Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: Vitas Cricket on November 02, 2013, 09:57:59 PM
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Hello chaps, bit of an essay, sorry! Forums are for letting off some steam though, and i thought a few of you would enjoy the read.
I have mentioned this subject in passing on the forum and had a chat with a few of you at our forum event about the situation at my cricket club. Now that everything has happened and been confirmed, i thought i would share my tale, and also invite a few extra follows on twitter :) - more details later.
So for the past 6 years, Robin (Vitas Crickets owner, and one of my closest friends) has been the chairman and first team captain of the club i play for, Castor & Ailsworth CC, i have been vice captain for the past 2 seasons. In recent years we have enjoyed a good amount of success. Winning the Cambs & Hunts Premier League Div 2 in 2011, a couple of Sunday league titles as well as finally winning a highly competitive week long sixes festival after being runners up 2 years in a row, all this culminated in us finishing 5th in Cambs & Hunts Premier League Div 1 (1 league below the East Anglian ECB Premier League which is an outrageous standard) this season.
During this time, the facilities at our little village club have gone donwhill somewhat, the wooden pavillion is on its last legs and the deck (a pudding at the best of times) was really poor this year. We finished bottom by a long way in the ranking table based on umpires marks for the ground/facilities, this score boosted by playing our last 2 home games at another club.
In previous years our poor wicket has played into our hands and has been our fortress. Our team has evolved to the extent that by August we had not won a home game, but were largely on fire away. Myself and Robin took the decision late in the season to experiment and try playing elsewhere. There is a fantastic sports club in a village about 8 miles down the road, Ketton Sports Association. Their cricket team only play on Sundays. They have a fantastic pavillion, sky sports, proper bar, the works. The deck is a road, great outfield, electric scoreboard, best tea in the area, basically cricket heaven. We know the guys there very well, so the 'hiring' of their ground was free, we only paid for the tea.
This went well, our second game there (also the final game of the year due to subsequent weather) saw us rack up 301-1 and bowl the oppo out for 100.
As far as we were concerned, we were playing our home games there next season, done deal. Unfortunately, many members of Castors committee strongly disagreed with this. The league panel had made noises about removing us from the league due to the state of our facilities if we continued to play there, they assumed we would play at Ketton based on the positive comments from opposition and umpires. Many members of the Castor committe were so against playing away for a year or two (we have a pavillion in the works, and sorting the deck will be costly but not impossible by any means) that they were of the view that we should pull out of the division we were in and drop down the leagues. We explained that Robin had no desire to rip up 6 years of hard work building his team to where we are today. We made it as clear as possible without actually saying 'if you vote no to this, we will leave the club and take our players with us.'
We were outvoted by a huge margin, and after some brief chats with Ketton about taking our players and forming a Saturday side under their banner, we resigned from Castor.
Our initial thought was to form a side and enter into the Hunts league (a feeder system to the Cambs & Hunts Prem) as high as we could, ideally Hunts 1 so we could be back in the league we won in 2011 within a season. The Hunts league committee told us Hunts 4 was the highest we could enter, so we looked elsewhere.
At this point, Robin rang the Chairman of the Cambs & Hunts Prem, Keith Coburn to confirm his resignation from Castor and essentially explain what had happened. All the signs pointed to Castor having to withdraw from the Cambs & Hunts Prem due to a lack of players with enough ability for that level. Keith said 'when Castor resign, why not take their place?'
We had assumed this would not be possible, no team has entered our pyramid so high up before. It was agreed that so we don't take anyones place, we would start in Cambs & Hunts Prem 2, with the team finishing second bottom (wayward hayward's club) not being relegated to fill the space left by Castor.
Castor's committee dragged their heels for 2 weeks, at one point declaring they would enter a side in the Cambs & Hunts Prem 1 (the second team didn't manage to get out of Hunts 3, which is 5 divisions below) but eventually they fell on their sword and resigned.
This week we were finally able to sign off on things with Ketton, their committee voting unanimously to buy into our project. The new club (including the Sunday side) will be known as Ketton Lions CC ( vitas crickets lion logo being a nice tie in ;) ) and we will have a side in the Cambs & Hunts Prem 2 and a side in Rutland 3; the league Castor won this season. All games will of course be at Ketton, and luckily the Ketton boys already have a fair bit of pink in their kit. :)
In 2015 we hope to have second teams on Saturdays and Sundays. If we can, we will get a second team into a league this season, but it is tight with league AGM's coming up.
So there we have it. This has been my life for the past month. From to-ing and fro-ing in 4 hour long meetings with dinosaurs stuck in the past, to finally having our dream project set in stone. We have always struggled to attract quality to Castor due to the facilities. We always play hard (and mostly fair) and have enjoyed a decent amount of success, but most importantly we are the most fun loving club around in my opinion. Fantastic social scene (ask Simmy for comments on our tour to Leeds and Wakefield this Summer) and as a result, we have team spirit that cannot be matched. Now we have the deck and clubhouse to back all this up, the sky is the limit. For the first time ever, we have had people apporaching us looking to sign up.
Please follow @KettonLionsCC (https://twitter.com/KettonLionsCC) on twitter (and @VitasCricket (https://twitter.com/VitasCricket) if you don't already) to keep in the loop with our club as we take our first steps over the Winter. I've hyperlinked the text for you, so just click the twitter handles to go to the relevant pages.
