2011 Season
Senior Section
Cricket Teams
As usual four teams were entered into the Kent League structure, with the 1st and 2nd teams playing in the Kent League and the 3rd and 4th playing in Kent Regional League (West). We continued to field a team in the South London Sunday league while the Sunday 2nd XI had friendly fixtures throughout the season.
This season has been one of contrasts. On the field we have struggled. Off the field we have had one of our most successful periods, securing enough funding to provide a three lane training net facility with building due to commence in early October 2011. We were able to achieve this by retaining our Clubmark and Focus club statuses and by building a more formal link with Langley Park Boys School.
The 1st XI lost another couple of senior players during the close season and the remaining players tried hard but were ultimately unsuccessful and have now been relegated to the fifth division in the Kent league. There was little to choose between the teams in the fourth division and our bowling was up there with the best but our batting let us down too often.
Losing five senior players in two years has also had a knock on effect throughout the club and several of the 2nd XI squad were probably playing a team above where they ought to be. They have been relegated to the fourth division and we hope that they will be able to build on the occasional successes from this season and mount a promotion campaign next year.
Similarly, the 3rd XI found themselves in a division that was also very tough for them to compete. However, they never gave up and took the battle right to the last game of the season. This game provided a win against one of their closest challengers and they finished two places above relegation. A great team affort demonstrating that team spirit can count for a lot in crricket.
The 4th XI under the leadership of Howard Smith continued to field teams for every fixture and to give more youngsters their introduction to adult league cricket. Unfortunately they were unable to win many matches and have also been relegated. The lower division for next season should let our young and old ‘uns have much better games in 2012.
The Sunday 1st XI played in the very close second division of the restructured South London Sunday League with Tim Smedley as captain. There was not much to choose between any of the teams this season but poor availability toward the end of the season caused a poor run-in and we finished seventh out of eight.
The Sunday 2nd XI, captained by Simon Hunter, continued to be a great vehicle to introduce colts to social adult cricket and the team enjoyed their season. The relatively late announcement of the 1st XI fixtures meant that it proved more difficult than usual to secure good friendly fixtures. This is something that we need to address and efforts will be made during the winter to ensure that friendly cricket receives as much support as league cricket on Sundays.
The weather during July and early August was generally kind to us and we played four out of five games in cricket week and all four on tour. Cricket week is very important to the club not only for the bar takings but also for the opportunities it gives players from lower teams to play on the main square. The Bath tour was a great success, even though we only won one of the matches played. We were lucky enough to pick up an excellent new fixture for the Sunday game, Bedminster.
General club matters
Financially the club is still healthy which is mainly down to continuing financial support we receive and by the members own fund raising activities and our sponsors. As always, a major sponsorship deal would still benefit the club.
Three social events were held starting with the annual pre-season dinner and presentation evening on the 25th February 2011. This was a very enjoyable evening with an enthusiastic attendance which included many guests from other clubs and as usual had some entertaining speeches from our guest speakers. Two ‘Quiz and Curry’ nights were held which were both well attended and a good time was had by those present.
We retained our Clubmark accreditation and are still recognised as a Focus club for the community which gives us responsibilities and opportunities to for better partnerships with local schools.
The first major partnership that we have made is with our most local schools, Langley Park Boys School. As part of their building development they have lost their playing field., We have been able to offer the school use of our square and are working with them to develop the square at the Metropolitan Police’s Warren Annexe ground next door to ODs. This partnership will benefit the school by both parties working together to establish a cricket square and the club hope to use that new square for 3rd and 4th XI games at some stage in the future..
We have received significant funding for three new artificial nets to give all club members a first class training facility. Much of the money has been received from and ECB grant but we have also received funding from other sources thanks largely to the excellent efforts of our chief fund finder Gail Caddy.
The building phase of the project starts in early October and on completion we expect to have the best training facility in the area. We will be holding a grand opening in April 2012 and we hope that this facility will help us attract significantly more colts in the future, especially from our partner school.
The colts committee has gone from strength to strength this year and has helped to forge much closer links between senior and junior sections of the club. The family fun day was particularly successful and we have managed to acquire a Crazy Catch rebound net through the Sainsbury’s Active Kids voucher scheme.
