Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Cricket Admin, Facilities and Fundraising => Cricket Administration => Topic started by: Cowcorner on September 09, 2014, 06:59:01 PM
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Cricket teams come and go - it is a simple fact of [cricketing] life and every season we all hear of the demise of yet another 1st XI due to lack of youth/commitment/interest;
however, what if I wanted to create a team?
How hard is it?
I have access to sports facilities/infrastructure and a football/rugby pitch to make a wicket on. The machinery required to make a wicket can also be sourced.
To my mind it's just a question of fees, teas and nets. If you take membership fees do you have to register with the tax man/is it a business etc?
I'm thinking of a midweek Twenty20 side and see where we go from there. The timeframe I have in mind is two years/seasons to become established.
My motivation is simple. I know people who love the game and will happily watch cricket tip the cows come home. They buy and then actually read copies of Wisden. The reason they don't play is simple. They are so terrible at the sport it makes God weep. But why should they be denied the opportunity to play the sport they love. Too many times I have seen clubs advertise any standard welcome and subsequently I have personally seen the Captain shout at and belittle them on the field. Funnily enough they then never come back.
The ethos I would like to see embodied in this currently theoretical team is: If you love the game then you should play the game - we play for the love of cricket. Win or lose everybody gives 100% on the field. Drink excessively after the game. And I mean in-the-dog-house-for-two-days-milk-tray-and-flowers excessive. Everyone is welcome. Walk on to the field as a team and leave it as a team.
I think it's worth a go - it's just the finer details, like insurance, league/sporting body permissions etc that will see me come unstuck.....
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Insurance
Accounts
Wicket prep (don't under estimate how long this takes for a decent wicket)
Outfield prep (again, you can spend hours a week if you actually want a decent outfield)
Venue
Changing rooms
Teas
Bar
Finding. Enough players week in week out
Kit
League fees
Ground equipment
Match equipment
Lots to do and one person will struggle to do it all from new really (unless you are minted or can spend a lot of time on it). Who is going to buy all the ground kit to start with?
Ps I agree that clubs say they are friendly, open to any standard when actually they aren't and won't play the less talented players.
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I think the main problem would be people commiting to the club, and putting in the effort to keep it going. Especially ground/pitch maintenaince. I dont think money or numbers would be that big an issue.
Good luck though
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Have a word with these guys in Durham via twitter .... Littletown cc
They rekindled a 100 year old club after it went down in the 80's ( I think) and then 10 years ago
Check out their story in pictures here ....l
http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html (http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html)
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Midweek t20 side. Is easier than sat,
First thing ensure you have a squad off players, xi won't cut it. You'll need atleast 16 IMO.
Next find somewhere you can hire a pitch. Either a team with just one midweek side, or local park that hires several pitches out.
Do not look for your own ground, as you are adding costs.
Find out the league fees, add that too ground hire, plus a pair of stumps, bails, and balls, umpires, scorer, insurance and a few trophies for the end of season. Divide by games, and then by 11 to figure out what you need to break even.
Add a tad to it for fines, not having 11 one week.
Ask the squad if there willing to pay that.
If so, apply to a local league, and go enjoy your cricket.
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Form a pub team. No league fees or pressure and loads more fun/inclusive
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Have a word with these guys in Durham via twitter .... Littletown cc
They rekindled a 100 year old club after it went down in the 80's ( I think) and then 10 years ago
Check out their story in pictures here ....l
[url]http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html[/url] ([url]http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html[/url])
They left the club I'm playing at to start it up, before I started playing there. Nearly sank the club that I'm at, fortunately it kept going and we have 1st & 2nd XI this year in the same league as them.
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Have a word with these guys in Durham via twitter .... Littletown cc
They rekindled a 100 year old club after it went down in the 80's ( I think) and then 10 years ago
Check out their story in pictures here ....l
[url]http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html[/url] ([url]http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/littletowncc/photos/our-story-so-far-june-2012--april-2014-472807.html[/url])
The place where I am now groundsman! Been a lot of work put in!
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s145/doogle_photos/imagejpg1_zps6536d60c.jpg) (http://s151.photobucket.com/user/doogle_photos/media/imagejpg1_zps6536d60c.jpg.html)
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The place where I am now groundsman! Been a lot of work put in!
