East Bridgford Cricket Club

Spring 2008 Newsletter

A message from the Chairman

Undaunted by the success of 2006, EBCC again set the goal of having at least one of their Saturday or Sunday XI teams gaining promotion in 2007. Albeit in somewhat unusual circumstances, not only did we achieve our goal we exceeded our expectations with both teams gaining promotion. Both XIs finished 3rd in their respective leagues, but due to re-structuring of the leagues, three teams were promoted from each. Congratulations to “Sammy” Johnson and Neil “Norman” Foster who led the Saturday and Sunday Teams, respectively to success.

It was a season dominated, both on and off the field, by the weather – never in the history of the game has the weather so cruelly accounted for so many fixtures! Nevertheless EBCC can be thankful that they weren’t as badly affected by the weather as some of our near neighbours! Surely we can look forward to bouncy, hard wickets in 2008! Despite the weather it is again very pleasing to report that Junior Cricket entered its 2nd comeback season at EBCC in 2007. Once again we are indebted to Bill Barclay for organising the Coaching Sessions. The coaching was carried out by Chris Revill, of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.

There is no doubt that EBCC has strengthened its performances over the last couple of years, but yet I feel that we are now at a crossroads. Where do we go from here? What do you want to happen next? Are we satisfied with what we have, Saturday to Saturday, Sunday to Sunday, with some Junior Coaching, or do we intend to develop the club for the future? In the Chairman’s report of the 2006 Season I stated that:

“If we are serious about Junior Cricket, and I sincerely hope that we are, we need to:

-Develop a plan and structure for the Junior Section

-Offer coaching, facilities and equipment,

Not only during the season itself but also during the close season. The Junior season ends when the Summer holidays start,

-Provide encouragement and support,

-Provide an atmosphere to welcome both Junior Cricketers and their families to EBCC

But most of all we need to be committed to making it happen. With a Junior Section I am sure that EBCC will flourish. Should we set the following targets? An EBCC Junior Team playing in a league in 2008 and a Second XI by 2009? One of the best ways to do this, I believe, is to introduce to the EBCC Committee a Junior Cricket Co-ordinator. At the moment, this may need to be a current EBCC Member, but I would hope in a short timeframe that additional support would emerge from the Juniors themselves i.e. Parents.”

We have not hit these targets – Why? Were they unrealistic? Is their no support? In 2008 I recommend that we seriously review the way forward. If appropriate, and supported by its members, EBCC should consider a Development Plan not only for Junior Cricket but for the Cricket Club as a whole.

Finally, if you have any ideas, thoughts, comments, on how TO IMPROVE YOUR CRICKET CLUB, please forward them to a committee member for consideration!

All the very best for a Happy, Healthy and Successful 2008

Warren Hepples

2008 officers

President Brian Stein (20498)

Chairman Warren Hepples (20104)

Vice Chairman Norman Hall (20433)

Secretary Bill Barclay (20525)

Treasurer Chris Sapey (20034)

Child WelfareOfficer Glenn Willis (860807)

Saturday Captain Stuart Johnson (837614)

Saturday Vice CaptainGlenn Willis

Sunday Captain Scott Brownson (838029)

Sunday Vice Captain Kevin Baguley (07971322566)

Dinner Organiser Tom Griffiths (01623 794074)

Bar Manager Chris Sapey

Sports Club Reps Norman Hall, Warren Hepples Bill Barclay

South Notts League Rep Chris Sapey

Newark League Reps Bill Barclay, Norman Hall

Cope Club Rep Norman Hall

Other committee members

Jane Baguley (860372)

Mark Kavanagh (01159605718)

Neil Foster 07891 283151

2007 season

In terms of weather, we have to record that the 2007 season was the worst that anybody can remember. A total of 15 matches were lost to rain and waterlogged pitches, including the President’s Match, with Cope Cup matches also being affected and rescheduled. Butts Field was unplayable for a month in June/July, with parts of the outfield under water for a large part of that. Still, we fared better than Lowdham, whose pitch was put out of action for the season by flooding. We were able to help by providing Butts Field for one of their home matches.

As for the matches played, the Saturday XI record reads: played 11, won 6, lost 5, with 7 games called off. Glenn Willis returned to batting form to top the batting averages with 33. Mark Kavanagh was the leading bowler, with 26 wickets at 13.38 runs per wicket. The Sunday XI would have won Division 5 of the Newark Alliance, but for a last-ball defeat at Lambley. Its record was: won 6, lost 4, 7 called off, and 4 points awarded for the away match against Pakistan Kashmir CC, when the pitch at Carlton had been double-booked. Neil Foster topped the batting averages with 23. Mark Taylor topped the bowling averages with 21 wickets at a very economical average of 5.04. In the Cope Cup, we reached the semi-final of the Pykett Plate, to lose to Whatton & Aslockton.

In June/July, we hired the enthusiastic services of Notts coach Chris Revill for junior coaching, and numbers were good, although this too was badly affected by the weather. An end-of-term match arranged against West Notts juniors was also called off because of a waterlogged pitch.

In April, we held the annual Presentation Evening in the Sports Pavilion. In addition to the 2006 season batting and bowling awards, Brian Stein presented the Young Player of the Year (Fred Hunt) Trophy to Tom Southwell, Sixes Competion Trophy to Andy Wright and After Eight Trophy to Michael Allan. An end-of-season night out in Nottingham for the players was also well attended.

