club can welcome back members, supporters and visiting clubs. 

Ben Crowhurst has agreed to captain the first team and BJ Allatt will run the second team for the 2021 season. Kate Fish has agreed to become the Child Welfare Officer and will take over responsibility once full training can be provided. All other committee members will remain in position for the time being, but we will need to recruit certain positions as the season progresses due to changes in personal circumstances for some members. As we go through the season, we will look to communicate future plans and will look to recruit new committee members.

Club Subscriptions and Match Fees will remain the same as previous season;

  • Full playing member £100
  • Student/ Unemployed £35
  • Non Playing member £10

Please review information on the website and, should you have any concerns or issues to raise, please contact a member of the committee.

Ground Force Day

Again, due to the current restrictions, we are not able to hold an organised Ground Force Day however a number of jobs still need to be completed to get the ground ready for the season. Jim and Choppy have liaised with their team of volunteers to get the pitch ready, but if anyone has some time and feels able to help with some jobs, please contact XXXX and we can organise a plan and appropriate time to visit the ground. As always, even if you can only spare a small amount of time it spreads the load and means the same people are not relied upon to keep the club running.

Jobs include:

  • Putting the roll on covers together
  • Clearing and cleaning the clubhouse
  • Clearing the ditch around the tip of the ground
  • Moving the sightscreens into position
  • Construction of some new benches
  • Plus a number of smaller jobs

The Bar

It is hoped that in the next few weeks the bar will be able to open. Initially guests will have to be outside but, in time, we hope the clubhouse will be fully open. The plan is for the bar to open on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sunday when games are hosted and for sporting events which can be viewed on the new big screen. Matt has been busy getting new beer lines in and stocking up. Friday 16th April should be the first day of trading.

The bar is a great revenue stream for the club and adds a fantastic social opportunity to all members and the village. For it be successful we need volunteers to run the bar. If all members could volunteer for 2 or 3 shifts through the season it will spread the work and ensure the club continues to prosper. Information about shifts and how to volunteer can be seen on the website. Please do your part and put your name forward when you are able.

Fixtures

As mentioned, the first game is Saturday 10th April against Linden Park. From then on, we have a full Saturday and Sunday fixture list. Thank you, Bob, for your efforts getting these organised. 

We have seen in the last few seasons that availability has been an issue and has affected the success of the club in the league. Please do your best to make yourselves available and if any friends, family, colleagues or acquaintances are keen to play. Please encourage them to contact the team captains.

To finish, it would be remiss not to mention the club members who have put in a great deal of work to repair and improve the pavilion and ground over the last 12 months. I am sure everyone who has visited will have been impressed with the change. The pavilion has been transformed and will stand for another 100 years thanks to the efforts of those involved. Thank you to everyone who has contributed time and effort to the project and continues to contribute to the running of the club. It is very much appreciated.

Let’s hope 2021 is a great year and that everyone can enjoy the season to come.
 

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