Come and join us at The Vicarage Ground from 09:30 for a day of activities including an Under-11 match, Cricket Tournament, BBQ and all-day Bar. Please download this Bolney Cricket Club Day Flyer for more information and your return slip to be returned by Sunday 12th July.
At the time of writing we are two weeks into the league season. The first team lost to Chailey for the first game but soundly beat Edenbridge for the second game. The way the points system works resulted in the 1sts being fourth in the division. The second team have not fared quite so well, losing both games. The beginning of the season is always very difficult with some players still playing football and others not yet back from university.
Numbers for Juniors are very healthy with 41 children on our register for coaching sessions on Fridays, this is great for the future of cricket. We have three qualified Sussex coaches and adult helpers also participating – I’m not sure who enjoys it the most!
The Under 10s have played their first game in the friendly softball league and beat Rottingdean. The Under 11s played St. Andrew’s in their first hardball game and lost to possibly the most experienced team in the league. All of the children said how much they enjoyed the games – and that is what we strive for.
We are always looking for new players of all abilities, nets have now commenced on Wednesdays, from 6.00 p.m. Anyone wanting to wander up to the ground for a try will be made very welcome. Players who may like to join should not feel that it is too big a commitment, some players play both games at the weekend, some play only one and many play only the occasional friendly when they are able to spare the time.
We welcome back Bolney Stoolball team again this year – they play Tuesdays or Thursdays (check the website) commencing 6.30 p.m. I am sure they would appreciate spectators on a nice summer evening!
By the time you read this plans will be well under way for preparation of the ground for the forthcoming season – where did all of those free weekends go!! As I have no ‘cricket’ news I would just like to mention a few things.
JUNIOR COACHING
This will begin again after Easter with three Sussex CC qualified coaches, one of whom is Alan Perrin (Reg) who has been with us from the start. Children will be welcome from 7 – 14 years and will be divided into three groups to cater for all abilities. One coach will be taking the more experienced children for hardball coaching. This season we will be entering two league teams, one softball friendly team and one hardball team. Coaching sessions will be Fridays 5.30 – 7.00 p.m. at the cricket ground. More details will follow.
JUMBLE SALE
Many people have been asking about. We normally hold this before our cricket season starts so that members are able to help (which they all love!) However this year, as the new village hall will not be completed by the start of our season, we intend to re-schedule it for the end of the season during October. Please hold on to your jumble – we will need it in October!
BOLNEY WINE ESTATE
We are delighted to learn that the Wine Estate will be sponsoring the Club again this season, this is very welcome news and appreciated by us all. Even if you do not enjoy cricket what could be nicer than a glass of Bolney wine on a relaxing summer day evening – or day!
VICE PRESIDENTS
If anyone would like to support the Club by becoming a VP we would be very grateful, our VPs are a vital lifeline for the Club. There are no tasks to perform and you can be assured of a free tea during home games! Please contact me if you are able to help. Many thanks go to all current VPs who have already renewed their subscription for this season.
We held our Annual Awards Evening at the Eight Bells on Thursday, 20th November. Our thanks to John Snow for joining us and presenting the awards. This is always a very enjoyable, sociable evening when everybody has a chance to catch up after the summer. Our thanks go to Waz and Emma for making us so welcome every year.
Winners of the awards are on the awards section of the website, congratulations to everyone!
On behalf of all of our players and members we would like to thanks Vice Presidents and members of the community who so generously continue to support us in so many different ways, and to wish everyone a very
Merry Christmas
By the time this article is printed the cricket season will be over for another year. We can all reflect on a very exciting year, being the first year for a Bolney second team for many years and the first year ever for a Colts side playing league cricket.
Everyone was delighted that the first team remained in Division 1, bearing in mind that we lost Jack Collins for most of the league season following an operation for appendicitis, and Nick Ridgway with a broken thumb which required an operation to have a pin inserted! The script for the last game could not have been better written – both Poynings and Bolney to play each other. Poynings needed to draw to stay in Div. 1 but Bolney needed to win to stay there. Bolney declared on 206 and things were not looking too good with Poynings 140-4 until Jack Collins came to the party taking 8-59 and secured a Bolney win by 11 runs! Jubilant scenes at the Club as you can imagine and thereafter I think Haywards Heath suffered until the early hours!