:)
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Good luck with it Jake. Sounds like a nightmare of a process to have to go through but hope it all proves worthwhile in the end.
Will you miss anything about your old club or had things soured too much by the end?
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Ugg that sounds like such a tiring chore! Glad you guys resolved it.
Jake... Can I join your team, lol, you know I like pink!!!
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Ah, club politics. The greatest downfall of many a great club.
I'm glad everything has finally worked out for you guys, I know how frustrating dealing with committees can be.
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Many thanks for the kind words guys.
Good luck with it Jake. Sounds like a nightmare of a process to have to go through but hope it all proves worthwhile in the end.
Will you miss anything about your old club or had things soured too much by the end?
By the end, the first team and the rest of the club were so detached that it was like 2 different clubs anyway. Many of the younger lads in the 2's refusing to play for us when we were short, having been brainwashed by older players who disagreed with our way of doing things. I wouldn't have dreamed of turning down my first team captains offer of a game when i was 15....
Ugg that sounds like such a tiring chore! Glad you guys resolved it.
Jake... Can I join your team, lol, you know I like pink!!!
If you can make it to Peterborough every week then you are welcome mate, the more the merrier.
Ah, club politics. The greatest downfall of many a great club.
I'm glad everything has finally worked out for you guys, I know how frustrating dealing with committees can be.
Tell me about it, all over now. On board with like minded people who will take care of things, leaving us to worry about the playing side of it.
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If you can make it to Peterborough every week then you are welcome mate, the more the merrier.
if i could make it every week id consider it, starting to think a fresh start and a higher level cant be a bad thing!!!!
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Sounds like it all came good in the end :) Terrific news for you guys. It can't be underestimated how important good facilities are in top level league cricket.
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Glad to hear you've done what sounds to me like the right thing! It's about time some club dinosaurs realise they are the ones destroying things as they are old and past it.
Also, it gives your place a club to support and push forwards which I'm sure will lead them to being one of the bigger clubs around with a cricket business backing them. I can't understand why a club would let you two go especially, let alone the rest.
Sad state of affairs for a club to have to resign and fall down leagues because if the facilities aren't great then the chance of them growing again is slim.
Are you going to start up youth teams etc or is that a few years away ?
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Of course the cool thing about a brand new club is that you can start traditions like maybe giving first team player numbers like pros, keep proper detailed stats from every game etc. I'm very tempted to drive back to play like I used to do with thrapston! A new club sounds better than joining an established one!
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if i could make it every week id consider it, starting to think a fresh start and a higher level cant be a bad thing!!!!
We are hoping many more share the same view as you. :)
Sounds like it all came good in the end :) Terrific news for you guys. It can't be underestimated how important good facilities are in top level league cricket.
Yes it's been a hard slog, but we are really excited for the future now.
Glad to hear you've done what sounds to me like the right thing! It's about time some club dinosaurs realise they are the ones destroying things as they are old and past it.
Also, it gives your place a club to support and push forwards which I'm sure will lead them to being one of the bigger clubs around with a cricket business backing them. I can't understand why a club would let you two go especially, let alone the rest.
Sad state of affairs for a club to have to resign and fall down leagues because if the facilities aren't great then the chance of them growing again is slim.
Are you going to start up youth teams etc or is that a few years away ?
To an extent I understand the views of some people at the club. We are a small village club, we should play in the village blah blah blah. It could also be argued that the first team has progressed too quick for the club to keep up. Although I don't see how going up one division in 6 years is moving too quickly myself.
There are a few guys there who are either so far removed from the playing side, or who play such a low standard now (Sunday 2's) that I don't think they realise how bad the wicket especially has become. There was a committee member who said he thought it played better than ever this summer. Our response was "with respect, bowling your lobs in Rutland division 6 is not the same as Steve Seymour (he plays for Victoria and claimed the wickets of sanagakarra and jayawardene in a tour game last year) running in looking to kill someone."
Castor will progress and grow again, although not to the levels robin has managed, many players, myself included only joined the club due to him.
It's not just ourselves backing this new club. One of the boys in their Sunday side, a close friend of ours, is the owner of Durant Cricket. A cricket ground equipment company, hence the electronic scoreboard and other top facilities at the club.
Ketton already have an established youth setup, but many players either give up or move elsewhere when they get into their late teens as currently only 1 side a weekend on a Sunday is offered by way of adult cricket.
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Of course the cool thing about a brand new club is that you can start traditions like maybe giving first team player numbers like pros, keep proper detailed stats from every game etc. I'm very tempted to drive back to play like I used to do with thrapston! A new club sounds better than joining an established one!
We have some brand new traditions in the pipeline for sure.
More than welcome mate. :)
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Reading all this again now that I am sober makes you realise what an accomplishment this is.
Well done Jake (and Ryan), great move and hopefully your future will be bright.
I am sorry I won't be able to join your club though as I am South London. I am looking to join Addiscombe CC at the start of the season, their ground is top notch, my old club Ightham CC just has a shed as a pavilion and players have to chip in with the ground maintance. We don't have nets or practice sessions, we just turn up on a Saturday and play. However Addiscombe have a dedicated groundmen, nets, practice twice a week, a proper pavalion, bar etc. really makes a difference.