Cricket Teams
As usual four teams were entered into the Kent League structure, with the 1st and 2nd teams playing in the Kent League and the 3rd and 4th playing in Kent Regional League (West). We continued to field a team in the South London Sunday league while the Sunday 2nd XI had friendly fixtures throughout the season.
This season has been one of contrasts. On the field we have struggled. Off the field we have had one of our most successful periods, securing enough funding to provide a three lane training net facility with building due to commence in early October 2011. We were able to achieve this by retaining our Clubmark and Focus club statuses and by building a more formal link with Langley Park Boys School.
The 1st XI lost another couple of senior players during the close season and the remaining players tried hard but were ultimately unsuccessful and have now been relegated to the fifth division in the Kent league. There was little to choose between the teams in the fourth division and our bowling was up there with the best but our batting let us down too often.
Losing five senior players in two years has also had a knock on effect throughout the club and several of the 2nd XI squad were probably playing a team above where they ought to be. They have been relegated to the fourth division and we hope that they will be able to build on the occasional successes from this season and mount a promotion campaign next year.
Similarly, the 3rd XI found themselves in a division that was also very tough for them to compete. However, they never gave up and took the battle right to the last game of the season. This game provided a win against one of their closest challengers and they finished two places above relegation. A great team affort demonstrating that team spirit can count for a lot in crricket.
The 4th XI under the leadership of Howard Smith continued to field teams for every fixture and to give more youngsters their introduction to adult league cricket. Unfortunately they were unable to win many matches and have also been relegated. The lower division for next season should let our young and old ‘uns have much better games in 2012.
The Sunday 1st XI played in the very close second division of the restructured South London Sunday League with Tim Smedley as captain. There was not much to choose between any of the teams this season but poor availability toward the end of the season caused a poor run-in and we finished seventh out of eight.
The Sunday 2nd XI, captained by Simon Hunter, continued to be a great vehicle to introduce colts to social adult cricket and the team enjoyed their season. The relatively late announcement of the 1st XI fixtures meant that it proved more difficult than usual to secure good friendly fixtures. This is something that we need to address and efforts will be made during the winter to ensure that friendly cricket receives as much support as league cricket on Sundays.
The weather during July and early August was generally kind to us and we played four out of five games in cricket week and all four on tour. Cricket week is very important to the club not only for the bar takings but also for the opportunities it gives players from lower teams to play on the main square. The Bath tour was a great success, even though we only won one of the matches played. We were lucky enough to pick up an excellent new fixture for the Sunday game, Bedminster.
General club matters
Financially the club is still healthy which is mainly down to continuing financial support we receive and by the members own fund raising activities and our sponsors. As always, a major sponsorship deal would still benefit the club.
Three social events were held starting with the annual pre-season dinner and presentation evening on the 25th February 2011. This was a very enjoyable evening with an enthusiastic attendance which included many guests from other clubs and as usual had some entertaining speeches from our guest speakers. Two ‘Quiz and Curry’ nights were held which were both well attended and a good time was had by those present.
We retained our Clubmark accreditation and are still recognised as a Focus club for the community which gives us responsibilities and opportunities to for better partnerships with local schools.
The first major partnership that we have made is with our most local schools, Langley Park Boys School. As part of their building development they have lost their playing field., We have been able to offer the school use of our square and are working with them to develop the square at the Metropolitan Police’s Warren Annexe ground next door to ODs. This partnership will benefit the school by both parties working together to establish a cricket square and the club hope to use that new square for 3rd and 4th XI games at some stage in the future..
We have received significant funding for three new artificial nets to give all club members a first class training facility. Much of the money has been received from and ECB grant but we have also received funding from other sources thanks largely to the excellent efforts of our chief fund finder Gail Caddy.
The building phase of the project starts in early October and on completion we expect to have the best training facility in the area. We will be holding a grand opening in April 2012 and we hope that this facility will help us attract significantly more colts in the future, especially from our partner school.
The colts committee has gone from strength to strength this year and has helped to forge much closer links between senior and junior sections of the club. The family fun day was particularly successful and we have managed to acquire a Crazy Catch rebound net through the Sainsbury’s Active Kids voucher scheme.