The second team had a really good season being in the top two of the division for most of the season but unfortunately couldn’t win the last game and so finished third – the top two being promoted. They had some sparkling performances with Dean Hamilton getting the league award for most runs in the division.
The Colts won most of their games in the friendly league they played and there is a lot of potential amongst them for the future. Their season ended with a friendly game of children v parents followed by a barbecue and awards. There was a lot of fun had but there’s no way parents are going to easily let children win!!
Their awards went to:
Best Batsman – Charlie Chandler
Best Bowler – Max Johnson
Most Improved Player – Finn Jordan
Champagne Moment – Charlie Trumble
Our Sponsored Treasure Hunt raised over £700 which was amazing – thank you to those who took part and for some very generous donations from those who were unable to. The clues are still out there and so if anyone would like to do a lovely 2 or 5 mile walk just let me know and I will email the route.
A huge thank you to Mark Barrow and his team from Bolney Nursery for donating our beautiful hanging baskets again and to everyone who has supported us in any way this year, either financially or by just coming to watch – we are always very grateful.
Wendy Lambourne
Secretary
Good news to report on the cricket front. The first team, at the time of writing, has played four games, lost one, drew one and won two. The seconds have played three games and won three and the Colts have played two and won two – having had the other two games cancelled due to the weather. So – the firsts are fourth in Div 1 and the seconds are top of Div 5. The Colts have all really enjoyed the experience of playing in a team against unknown opposition and have played, and conducted themselves very well. Well done everyone, excellent news all round.
Some Bolney records have tumbled as well. James Flower hit 179, in just 145 minutes off 85 balls, against Colemans Hatch during a league game on 17th May. The previous record of 160 not out by Terry Sayers had stood since 1994. During that game another record went. James Flower and Rory Delves recorded a partnership of 244, the previous one of 212 had been held by Trevor Warburton and Ian Jarrett since 1975. It was also the highest ever Bolney score, the previous one being 301-3 in 2010.
As there will be no magazine published during August I would like to let you know that we will be organising a sponsored Treasure Hunt on Sunday August 31st in aid of Club funds. This will be held during the morning and will consist of two routes, one for younger members when hopefully the Colts and their families will be taking part and a longer route for adults. It would be lovely if everyone could bring a picnic for lunch and end up at the cricket ground where Bolney will be playing a game at 2.00 p.m. The bar will be open!
Bolney Cricket Club players are raising a glass to a new era as they embark on their first season in the Mid Sussex Stoner League Division One. They now have more to celebrate following the development of a new Sponsorship partnership with Bolney Wine Estate.
The first team achieved their second promotion in consecutive years, finishing runners-up of Division Two in the 2013 season. However, they are not the only club representatives who are venturing into unchartered territory in 2014. Following three years of concerted development Bolney will have a newly formed second XI who will be playing in Division 5 of the Stoner League. The club are always looking for new players and will warmly welcome anyone who wishes to be involved in cricket this season for our league teams and/or the Sunday side. The senior teams will have nets each Wednesday evening from 6 pm; fixtures start on Saturday 12th April; all take place at the picturesque Vicarage Ground by the church and village school.
Having been running junior coaching sessions since 2012 the club will have a mixed Colts team playing in the South Area Young Cricketers League for the first time. Coach Reg Perrin said “After two summers of hard training by the Colts with magnificent support from parents and club members it’s time to increase the fun and play league games against other teams in Sussex. It’s an exciting prospect having a brand new team of young boys and girls setting out on their cricketing journey, nurturing them along the way to reach their full potential within the sport. Our aim within the next 2-5 years is to have players from the club playing at Area or County level.” Colts will be training each Friday evening in the summer commencing Friday 25th April
The club are also looking to develop women’s cricket; having successfully acquired £250 Active Sussex Sportivate funding. Coach Reg explained “The initiative is aimed at women of all ages to participate in recreational cricket. This is a tremendous opportunity to broaden the enjoyment and knowledge of cricket in the community making the club a vibrant focal point for the village.” Women’s cricket sessions will be held at the club ground; a 6 week course starts on Friday 25th April, 7-9pm.