P.S just saw your Ketton lions kit - the pink backsides made me giggle!
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Many thanks mate, it has been hard work. It will all be worth it though I am sure.
I agree, you can't beat top facilities.
The pink backsides are Ketton's current kit. We will incorporate it into our kit no doubt, as we have plenty of pink ourselves...
(http://i.imgur.com/I1KEloql.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mttz7WEl.jpg)
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Good on you Jake! You and Lenny the Lion should have the choice to play at the best standard with the best facilities.
Nobody died and both clubs will evolve in their own way.
All the best mate.
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Can I buy one of them shirts as they are mint
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All the best Jake.
Cheers mate.
Can I buy one of them shirts as they are mint
I might have a couple left somewhere, be aware they are very "fitted" (skin tight) - what size are you?
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sides like an exciting time.
its always a shame when things like this happen but in a way it is probably the best for both teams.
i can understand the feeling of frustration at the old members holding things back and not helping to progress the club, i am in a similarish position with the football club we share our ground and changing rooms with their committee is made up of former players who don't like to change or try and improve anything. this is really annoying especially now our club is forming a saturday side and has just finished construction of our new wicket.
any way best of luck to ketton lions the kit also look really awesome
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Cheers mate.
I might have a couple left somewhere, be aware they are very "fitted" (skin tight) - what size are you?
Hum not sure in the fitted, otherwise I'd have taken one
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Hum not sure in the fitted, otherwise I'd have taken one
With my physique I don't wear fitter shirts. I don't want to make everyone else feel inadequate... :-[
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With my physique I don't wear fitter shirts. I don't want to make everyone else feel inadequate... :-[
Same! Except exchange inadequate with sick :(
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Same! Except exchange inadequate with sick :(
Sorry that was a typo, I meant to say nauseous ;)
Who doesn't want a beer belly anyway??
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When you lads turned up on tour we thought you were the Olympic cycling team! Nev the umpire was not a fan of the attire!
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When you lads turned up on tour we thought you were the Olympic cycling team! Nev the umpire was not a fan of the attire!
Hahahaha!!
How tight are these things lol
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I am not a fan of them I'll be honest. They are Robins brainchild and as long as he provides the kit, I guess none of us players can complain too much.
The are basically spray on...
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Glad you've got things sorted, and rather unusual for a club to want to retain its team. In my experience it has usually gone the other way, with no will to upgrade facilities, lots of hand wringing about the costs (some of which are misleadingly inflated to justify not doing anything) then eventually folding the cricket section.
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Glad you've got things sorted, and rather unusual for a club to want to retain its team. In my experience it has usually gone the other way, with no will to upgrade facilities, lots of hand wringing about the costs (some of which are misleadingly inflated to justify not doing anything) then eventually folding the cricket section.
Many thanks mate. Castor only has a cricket section, they are losing some useful club members/helpers as well as some very talented players.
To everyone who has asked. We only have one leftover Castor playing shirt, which we will be framing and placing on a wall in the shop.
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I love the look of the tops! What's wrong with you all, Robins got great taste!
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I love the look of the tops! What's wrong with you all, Robins got great taste!
I like he look of them, problem with fitted clothing is nobody likes the look of it on me haha
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Just to say everthing was confirmed recently at the league AGM. :)
We have a busy Winter ahead, the sky is the limit for our new club.
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Just to say everthing was confirmed recently at the league AGM. :)
We have a busy Winter ahead, the sky is the limit for our new club.
Hey Jake
Good on you and Robin for the new team I had a few issues at my old club , basically no training no organization not much of anything unless you were in the click but really glad I play for a better team and better set up for sure.
But I would be interested in playing for you as well but I can't commit fully due to work commitments
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Many thanks mate.
This year it is too late to do much about second/third teams due to leagues finalising their fixtures. But we plan to next year. Our first team will pretty much pick itself assuming everyone we have asked to come with us does so (they are all 100% on board based on face to face chats and texts etc) you never know, one or two may have a change of heart - i would be amazed but never say never.
Our Sunday side will be the one where we need numbers, this season especially. Happy to chat when you come into the shop mate. :)
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Looking forward to coming down again, when do you think the kook softs will arrive and also looking forward to trying the new Vortex and oblivion to see which one I will be taking away with my new gear .
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Looking forward to coming down again, when do you think the kook softs will arrive and also looking forward to trying the new Vortex and oblivion to see which one I will be taking away with my new gear .
All the softs are here mate. Your pre-order pile is ready when you are :)
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How about thursday then if thats ok with you and i'll even let you have a go with the big b3 i have and jake its a gun,
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If you mean the 5th (tomorrow) then I will not be in store, as I am planning to be at Paul's event. Robin will be in store though.
I've sent you a pm.
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Best of luck to you guys this season, I like what you guys have done, there must be so many teams that are either ran into the ground or under achieve because of dinosaurs and there politics stuck in the past.
I have to admit You guys have foundations for such a good club with a nice ground and facilties,cool kits haha, and good players, not bad for a club entering there first Saturday side it's like you have jumped 20 years of club gradual growth.