([url]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s145/doogle_photos/imagejpg1_zps6536d60c.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://s151.photobucket.com/user/doogle_photos/media/imagejpg1_zps6536d60c.jpg.html[/url])
That's a beauty! Hopefully it's a picture taken from a deck chair whilst enjoying a beer and admiring your handiwork!
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Insurance - need to investigate
Accounts - accountant in the family
Wicket prep (don't under estimate how long this takes for a decent wicket) - ergo the 2 year plan
Outfield prep (again, you can spend hours a week if you actually want a decent outfield) - I plan on rolling the outfield (probably only once. Ever)
Venue - Sorted
Changing rooms - Sorted
Teas - TBC
Bar - First thing I thought of.....
Finding. Enough players week in week out - The most important bit...
Kit - if the team starts playing matches then we'll look at getting team kit
League fees - to be covered by team fees
Ground equipment - plan in action
Match equipment - one off funded purchase
Lots to do and one person will struggle to do it all from new really (unless you are minted or can spend a lot of time on it). Who is going to buy all the ground kit to start with?
Ps I agree that clubs say they are friendly, open to any standard when actually they aren't and won't play the less talented players.
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Thank for all the advice thus far fellas it is giving me good food for thought....
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123* which club is that?
JB which club do you play at?
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Start simply. The primary need is the squad of players who will commit to the team and play in the right spirit. Play friendlies first, maybe as a wandering side, i.e. one without a home ground. When you have built a reputation as a decent side look to build on that by hiring pitches so that you can host home games. Joining a league is a major commitment. You have to be sure you can raise a competitive team for every game of the season. Cancelling a game due to lack of players can have a points penalty that destroys your entire season.
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I'm already settled with the notion that we'd be last in the league purely because it's the beginning of a learning process - the first season will probably be demoralising and frustrating but invaluable and something to celebrate in equal measures.
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123* which club is that?
JB which club do you play at?
That ground is Littletown, the one you quoted mate, JB plays for Houghton.
Not bad considering it looked like this just over a year ago!
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s145/doogle_photos/1396461964_8615_zpsd18d09f6.jpg) (http://s151.photobucket.com/user/doogle_photos/media/1396461964_8615_zpsd18d09f6.jpg.html)
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A couple of guys from my club started a Sunday side with their mates a few years back. For the first few years things were good they had a nice little ground, but they didn't recruit any new players, so once marriages and kids came along some players stopped playing and the remaining were left out of pocket owing pitch rental etc. They have now folded. The easy part for them was starting up as everyone was keen, but keeping it going is the difficult part, you need a solid core to put the effort in.
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I'd urge caution in taking on large scale overheads in this endeavor. You'd be much better off as some here have suggested forming a wandering side and playing a series of friendly away Sunday games in your first season to gauge levels of interest, availability and skills before thinking of anything so stressful and time consuming as joining a league and putting down roots.
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That ground is Littletown, the one you quoted mate, JB plays for Houghton.
Not bad considering it looked like this just over a year ago!
([url]http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s145/doogle_photos/1396461964_8615_zpsd18d09f6.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://s151.photobucket.com/user/doogle_photos/media/1396461964_8615_zpsd18d09f6.jpg.html[/url])
It's a good transformation!! did you have to buy an outfield mower?
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123* which club is that?
JB which club do you play at?
As 123* said! I play for Houghton CW, we played at Littletown a few weeks ago. Its hard to believe that it looked like that old picture not too long ago
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We made a team a couple of years ago thankfully it's still going. We play in East Keswick near Harewood House and biggest problem we have is players and fees. We start well with players but near the end of the season we're always struggling for a full team.
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The roaming side/pub XI is an excellent start point. That will be conducive to a wednesday night league - that means we can utilise an existing clubs facilities without commiting to massive ground outlays. Hopefully if the club has the right ethos and atmosphere once the initial excitement expires then there'll be a level of commitment to see it through...
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Precisely, and if you affiliate with a pub then there's always the option of roping in a billy black daps at the last minute or even attract people who may never have played before. Also the landlord will appreciate you bringing the thirsty oppo back every other week ....
Can you guess that I love pub cricket? :)
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Precisely, and if you affiliate with a pub then there's always the option of roping in a billy black daps at the last minute or even attract people who may never have played before. Also the landlord will appreciate you bringing the thirsty oppo back every other week ....
Can you guess that I love pub cricket? :)
Who doesn't? It's the perfect combo!!