Perhaps the best indication of the recent progression at Bolney CC is their announcement of a partnership with Bolney Wine Estate. Chairman John Flower told us “I am delighted that Bolney Wine Estate has agreed to become our first commercial partner at the start of this key period of expansion for the Cricket Club. I very much hope that this partnership will last for many years. This very welcome sponsorship comes on the back of recent funding support from Mid Sussex District Council and the Lord’s Taverners to help establish our thriving colts section.”
Mrs Sam Linter, Managing Director and head wine maker at Bolney Wine Estate said: “We are extremely pleased to be supporting our local cricket club. We are strong believers in using local produce and supporting the local community and there is nothing more in keeping with this ethos than becoming partners with the local Cricket Club. We see this as the start of a long term relationship and look forward to numerous events together and welcoming members of the Cricket Club here to the Bolney Estate Vineyard and Cafe for tours, events and tastings, details of which can all be found on our website bolneywineestate.com.”
Back row (from left to right): James Flower (Colt’s Manager), Sam Linter (Managing Director and Head Wine Maker, Bolney Wine Estate), Simon Adby (Development Officer), John Flower (Chairman).
We will be raising a glass to a new era as the Club embarks on its first season in the Mid Sussex Stoner League Division One. This will be a double celebration following the development of a new partnership with Bolney Wine Estate who will be generously sponsoring new shirts for the senior and junior teams. We are delighted to have them aboard and trust this partnership will be mutually beneficial to all.
Colts training, which has been ongoing throughout the winter, will now take place at the cricket ground during the week commencing 21st April. This is now likely to be during the afternoon on Fridays but please check local posters as this day is not yet confirmed. This season will be very exciting for the juniors as they will participate in the Southern Area Junior League, the first home game will be on 10th May.
Our coach, Reg Perrin, is hoping to tap into funding for women’s cricket through the Sportivate initiative which is aimed at women of all ages to participate in recreational cricket in their local area. This training will commence on Friday 25th April 7 – 9 p.m. for a six week trial period. The cost would be £30 for the course. Who knows, we could have mums and dads, sons and daughters all playing together!
Our first home game will be on Saturday 12th April against Streat & Westmeston, commencing 1.00 p.m. weather permitting! All games are ‘friendlies’ until the league starts on 3rd May.
If anyone would like any further information please contact me.
Wendy Lambourne
A big thank you to everyone who helped with our Jumble Sale. We are so lucky that people who have no connection with the Club turn out to help – either by helping on the day, donating jumble, making cakes or coming along to support us and have a cup of tea. We made £830 profit – helped by two very generous Club members.
Another big ‘thankyou’ must go to our Vice Presidents who are currently being invited to renew their membership in support of the Club. To date we have received £800 since the beginning of January. Anyone who would like to support us in this way please contact me – there are no tasks to perform and all VPs are welcome to a free tea during home games. A donation of £25 is all we ask and these donations make a huge difference to our ever stretched bank balance!
Our Juniors have continued throughout the year with indoor coaching at Downlands College in Hassocks. We now not only have Reg but a second Sussex trained coach who will carry on with them throughout the summer.
We are always looking for new players. We play league and friendly matches, juniors and adults and so players of all ages and abilities would be very welcome. Please let us know if you are interested. Nets – if ever the ground is dry – are on Wednesday evenings from 6.30 p.m. from mid April onwards.
Many thanks
Wendy Lambourne
Not surprisingly I don’t have any cricket news for you – unless you are interested in scarifying, fertilising, or spiking the pitch, work starts early for next season!
FINGES CROSSED – we are hoping to be able to use the Rawson for our Jumble Sale on Saturday January 18th. This is much earlier than usual as the Hall will not be useable, we assume, by the end of March. However, if it is in the hands of the new owner by January 18th we are hoping we may be allowed to use it for the last time. It is a bit of a gamble but we desperately need the funds. Please put the date in your diary and watch this space!
Finally everyone at Bolney Cricket Club would like to wish our Vice Presidents and everyone who has supported us in whatever capacity this season,
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!