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Many thanks mate, we are excited for the season.
I'm certainly not missing the politics on the whole, you always get the odd cabbage wherever you go but Ketton is fantastic overall, great group of people.
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Our new shirts are here, following a familiar theme. Ice white with pink and navy detailing.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkYyeYfIIAAzYmq.jpg)
Will go fantastically with our bespoke ice white trousers:
(http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/images/prod1156_KettonTrousers.png)
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Pink is never bad - looks great!
Although it does take some balls to wear that out on a Saturday League match...
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You need to get Soulman modelling the full blown outfit Jake, he looked quality last time :D
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Pink is never bad - looks great!
Although it does take some balls to wear that out on a Saturday League match...
Especially when you team it with a trucker cap as we are doing this year ;)
(http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/images/prod1160_77x8UuA.png)
Local clowns. Never take ourselves too seriously.
Soulman was in struggsville getting that shirt on at the event, might try and get him to play in mine this year if he plays in the H4L game again, and get some snaps for everyone.
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You need to get Soulman modelling the full blown outfit Jake, he looked quality last time :D
Soulman has been hitting the gym very very hard since Dec and is 2 stone lighter and 4 inches smaller around the waist so I reckon I could rock that shirt now Jake. Bloody can't believe you have stuck with same style of shirt though. Your team must be ripped to agree to wear those or there must be huge sizes being ordered lol.
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Especially when you team it with a trucker cap as we are doing this year ;)
([url]http://www.vitascricket.co.uk/images/prod1160_77x8UuA.png[/url])
Local clowns. Never take ourselves too seriously.
Looks great but Trucker Caps, really haha?!
I blame T20 for this!
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Looks great but Trucker Caps, really haha?!
I blame T20 for this!
'why be the same as everyone else?' is our thinking :)
Soulman has been hitting the gym very very hard since Dec and is 2 stone lighter and 4 inches smaller around the waist so I reckon I could rock that shirt now Jake. Bloody can't believe you have stuck with same style of shirt though. Your team must be ripped to agree to wear those or there must be huge sizes being ordered lol.
Good stuff mate, i am sure you will fit comfortably in one as they are a little looser this year, slightly different material too, less like a wetsuit!
Mine is an XL, doesn't fit me as well as the rest of my clothes, which are all Large, but this is Robins brainchild and as long as he is paying for them i suppose us players can't complain too much.
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Very dandy!
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Can I buy a shirt?
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Like the script of a sports movie, we have drawn Castor away in a local T20 cup!
Should be tasty.
Shirts are 1st team player issue only unfortunately. We may take orders for them in the future though.
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Tour to Cheltenham for early August is taking shape. 2 clubs confirmed with a 3rd on the brink. :)
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Like the script of a sports movie, we have drawn Castor away in a local T20 cup!
Should be tasty.
Shirts are 1st team player issue only unfortunately. We may take orders for them in the future though.
They'll seize the initiative before the hero produces a match winning performance to save the day Que. dramatic music
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How did you get on in your cup game and during the season in general?
Sent from my Lenovo B6000-F using Tapatalk
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How did you get on in your cup game and during the season in general?
Sent from my Lenovo B6000-F using Tapatalk
Won in the cup game v Castor but lost in the next round (late drop outs and the oppos decision to refuse the pink ball didn't help. Lovely seeing ground is Ufford Park....)
Unbeaten on Saturdays so far, top of our Saturday league and our Sunday league :)
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Just a little update.
We won our Saturday league at a canter as expected. We also got promoted on Sundays which means two tasty ties against Castor on a Sunday this season. Overall a very successful season.
We've been drawn against Castor again in the same cup at last season, this time at Ketton so could be a big score on our deck!
We will be entering a second team into Hunts Div 5, mainly aimed at getting many of the juniors progressing up the age groups used to competitive adult cricket, especially on Saturdays. Until we came along Kettons only adult cricket offering was a single Sunday side, with few spaces for kids as many of the first choice players are the same old guard who've always been there. Discounting the Sunday team, the gap from colts cricket to our Saturday 1st team was just too much. We did take a lad who is with Leicestershire U13/U15 a couple of times, but most of the boys will need some time in the second team as a stepping stone.
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Amazed i never shared these photos to be honest. Here we are after the game during which we earned enough points to mathematically win the title.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwTPJ-ICUAEqPKl.jpg:large)
And here is one of my favourite moments from early in the season. Opening pair both scoring centuries as we racked up 244-1 declared after 42.4 overs (declared as soon as one of the boys got out)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bn2FQzQIYAASvbo.jpg:large)
They don't really look that pleased do they!?
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"the oppos decision to refuse the pink ball" Bloody right too. Unless its an official league/cup ball.
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Look forward to seeing you in the prem 2016 then ;)
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Wish I could look that aloof after scoring a hundred!
If it ever happens I'll be raising my bat to all four corners of the non-existent stadium waving at the non existent crowd :)
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"the oppos decision to refuse the pink ball" Bloody right too. Unless its an official league/cup ball.
In midweek T20 cricket it is pretty much the norm to have a pink ball in our area. Most leagues/cups have it in their rules now, especially the ones we sponsor ;)
This particular clubs ground is lined with really dark trees the whole way round, and the clubhouse is a deep brown/red. Not ideal seeing conditions against a red ball between the hours of 6pm and 8pm.
