Print

[Lefthook]

Hi everyone,

Moved to London a few years ago, but haven't played any cricket here. As I'm dead centre, I believe that I have a chance to play in either the Middlesex League or the Kent League. Any idea which might be easier in terms of travel etc?

Do any of you hail from London? Am looking for a club basically, and injury permitting, I'll be able to play next year. Am ready to gnaw my leg off, having missed 5 years due to the injury.

So, any ideas? Nearest clubs seem to be North London CC and Blackheath CC.

Extremely grateful for any help/tips!

[mdl_1979]

Middlesex League will be easier for you if you're London based.  Let me know if you struggle to find a club - I play in the Herts League on Saturdays and Middlesex League on Sundays.

If you can bowl seam up we'd love to have you at my club, as we're mostly spin, and are desperate for a good quick.  We're based in Elstree.

[iand123]

I live and play in Kent. Depending on what level you play, the travelling can be different. The Kent league is county wide, so you could play bexley or dover! The Kent League has 12 leagues - premier to div 5 (for both 1st XI and 2nd XI)

Underneath the Kent League is the Kent Regional League. Its a direct feeder to the Kent League. After the first couple of leagues in the regional league they are localised. So you'd probably be looking at worst case travelling to sidcup or gravesend.

Here are some web links which should let you get an idea of teams involved and their locality.

Kent League - http://kcl.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp

Regional League - http://krcl.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp

Where abouts in London are you?

[Lefthook]

MDL, many thanks for the offer - unforunately, I try to bat and bowl spin so perhaps not a great deal of use to you!

iand123 - I'm in east london (as close as you can get to the square mile without being in it)Thanks a lot for the links. After the lay-off, and my reduced running capabilities, I can't imagine featuring in premier to div 5, so I suppose the travelling may not be terrible.

[iand123]

No worries. A good example of the localisation is this league - http://krcl.play-cricket.com/leagueTables/divisionTable.asp?id=10058784&seasonid=23

All pretty local to South London / North West Kent.

You'll probably come through the blackwall tunnel then? Watch out for that, i know people who have set out for cricket and been stuck in teh tunnel traffic until after the game has finished!

[ppccopener]

hello lefthook
the middlesex league is split in 2,middlesex championship and county league.I play in the middx championship(at the moment looking for a new club)
north london,highgate,crouch end are all in the same area and all good clubs,i know some of the players there.
If youve played a decent standard don't even think about a championship club,the league is a mess,the teams and respect for the great game is abysmal.Go for a county league side.
north middlesex are county league.the premier divison in county has pro's playing.eastcode have about 4 pros,chris peploe(ex-middx) plays in the league plus loads of others,sam robson(middx) playes at Finchley.basically premier div has one pro or ex pro per club at least.
If youre not that good standard wise most teams have 3rds and 4ths
good luck theres lots of good clubs out there

[Lefthook]

iand123 - many thanks. as i don't drive, i'll hopefully be getting lifts in with other players, say, from the club. but the significant other drives. now its just a matter of convincing her that driving me to cricket is a good idea on her weekend ...

ppcc - great to hear some more details on the league, and levels played. as a rule, if there's a single pro in the team, i'm clearly not good enough for that level (that was my experience at least) so i shall be looking for 4th/5th sides.

[tim2000s]

Hi Lefthook, where you are in East London? You may want to look at the Essex leagues. A mate of mine is the  Premier league team captain at Wanstead and Snaresbrook CC, and I know they have 6 teams on a Saturday and 2 on a Sunday so it might be worth giving them a shout.

[Lefthook]

Hi Lefthook, where you are in East London? You may want to look at the Essex leagues. A mate of mine is the  Premier league team captain at Wanstead and Snaresbrook CC, and I know they have 6 teams on a Saturday and 2 on a Sunday so it might be worth giving them a shout.

Ah, I didn't even realise that these clubs existed! My understanding of London geography is woeful, and this doesn't help when looking! I'll keep that club in mind and research it.

I'm basically living just off the centre (whitechapel/mile end) area.

[Howzat]

I play in Middlesex County league, (3rd team div 3). So worst division of the county league!
Nice league, most clubs arn't too far away.

[tim2000s]

If you are close to Mile End tube, then it's 4 stops East on the central line and then 10 mins walk from the station.

[ppccopener]

that's a good league to be in Leo

the championship is adopting virtually all the rules and regs from the league above(county)

all points were changed in 2009 so it's 10 for a win which made a huge difference to how teams played last year in the championship
virtually nothing for a losing draw or loss now

[Lefthook]

If you are close to Mile End tube, then it's 4 stops East on the central line and then 10 mins walk from the station.

I'm a 15 minute walk from Mile End. I'll definitely check it out.

[mars]

So, any ideas? Nearest clubs seem to be North London CC and Blackheath CC.

Those two are good to play some good Saturday cricket

[Lefthook]

Those two are good to play some good Saturday cricket

I would like to try for decent saturday teams; however, the prognosis on my knee is that I may never really be able to get over the problems with the tendon. In fact, not a day has gone by where I'm free of pain, and the 4-5 doctors that I've seen have all but given up.

So I'll be limited as to how competitive I can be, and the athleticism and endurance required for good league cricket is something I might not ever regain! Either way, I'm more than happy as long as I get back on the field and get to pull a few sixes, and not to fussed about the level of cricket that I'll be able to play.