Dear Members,

The new season is fast approaching with our first game scheduled for Bidborough away on Saturday 19 April. League matches commence on 10 May. This year we do not have a match manager and so expect to receive communications directly from team captains: James Trick and Chris Brown on Saturday and Sean Bromfield on Sunday. Please respond promptly to their requests for availabilities.

Indoor net practice has gone well with a very good turn-out each week. With a bit of luck on the weather front, we should be able to organise a few outdoor practice before the season starts. It was our intention to complete a full refurbishment of the net at the ground before the start of the season. The cost of this work exceeds £4,000 and we have sought grants to part fund the project. So far the Parish Council have awarded us £200 and we hope to receive in April £2000 from Kent County Council. Once we have confirmation of the KCC award, we will instruct the contractor to proceed with the work. All being well, we will have a fully refurbished facility up and running by end May.

We ran a successful gaming evening in February which contributed £450 to club funds. A big thank you to John Dinnis for organising the event, to Patrick Barrett and his team for providing a wonderful spread, and to Nick Pearce, Graham Peck, Nigel Britten, Ray Trick and Andrew and Helen Montgomerie for their contributions on the night. Once again we are very pleased that the George will sponsor our league match balls.

We continue to invest in the ground and the square is looking in peak condition. We are very lucky to have Haff as our groundsman. The Golf Club will be worm-killing the outfield in the next few days. We have had two excellent working parties in recent weeks. We have completed a good clearout of the trees and scrubs overhanging the ground and the pavilion has had a good clean and a new coat of varnish on the external woodwork. Once again we indebted to Patrick and his culinary skills for providing very welcome sustenance at the working parties.

Fixture cards are now printed and are available in the Clubhouse. Subscriptions are due and our membership secretary Patrick Barrett, resplendent with a new and supercharged hip, looks forward to receiving your payments. You may also send your cheques directly to our treasurer Nigel Britten (address in fixture card). A reminder that subscriptions remain unchanged from last year – seniors £60, juniors £30.

Our Junior section is raring for the season to start. All of last years young stalwarts are expected to return for the new season and we are on the look out for new U11 players – boys and girls. If you know of any young players who might join, please encourage them to come along. Coaching will be more structured this year with input from Andy, Sean and James as well as from Graham and other grizzled veterans. Coaching will start on Sunday 27th April and continue until Sunday 19th July.

We look forward to a great season – with success for you all.

Best wishes

Martin
On behalf of SCC Committee

Eaten one too many mince pies over Christmas?
Up to much this Wednesday?
The Shoreham Cricketing Academy is about to start their intensive winter training program. The course covers all the important areas of the game of cricket (ie. batting and bowling).
Cricket nets start Wednesday 9th January from 8pm at the indoor school. All are welcome.

Look! A net without big rabbit-chewed holes in.

The author gratefully acknowledges the superior talents of he who is named ‘Wyn’ and apologises in advance for the blatant abuse of copyright.

Waste paper basket full, ash tray overflowing, scotch gone, sun slowly rising. Must find the positives in this performance soon.

There were several positives to take from this RWC game:

- The weather in France was better than it has been in Shoreham.
- Nevertheless those who forgot to put on sun screen did not suffer prolonged exposure to UV radiation – as it was a night game.
- The catering at Shoreham puts the Stade de France to shame.

The moment the ball went into play England were in trouble. A side without any reasonable flyhalf has always looked a bit thin this season and on Friday none of these were available to us.

- resist cheap joke about Andy Farrell not being able to look thin and find somewhere to add ‘Martin Corry will feel that his captaincy was an important factor in the team’s performance when he sees this result’ in the final version -

South Africa’s wings were quick and followed up the accurate kicking. The amount of rubbish from England’s 9 and 10 meant that any half reasonable ball was totally wasted in some of the most abject half-back displays seen for many a day.

- add ‘Jason Robinson was on form’ to list of positives

The ball tended to cross the English advantage line with monotonous regularity as the South African’s gained a solid upper hand in the match with the half-time score 20-0.

- add ‘only conceded 20 points in first half’ to positives

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with South Africa having the upper hand in pretty much all departments, despite never really seeming to get out of 2nd gear. The final score of 36-0 was flattering to England (who were awarded the 0 before the game started), and if SA had not bungled a handful of scoring opportunities it would have been a truly unforgettable evening. As it was England have become the 5th nation to score a zero in the World Cup, and the first defending champions to do so as well as being the first team to have scored 100 and zero in world cups. The one large up side was that they only allowed SA to score 3 tries and thus denied them the bonus point.

- actually that is pretty good. Rewrite report finding a way to focus on this aspect of the game.

- Pete

It was a perfect day for cricket but Groombridge’s ground was unnaturally quiet. The pavilion was boarded shut, the square deserted. In the outfield a little tumbleweed blew gently by, unnoticed.

But come with me now to the village of Shoreham. There, all is brightness and bustle as one of the strongest Shoreham squads of the season responds to the joyous summons of the bells and hurries to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

This is one of the more amazing fixtures of the season. There are only two names on the team sheets and only one umpire, who looks a little over-dressed. We’re skipping straight to the start of the second innings and although it’s definitely pushing the boundaries Montie has to start by bowling a maiden over. Only five minutes into proceedings Montie is asked for a declaration and – completely unprompted – gets both words right and in the right order. The elegantly attired opposition is then asked for a declaration too and it’s all over – although there is some post-match analysis from the umpire and a bit of singing from the terraces. Loads of photographs are taken. The crowd disperses and instead of chips at the George (which apparently was a possibility, being so close to the Church and all) reassembles for a cracking barbeque at the never-so-manicured Dairy House.

Astonishingly well done Montie and a very warm welcome to Helen in her new post.

(Always good to have a new name on the tea rota).

To round off a perfect evening mobile phones are ringing in the dusk carrying news of a first team victory. We are told that James and Andy managed a stand of nearly two hours.

Anyway, good luck on your honeymoon Montie.

- Wyn

This season’s tour of the Isle of Wight is fast approaching and we thought we’d try a slightly different method of transport than usual, i.e. a Minibus. The price for the Minibus will be around £35 per person (final prices yet to be confirmed) including £14 for the ferry (return). The Minibus has 15 seats however with luggage we will only be able to fit 11/12 passenger’s max. I’m afraid I can’t guarantee good entertainment for the journey because Browny has already declared control of the CD player. I would like to add that the Minibus is not compulsory; you are more than welcome to make your own way to the island.

Please let me know ASAP if you’re interested in coming on the fun bus because it will be first come first serve for a seat.

Cheers,
Sam.