I wouldn't dream of talking about the pink ball in 'proper' Saturday and Sunday cricket. Midweek stuff is supposed to be a bit more fun/innovative though.
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Amazed i never shared these photos to be honest. Here we are after the game during which we earned enough points to mathematically win the title.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwTPJ-ICUAEqPKl.jpg:large)
Where are you in the photo Jake? And why is the fellow on the right not wearing the right shirt?
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He's 4th from the left
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The one spiking two guys hands!
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I'm sat on the shoulders of Robin and one of the other lads with my cap on backwards.
The chap far right is former Cambridgeshire captain and legend Ajaz Akhtar. He was captain of Peterborough Town in the Northants prem for a number of years. We signed him after he handed over the reigns at Peterborough to one of the younger lads. He insists on wearing either his MCC kit or his treasured England Amateurs shirt. We'll get him in a tight pink shirt eventually Brucie :)
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Decent start to the season for us, 2 games (a Saturday friendly and a Sunday league) 2 comprehensive wins, and 2 unbeaten centuries for this man, Ben Bryant.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCaRdo2WMAM-hhN.jpg:large)
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Quick - flog him another bat!
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or a refurb at the very least!
Interesting, he's an overseas and appears to have been the backbone of your batting in the first 2 games. Do other teams have an overseas and does it concern you that about over reliance on overseas players? (admittedly I don't know if you scored 300 odd and several guys chipped in with 50s).
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most importantly....!!!
How's the bat?! What's it weigh? What's the pick up like? How many grains? Edge size? Ping well?!
What pads does he use?! What gloves?! Inners?! 1 grip or 2...?!???
Surely that's what the majority of forum folk want to know....
However...
.... Great stuff from him! Hope he and the team keeps it going
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Couldn't you sell him a less village looking bat? ;)
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or a refurb at the very least!
Interesting, he's an overseas and appears to have been the backbone of your batting in the first 2 games. Do other teams have an overseas and does it concern you that about over reliance on overseas players? (admittedly I don't know if you scored 300 odd and several guys chipped in with 50s).
I get where you are coming from in that he is a player over from Aus for the season, but he was born in the UK so isn't an overseas ;) - Every other team in our Saturday league will have an overseas. Most will have a pro too.
One of the other lads also got a ton yesterday, we won by 198 runs.
In the game on Saturday we chased 184 for the loss of only 2 wickets, a lad who lives basically at the ground got a quick 30 opening the batting, and Ben got 105* so there wasn't much else required from the rest of us.
Pad rash weekend for me. 2 stumpings and a catch though, helped to keep me warm in the driving wind!
Couldn't you sell him a less village looking bat? ;)
Rolled up with all his own gear, mostly cobbled from sponsored players at his club in Sydney, the Slaz is a Slaz in appearance only, its a ripper. He also has a proper sponsored players Spartan, by that i mean it is mean English made.
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I get where you are coming from in that he is a player over from Aus for the season, but he was born in the UK so isn't an overseas ;) - Every other team in our Saturday league will have an overseas. Most will have a pro too.
One of the other lads also got a ton yesterday, we won by 198 runs.
In the game on Saturday we chased 184 for the loss of only 2 wickets, a lad who lives basically at the ground got a quick 30 opening the batting, and Ben got 105* so there wasn't much else required from the rest of us.
Pad rash weekend for me. 2 stumpings and a catch though, helped to keep me warm in the driving wind!
Good to hear, if it's a case of everybody having an overseas then you really have no choice but to recruit. Also good that it wasn't just a one man show, known a few teams do this and it's no good for the club in the long term. Nothing worse than being beaten by one player bowling 20 overs and scoring a ton, while the others are rubbish compared to your team!
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We've got an overseas from Australia this season, do you know what club Ben plays for in Aus it would be good compare their records.
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Good to hear, if it's a case of everybody having an overseas then you really have no choice but to recruit. Also good that it wasn't just a one man show, known a few teams do this and it's no good for the club in the long term. Nothing worse than being beaten by one player bowling 20 overs and scoring a ton, while the others are rubbish compared to your team!
We had a somewhat limited side out across both days with some players being unavailable due to work/other sports/the usual excuses.
We have 3 or 4 players to come in, but other than some pretty crap fielding (6 dropped catches and lots of misfields across the 2 games) no-one really did much to warrant being dropped.
We've got an overseas from Australia this season, do you know what club Ben plays for in Aus it would be good compare their records.
Easts Dolphins
http://www.eastscricket.com.au/ (http://www.eastscricket.com.au/)
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What does the big lad at the front do - and what size is his shirt?
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What does the big lad at the front do - and what size is his shirt?
Which photo Brucie? The one from last season? XXL, he opens the batting.
(http://i.imgur.com/vFSQhBth.png)
3rd unbeaten century in 4 games for Ben, he could be on for a huge Summer!
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Do you play histon Jake?
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Good read, looks like you guys are going to do very well.
A couple of mates and i started a team in the wariclshire league two years ago. Unfortunately we had to start right at the bottom. We are still unbeaten at this point and are about to put out a second team for the first time in our third season.