The Annual Sportsmen’s Dinner was again held at the East Midlands Conference Centre. We are most grateful to Tom Griffiths, who organised the event brilliantly, with Mark Wilson’s help. Alan Haydock compered the evening, and we presented him with a commissioned painting by Jennie Bambury of a cricket match at Butts Field and conferred Honorary Life Membership on him, as a token of our appreciation of his long service to the club, and to mark his retirement as Rector of East Bridgford and Kneeton. Also, we presented Mark Wilson and Ann Clarke with bottles of champagne in recognition of all that they have done for the Sportsmen’s Dinner in recent years.We were pleased that numbers were up this year, to 226. Our guest speakers were Tommy Smith and comedian Jed Stone.

2007 stats (compiled by Chris Sapey)

Saturday XI batting

M

I

Avge

G Willis

198

48*

33.00

A Wright

278

118

27.80

R Stahlberger

175

25.00

W Hepples

224

24.88

N Foster

214

57*

23.77

T Griffiths

11.75

J Foster

10.85

M Brown

102

10.20

S Johnson

16*

10.20

M Kavanagh

5.83

T Phillipson

5.25

Saturday XI bowling

O / M / R / W / Avge
M Kavanagh / 101.3 / 18 / 348 / 26 / 13.38
G Willis / 36.4 / 7 / 130 / 8 / 16.25
N Foster / 69.3 / 11 / 242 / 14 / 17.28
J Foster / 91 / 21 / 285 / 16 / 17.81
C Sapey / 94.3 / 26 / 267 / 13 / 20.53

Sunday XI batting

Avge

N Foster

115

30*

23.00

G Lockwood

145

36*

20.71

S Brownson

108

62*

18.00

P Baguley

16.25

M Brown

39*

11.25

M Allan

6.20

K Baguley

3.00

Sunday XI bowling

O / M / R / W / Avge
M Taylor / 40.4 / 12 / 106 / 21 / 5.04
T V-Smith / 29.5 / 5 / 80 / 14 / 5.71
T Southall / 28 / 3 / 117 / 9 / 13.00
N Foster / 58.3 / 15 / 196 / 15 / 13.06
K Baguley / 81 / 11 / 291 / 9 / 32.33
P Baguley / 32 / 2 / 177 / 5 / 35.40

For the Sunday XI, Mark Taylor hit the highest score of the season (90) and topped the averages with 24, but played only four innings and just missed the 5-innings qualification. Similarly, Al Khan scored the most runs (159, including one fifty), but played only four innings.

Ged Willis

It is with great sadness that we record the passing of Ged int February 2008. For so many years, Ged was East Bridgford Cricket Club. The Club was his life, and we will miss him enormously. He started playing for the Club as a boy of 12; was Vice Captain of the Second XI from 1951-2; Sunday XI Captain from 1958 to 1980; Match Secretary from 1953-58; General Secretary from 1968 to 1990; Club President from 1990to 2001; and Honorary Life Member from 1991. He was also groundsman and umpire for many years, and continued to help with all aspects of the Club until failing health curtailed his activities. Even then, despite his limited mobility, he was always there, being involved, helping in events such as the annual Sporting Challenge. We will remember Ged as a generous, kind gentleman with a keen sense of humour and a fund of jokes to tell. Our sincere condolences go to Marion and the family.

Presentation Evening

The Presentation Evening will be on Friday 25th April 2008 in the Sports Pavilion, East Bridgford at 7.30 for 8pm. A free buffet will be provided and the trophies and awards for the 2007 season will be presented. Also, Chris Revill, from TrentBridge will give a short presentation on how best to develop the club. Players, Vice Presidents, wives, partners, friends and new members are cordially invited.

Playing awards for 2007 season

Saturday XI battingGlenn Willis

Saturday XI bowlingMark Kavanagh

Sunday XI battingNeil Foster

Sunday XI bowlingMark Taylor

Outstanding performance Mark Taylor

Young player (Fred Hunt Trophy) Tom Southall

After Eight Trophy Paul Baguley

Sixes Competition Andrew Wright and Ryan Stahlberger

Congratulations to Mark Taylor, who won the Newark Alliance Division 5 Top Bowler Award; his match-winning, devastating spell of 10 overs, 5 maidens, 6 wickets for 10 against Cliftonchanged the course of the match and won him our Outstanding Performance of the Season Trophy. Congratulations also to Andrew Wright and Michael Allen, who were top wicketkeepers in the South Notts League Division 1H and Newark Alliance Division 5 respectively.

2008 season

The Saturday XI will play in Division 1G of the Gunn & Moore South Notts Cricket League. Our opponents will be Gotham Village II, East Leake, Epperstone, Snibston Grange, Beeston & Toton Sycamore, Kirkby Portland II, Lowdham, Ravenshead and Oxton. The first match is on 26th April away to Epperstone.

The Sunday XI will play in Division 4 of the Newark Alliance Cricket League. Our opponents will be Calverton, Gedling Colliery, Ransome & Marles, Newark, Nuthall, Gotham, Jinnah, Rolls Royce and Wollaton. The first match is on 27th April at home to Ransome & Marles.

Cope Cup

Our opponents in the qualifying round of the Cope Cup will be Lambley (Away on 22nd May), Calverton (Away on 5th June) and Lowdham (at Home) on 19th June. This year’s charity is the Headway Charity.

President’s Match

The traditional annual President’s Match on Monday 30th June will form part of the village’s Feast Week celebrations. President Brian Stein will host the match between his invitation XI and an East Bridgford XI. Players - please keep this date free in your diary – we need a strong side to compete against the President’s pick of good cricketers from other clubs.

Annual Sportsmen’s Dinner

Our annual dinner will take place on Thursday 9th October 2008 at the East Midlands Conference Centre. After-dinner speakers will be David Graveney, recently retired Chairman of England Selectors, and comedian Gary Marshall.

We hope that all club members will make a special effort to come to this year’s dinner, sell tickets, and bring their friends and colleagues. This event keeps the club in a sound financial position, so please support it.