The season has now started, though for some it never seems to end, and both the seniors and juniors have been indoor training at St James school for the past couple of months with outdoor training beginning this week.

The committee has been working hard over the winter to make Short Lane one of the best grounds in Surrey. A big thanks must be given to those who helped at the ‘Get Set Weekend’ for all their hard work. It was a great turn out.

The club has invested a great deal in improving the facilities at the club.
We now have a Frog Box to enable games on the main square to be live streamed, so if you are not around you can keep up with action at the ground.

The new scorebox has now arrived for the second square, thanks to donations from the Wilson family, Chris Evans and the social committee. To enable its use, a power supply has been installed in the nets, this will also allow for the bowling machine to be easily used.

The 5th XI now has a home ground for this season at Ottershaw Cricket Club, this enabled the team to be entered into the Surrey Cricket Championship giving them regular fixtures. We are still pursuing getting cricket back at Laleham Village.

The first team under the guidance of Gurpal Hundal are in the newly formed Division 4 West of the Surrey Cricket Championship with Peter Davies returning to umpire them.

The second team are in the Division 6 West with Mansoor Malik again captaining the team.

The third XI have a new captain in Jim Berressem and are playing in Division 9 Central.

The fourth team are in the Division 10 West Central with Sean Culley, again captaining the team.

The fifth team in their first season will be playing in Division 12 West Central, with Preetpal Singh captaining.

We will again be using Pitchero for availability and collecting match fees, please make sure you register your availability and pay promptly.

There are a lot of midweek games this year with three ‘T20’ competitions two Surrey Slam competitions and a full season of junior games.

Juniors

We are reaching out to all parents and guardians of our young cricketers with an appeal for your support and involvement. Our youth sports program thrives on the dedication and enthusiasm of our club members, and we believe that with your help, we can achieve even greater success.
We invite all parents to assist with training sessions. Your presence and guidance can help the children learn new skills, stay motivated, and develop a love for the sport. Whether you have experience in sports or simply a passion for helping children grow, your support during training sessions will be greatly appreciated.
Game days are exciting and crucial for our young cricketers. We need volunteers to help with various tasks including setting up equipment, coordinating activities, and cheering on the teams. Your involvement can help ensure that game days run smoothly and that every child has a positive and memorable experience.
We are also looking for parents who are interested in taking on more active roles such as becoming a coach, manager, or scorer. These positions are vital to the organization and management of our sports program. As a coach, you will have the opportunity to directly influence the development of the athletes, imparting skills and values that will benefit them both on and off the field. As a manager, you will help coordinate the logistics and administration of the team, ensuring that everything runs efficiently. As a scorer, you will keep track of team performance, helping us analyse and improve our strategies.
Please contact Sravan, our junior co-ordinator, or your child’s manager for more information.

All fixtures are on the club website, and we have produced a fixture card for handy reference.
The annual tour to Devon is from the 25th to 28th May with fixtures arrange for all four days. Please contact Keith Manning for more information.
On a sad note, we have had to disappointingly withdraw our women’s team. The were not enough players who would commit themselves to playing regularly, which made the job for Elize, Jenny and Alison impossible. We would still like to have a women’s team, and if you feel you could help out, please contact us. There are a lot of good junior girls coming through and it would be a shame if they didn’t carry on their playing at Ashford.

Can you help?
The cricket club are responsible for manning the bar on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the season. Without members volunteering to cover there would be a substantial increase in the rent that ACC pay and that would have to be passed on to the members. Contact a member of the committee for more information.

Finally, a reminder of the preamble to the laws of cricket
Cricket owes much of its appeal and enjoyment to the fact that it should be played not only according to the Laws, but also within the Spirit of Cricket. The major responsibility for ensuring fair play rests with the captains, but extends to all players, match officials and, especially in junior cricket, teachers, coaches and parents.
Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket.
- Respect your captain, team-mates, opponents and the authority of the umpires.
- Play hard and play fair.
- Accept the umpire’s decision.
- Create a positive atmosphere by your own conduct, and encourage others to do likewise.
- Show self-discipline, even when things go against you.
- Congratulate the opposition on their successes, and enjoy those of your own team.
- Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.
Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership, friendship and teamwork, which brings together people from different nationalities, cultures and religions, especially when played within the Spirit of Cricket.

Here’s to a successful season for all our teams.

Mark Doggett