Im aware of the amount of work that goes in and can sympothise.
Good luck guys.
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Do you play histon Jake?
Yes, we have them at our place May 30th, not sure on the date of the return fixture
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Couple of blokes that used to play for us, now play for them! Decent bats!
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I believe our first team came up against one of your lads yesterday, Rob Woolley, who was sub pro for the opposition. Didn't see him bat, but he could certainly bowl and ended up with a 6-for
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I believe our first team came up against one of your lads yesterday, Rob Woolley, who was sub pro for the opposition. Didn't see him bat, but he could certainly bowl and ended up with a 6-for
Yes he was helping his Uncles team out i believe. Top player is Rob, top lad too.
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Ben now boasts a quite remarkable average of 225 from 6 games played. 3 unbeaten tons, 2 fifties and a solitary failure on 8. He's pitched in with 4 catches and 4 handy wickets too.
Rob Woolley has just received his first call up to the Cambridgeshire squad.
I think back two years and it's remarkable how far we have come.
On a personal note, I have batted twice this season, both times opening the batting in our Saturday league. 55 and 58* as well as 4 catches and 4 stumpings, I'm happy enough with my little start :)
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58? - That's a proper batsman's score that is!
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58? - That's a proper batsman's score that is!
Followed it up with a horrible, slow 2 in a pathetic 87 all out chasing 270! :o
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Followed it up with a horrible, slow 2 in a pathetic 87 all out chasing 270! :o
What I wouldn't give to have a score of 2 to my name this season! :(
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You lot in Hunts div 4 would've been ridiculous
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(http://i.imgur.com/YnvQEFLh.png)
So, that is the list of top run scorers in club cricket for the entire UK. Well, the leagues/clubs that use play cricket anyway.
Decent start for Ben. :)
Ross Keymar, Nick Bradbury and Pete Morgan are also local players.
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Away from the 1st team, the club put out 2 Saturday sides for the first time ever recently, with our development team making their debut in the Huntingdonshire Div 5 Development League.
They have played 2 games so far and notched 2 wins, the most recent was last weekend, posting 232-7 and bowling the oppo out for 20! 14 year old Zac Treweek (who is on the books at Leicestershire) taking 5 for 8 from his 5 overs.
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Away from the 1st team, the club put out 2 Saturday sides for the first time ever recently, with our development team making their debut in the Huntingdonshire Div 5 Development League.
They have played 2 games so far and notched 2 wins, the most recent was last weekend, posting 232-7 and bowling the oppo out for 20! 14 year old Zac Treweek (who is on the books at Leicestershire) taking 5 for 8 from his 5 overs.
Sounds like one hell of a set up Jake!
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Is that our @johan95 in 6th place??
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Sounds like one hell of a set up Jake!
We are getting there. The Sports Association have a new building in the pipeline which will basically double the floorspace of our bar/tearoom area.
Next season we hope to progress the development team into a proper second eleven playing in a proper league. The Hunts Development League is OK but isn't structured, clubs simply arrange as many or as few games as they like with other teams in the league, the league leave it up to the clubs to arrange everything.
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I'm only 1,202 runs behind Ben! He has played 17 more innings than me mind, so it might not be that clear cut... ;)
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We are getting there. The Sports Association have a new building in the pipeline which will basically double the floorspace of our bar/tearoom area.
Next season we hope to progress the development team into a proper second eleven playing in a proper league. The Hunts Development League is OK but isn't structured, clubs simply arrange as many or as few games as they like with other teams in the league, the league leave it up to the clubs to arrange everything.
I've been down to the ground and watched a mid week game (i am working close by a few days a week). its certainly got all the right ingredients for the club to be successful so i am sure they will go from strength to strength. I would have watched more cricket but i parked next to a lamborghini aventador so it took a while to stop looking at it. Nice car you have their Dusty.
Best car in the car park was Mr2 Mk1 though... but being an owner of one myself i guess i would say that!
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I'm only 1,202 runs behind Ben! He has played 17 more innings than me mind, so it might not be that clear cut... ;)
Have to agree never a fan of averages specially nationwide
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I've been down to the ground and watched a mid week game (i am working close by a few days a week). its certainly got all the right ingredients for the club to be successful so i am sure they will go from strength to strength. I would have watched more cricket but i parked next to a lamborghini aventador so it took a while to stop looking at it. Nice car you have their Dusty.
Best car in the car park was Mr2 Mk1 though... but being an owner of one myself i guess i would say that!
Ha, i basically stopped the game when that arrived so we could all watch it scrape itself along the speed bumps, miraculously it made it over all of them without a problem!
Come in for a beer next time mate :)
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Ben is making his debut in the minor counties 3 day competition for Cambridgeshire.
He finished 101* a short while ago on day 1 batting at number 6.
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I didn't think overseas could play in the minor counties?
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Overseas can't. And only one player with 50+ first class games can play in a minor counties team.
However, if he has a European/UK passport - he's golden!
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He was born in the UK, German and Swedish parents, Aussie upbringing. Mudblood lol.
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Digging this thread up from the dead a little bit, but just a little update on how we finished in 2015 and our progress in 2016.
