Captains Blog - This is where you will find ad hoc thoughts from the Club Captain in 2010
Final Blog (26th August 2010)
Seeing as the weather has rather killed off most of July and August and has left us with the season ending this afternoon, I thought I would get my views on the season passed down on paper for the final time.
It has been another great season for the club. We reached the cup final and would have, could have, won the league had the weather not intervened at the end. Another season as the bridesmaids but I remain 100% positive that very soon that will all change.
I would like to thank you all for your effort, enthusiasm and no little skill shown this season; but most of all for your support. Sometimes I had to make some calls I didn’t particularly enjoy making regarding selection, particularly for the cup final. Then having to ask those same players to play a week or so later can seem condescending, I acknowledge that and it has been the part of being Captain I least enjoy. At the end of the day we all want to play and I understand that.
The club has a good balance. It is well run without an authoritarian approach. It has some real quality players, some decent cricketers and some honest cricketers learning the game; but most importantly of all it has no real arrogant individuals, that is so important. The club exists for its members, the players, and I urge any of you who want to get involved more in the club to do so in the future.
Why the reflection you may ask? Well, as some of you already know and probably most of you have guessed, after two years as Captain I have decided to hand the baton on and step down from the role. I have also decided to stand down from the committee that runs the club which I have served on for four years. I have enjoyed it immensely, I hope I have contributed (mostly positively) both on and off the pitch and now I want a couple of years solely as a player; just turning up, playing and enjoying the banter and the sport sounds good to me. It has been a privilege helping develop the club and of course I will offer any help I can to my successor if asked, it goes without saying.
Working with Gareth Ball, Andrew Hibberd, Nick Howard and Matt Phillips over the years helping run the club has been great and while there have been some “discussions” on certain things, I believe everything we have done has been progressive, long may that continue. I also want to thank Matt Phillips for his help when I took on the role as skipper from him and my two Vice Captains Rich Lewis and Matt Ball during my tenure, who offered me ideas when I had run out of them (at least five times a game)!
Just finally want to say my sincere thanks again to you all for your enthusiasm; please don’t let it be dampened by the rain for next season and many seasons to come and I hope to see you on the 10th September for a few beers at the awards night.
Blog 2 (12th July 2010)
It has been a while since I put pen to paper for the Captains blog and I apologise for that. The season has moved on apace and we have won three league games since I last wrote and a cup semi final. We have also played a charity match, been on tour to Tenby and played Tonyrefail and Llantwit Fardre Cricket Clubs in friendlies along the way, it has been busy!
Of course last night saw us lose a tight cup final for the second time in two seasons against a very good Cardiff Bay Barbarians line up. We never quiet came to terms with their tight bowling and the pace of the pitch to get to the 109 we needed. It is hard losing cup finals, even harder for those of us who have been there two seasons in a row but I remain sure that first trophy is within grasp. I am proud of our efforts and competitiveness in the competitions we play in and we all gave 100%, no one can ask for more.
Stand out points for me over the past few months have been beating Glenwood, who were top of the league at the time, the outstanding result against the Hurricanes in the cup semi (some say due to the fact I was not playing J) and the effort put in by everyone for the charity match; though I need never wish to be umpiring at square leg with Luke Williams (or anyone for that matter) batting in just a box ever again! Unfortunately the weather cancelled our tour game against Narberth; all of the party were gutted! It was a great outing enjoyed by all (I think) but in true tradition what goes on tour stays on tour J.
Pastures new are calling for Richard Bluett, who is emigrating to Australia a number of us attending his leaving party to wish him well and Alex Coombs is soon moving to London, to work for the council he says though I suspect he is off to Eton myself under the guise of what though I do not want to know. Good luck to Alex also.
We have two league games left which we can hopefully fit in, we are still challenging for the league title and waiting someone to do a favour on the Hurricanes for us; so please keep your eyes posted for Gareth’s e-mails and help us to finish the season in style. QC Howard has confirmed the end of season presentation date, I can confirm it will be held at Barinis, if you haven’t let Nick know if you are attending or not can you please do so urgently so he can organise the evening.
Again, thanks to you all for your efforts, it is a squad ethos that we have at the club and we now need a final push to finish this season off strongly and keep pushing the club forward
Blog 1 (28th May 2010)
Pre season, two league games and a cup game gone already and it’s only just the end of May! Dare I say our strategic switch (based on paranoia) to Thursdays may have worked (shut up I hear you all say). A lot has happened since last season. A raft of new sponsors, another grant from the Sports Council, new team shirts, securing of Central Park for another season as our home venue and confirmation of playing in the SWFT set up for 2010. All important behind the scenes work that allows the club to offer its members a good environment to play in at much less cost than most clubs in any sport. We are truly fortunate to have such support and facilities at our disposal.
On the playing side, firstly, welcome to Bleddyn Dunn, Matthew Davies and Luke Williams as new members and welcome back to Hywel Williams and Jon Bluett as active members of the clubs squad. I am sure you will all contribute and it’s a pleasure having you on board. Congratulations to Matthew Ball on his election as Vice Captain. A larger squad will lead to some element of rotation but hopefully we won’t face the prospect of not getting eleven on the field very often. Secondly; personally I thought pre season was great. Thanks to Matt B, Scrooge and Saucy for taking various parts of the sessions. The variety and specific drills were welcome in my opinion, and I think as the season has begun the positive effects of these drills can be seen on the field. Mention for Gareth, Matt B, Saucy, The QC and Ross who attended every session, great commitment.
We kicked off with a good win on a damp old day at Blackweir against CBB’s. All the bowlers contributed, fielding was great and Rich B saw us home unflustered as every other batsman seemed to struggle. Then we had the Cup cancellation debacle, let’s just say dealing with German’s was never easy and leave it at that. Onwards to a game against the Hurricanes, last years double winners. On an absolute belter of a pitch we went down by 18 runs. You all know me after a defeat, the gloom can set in. However, after this game I was actually more encouraged than anything else. It showed our resolve, strength in depth and no little skill to push the Hurricanes with a much weakened bowling line up on show. A couple more decent over’s in the field and we would have won. Our batsmen (Gypo in particular) showed good determination and never say die spirit chasing down a large total with contributions from Gareth, Luke and Nick also.
At long last we faced Mackintosh Church in the cup and Matthew Davies on debut scored an ugly 60 odd J, he was ably backed up by a cheeky 27 from Alex Cameron! As fine a batting performance as I can remember and with Saucy, Rich B, Matt B and myself back in harness and the fielding awesome, Mackintosh could not get anywhere near. It was a fine and as comprehensive a win as you are ever likely to see. It’s been a great start. The squad has increased and improved and we are achieving on and off the field. I will be on holiday for the cup semi against the Hurricanes (gutted) but with a good few game before then hopefully we can continue to improve in time for that one so I can return to the prospect of a final.
The tour for 2010 also goes ahead, another opportunity to see how early Saucy goes to bed, Gypos impression of Casper the friendly ghost on a Sunday morning and to see the fear in the eyes of whomever shares a room with Cameron Coombs! Look out Tenby is all I can say.
We have some “occasions” coming up that will require some commitment from you guys with the Charity match scheduled for 17th June (details to come soon) and a one day game against Tonyrefail on Sunday 6th June which we need bodies for as we have already re-arranged this once.
Thanks again for all your enthusiasm and effort and see you next week!
Captains Blogs Archive 2009