We finished third in our league which was pleasing, we see our division as 4 very strong teams and we try to be the best of the rest, so to bag 3rd was great. Ulricht Van Duyker finished with the most wickets in the entire country on play cricket. We won a Friday night T20 competition and had a decent showing in our Sunday league. We put out a development side and for the first time in the clubs history fielded 2 Saturday teams. We were lucky to have Scotlands World Cup reverse sweeping sensation George Munsey for 2 games as he looked to get some time at the crease while he chased a deal at Northants. His quickfire 50 against Wisbech included 6 reverse sweeps in a single over!
2016. We have just completed a new pavilion with changing rooms and showers, named after club greats Ray Smith (Former Leics player) and Peter Shakeshaft (club stalwart for decades and head groundsman) and we have plans to renovate the main building housing the bar, tearooms, function rooms etc this Winter.
The club have fielded a proper 2nd team (rather than a development team) with the focus on bringing U15 players into proper senior league cricket. We are top of our Sunday league with 119 points from a possible 120. We are in 2 midweek T20 semi finals, progress to one of those was achieved last night thanks to 108* from Zeeshan Manzoor! The Friday night comp we won last year starts this week, lets hope for sunshine!
Saturday 1st team wise, we have struggled a little to adapt to a decision over the winter to change to rules of our league from draw cricket to 50 over win/loss. I don't think we will be going down, but the giddy heights of last year are a way off!
Fresh from flailing 166* this weekend, Ulricht Van Duyker is spending the week at Lords serving as a net bowler, he's in the background of the ECB tweet below in the blue kit with pink trim.
(http://i.imgur.com/HwnjhW6h.png?1)
(http://i.imgur.com/Aa9tJd9h.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/0Sbcy2Oh.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjuHY9rWkAAE3g3.jpg)
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See you Saturday!
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See you Saturday!
the second of 4 home games in 4 days for us, luckily for you our kit won't smell too bad, its mondays oppo who need to bring some pegs for their noses!
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That's alright, the way we've been batting this year it'll all be done before you break a sweat.
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You're playing at Eaton Socon this Saturday aren't you?
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You're playing at Eaton Socon this Saturday aren't you?
We are, i'm considering bringing a few plastic containers to stock up on the tea!
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We are, i'm considering bringing a few plastic containers to stock up on the tea!
Only got there 40 overs into the Eaton innings so missed a lot of it! I was the one in a blue top/ green hoody, was in the nets most of the time. Our Overseas scored 53 off 15 for us in the u19's yesterday, shame he ran straight past one after hitting that 6!
What was the tea like today? Jenny is on holiday so i have no idea who did it.
Looked like it was going to be a tight one until your fella decided to start smashing it!
@Vitas Cricket
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Only got there 40 overs into the Eaton innings so missed a lot of it! I was the one in a blue top/ green hoody, was in the nets most of the time. Our Overseas scored 53 off 15 for us in the u19's yesterday, shame he ran straight past one after hitting that 6!
What was the tea like today? Jenny is on holiday so i have no idea who did it.
Looked like it was going to be a tight one until your fella decided to start smashing it!
@Vitas Cricket
The tea was heavy as always, southern fried chicken and the nachos were my personal highlights.
Was a decent game, we felt in control once we got Carpenter and Pateman out but I did find it odd that Jake Wenman batted as low as he did. I used to play with him and he can be very dangerous.
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The tea was heavy as always, southern fried chicken and the nachos were my personal highlights.
Was a decent game, we felt in control once we got Carpenter and Pateman out but I did find it odd that Jake Wenman batted as low as he did. I used to play with him and he can be very dangerous.
Good to hear, teas the best bit about the game! My ankle injury means ill miss the next 3 sunday games all away, before we have 3/4 home games, so at least i'll end the season with a few good teas!
And apparently Jonny looked like he hadn't batted for a few weeks, that's what Vegas will do to you! And i have no idea if it has any relation, but Wenman has a kid on the way so could have had to leave at any point in the game! And i believe you managed to stump one of my mates out, good effort that!
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We've got Eaton this Saturday. Might as well chalk up another one in their win column the way we've been playing this year!
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We've got Eaton this Saturday. Might as well chalk up another one in their win column the way we've been playing this year!
As long as Connor doesn't get a big score for you i'll be happy :D
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We've got Eaton this Saturday. Might as well chalk up another one in their win column the way we've been playing this year!
Eaton Socon mate? Get out for nothing and go and enjoy the teas!! Best spread in the region.
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As long as Connor doesn't get a big score for you i'll be happy :D
He's been batting well recently, 3 50's in the last 2 weekends I believe so hopefully he gets some more on Sat.
Eaton Socon mate? Get out for nothing and go and enjoy the teas!! Best spread in the region.
We're at home unfortunately.
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He's been batting well recently, 3 50's in the last 2 weekends I believe so hopefully he gets some more on Sat.
We're at home unfortunately.
He got 20 or so first game against us didn't he? Our keeper took a really nice catch down the legside to get him!
Think that was the game our overseas got 40 off about 20 balls
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We've got Eaton this Saturday. Might as well chalk up another one in their win column the way we've been playing this year!
Don't know what you were worried about!
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Bloody turned out alrite didn't it @Calzehbhoy, always nice to see Carpenter being kept quiet.
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Haha! First decent score our opener had got all year, was a very good ton to be fair!
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@Vitas Cricket for some reason my PM is refusing to send
Will you be open tomorrow/Tuesday? I'm in need of a helmet!
And are you a reasonable walk from Peterborough station?
Cheers
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@Vitas Cricket for some reason my PM is refusing to send
Will you be open tomorrow/Tuesday? I'm in need of a helmet!
And are you a reasonable walk from Peterborough station?
Cheers
I replied to your pm just now. Probably a good half an hour walk, more detail in the pm
Open 11-7
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Just a little update to say we entered 3 T20 tournaments this season. We've come away with 2 trophies and in the comp we didn't win, we finished runners up after managing to get ourselves bowled out for 50 in the final!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cn1aBogW8AAlMmJ.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnT1lm_WcAAVIn5.jpg)
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Forgot to post this, but it's a pretty big achievement. Saturday second team skipper Mat Bird recently broke the club record high score with 203* as he lead the 2's to victory by 77 runs against Ickwell 2's. 22 fours, 16 sixes :)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnrXnEOXYAAl0u-.jpg)
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2 games in 2017 for us so far, 2 wins :)
Sat and Sun leagues start next weekend
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2nds recently posted a club record total in their first victory of the season.
1sts have won all 4 Saturday games with max points and 3 of 4 Sunday games. T20 midweek cups beginning next week.
We have over 40 all stars sign ups already which is one of the highest in our area.
(https://scontent.fbhx2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18342473_1291691834270948_129594445041584746_n.jpg?oh=820f28e03459c8a48d513693ac9751a9&oe=5977CECE)
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Good stuff, do need to start handing out some fines for wearing cream trousers with those tops though!
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Good stuff, do need to start handing out some fines for wearing cream trousers with those tops though!
Correct :D
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416 :(
Hope my figures aren't too damaged when we play your 2's later this season
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Still injured so didn't play against your 2's yesterday.
I did go and watch however, and i must say that they're by far the best team i've seen in the field at this level, and better than most Hunts 1 teams i've watched this year!
Seemed a decent set of lads, and it's a shame we don't play them at your place later in the year
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Still injured so didn't play against your 2's yesterday.
I did go and watch however, and i must say that they're by far the best team i've seen in the field at this level, and better than most Hunts 1 teams i've watched this year!
Seemed a decent set of lads, and it's a shame we don't play them at your place later in the year
Some good young players in there for sure, we had 6 Saturday second teamers to play Rutland 1 in the Sunday first team against a side with 3 minor counties players last week, and won :)
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Lad called (Tyler?) batted for about 30 odd, looked very solid! seemed like you had 11 bowlers as well, easily the best all round side we've played this season!
Had initially gone to watch my Sunday side's Saturday 1st team playing against Ramsey in your league, but that was, erm... over rather rapidly!
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Lad called (Tyler?) batted for about 30 odd, looked very solid! seemed like you had 11 bowlers as well, easily the best all round side we've played this season!
Had initially gone to watch my Sunday side's Saturday 1st team playing against Ramsey in your league, but that was, erm... over rather rapidly!
Yes Tyler is very patient for a young player in the modern era, the 2s need to get a run together as they still aren't close enough to the top. The league being average points makes it harder still, but they definitely have the ability to win enough games in the remainder of the season.
On a wider note, the club made its first foray back in Rutland 1 (the top level of Sunday cricket locally containing a number of Northants and Lincs premier league sides as well as most of the top clubs from other leagues in the area) this season after 10 years away and we are holding our own in the top 3 after 9 games. On Saturdays the 1st team are on a remarkable run; 11 games, 10 wins (mostly with maximum points for taking 10 wickets) and 1 game lost to rain, we have a 42 point cushion over second place who we host this coming weekend.
I have less to do with it, but the junior section seems to be doing well with lots of kids at training sessions, along with a huge uptake for the All Stars sessions which come to an end soon. The renovation/rebuild of the main building that houses the bar, kitchen, football changing rooms and main lounge area for eating tea/drinking pints/watching sky sports is well underway approaching 50% completion, and will complement our separate small cricket pavilion perfectly.
The current Saturday 1st team success is great and i'm loving being a part of it, but the biggest thing for me is our swelling playing numbers, we are growing year on year whilst i regularly hear of clubs locally and nationwide struggling and regretfully folding some of their sides or sometimes the entire club. A few weekends ago we put out our usual Saturday 1st and 2nd teams, along with the Sunday 1st team and for the first time ever a Sunday 2nd team who played a friendly against the Peterborough Campaign For Real Ale CC. This is a precursor to hopefully entering a 2nd team side into the Rutland league on Sundays next year.
This is a huge change from 5 years ago before we arrived; the club struggling to get 11 for a Sunday 1st team game that was the only weekend cricket offering, and a massive difference from our first year when we only had a Saturday 1st team alongside the Sunday 1st team.
:D
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the Peterborough Campaign For Real Ale CC.
How much do I want to play for them!?
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How much do I want to play for them!?
Great club, they play a Sunday friendly every week from April to Sept and at least one midweek T20, with a number of tour/cricket week all day games thrown in during the week in July/August too.