Winter training for juniors

Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club's winter training programme will start on Sunday, January 8.
Sessions will again be held at Holmwood House School sports hall, from 10am to noon.
Initially, we will be reserving the first hour of each session (10am to 11am) for all hard-ball cricketers up to under 13, with the second hour (11am to 12) for under 14s to under 16s.
Subject to the numbers attending, we may reassess this schedule after four weeks to incorporate some sessions for kwik cricketers (non hard-ball).
All players will require a new registration form, so even if you completed a form in 2011, we will require parents to reregister for 2012.
Membership fees will also be due from January 1.

See you there.
Neil Thomas
Junior cricket administrator
Colchester and East Essex CC
07745 377811

Sunday's Match Conceded by Copdock

Copdock have been in touch to say that their First XI is playing in the East Anglian Premier League play off against Fakenham on Sunday and so won't be able to raise a side. Therefore there will only be one game this weekend on Saturday at Eight Ash Green. There are two games next weekend both in Division 2.

Second XI Div1 Champions

C&EE secured the Shepherd & Neame Essex League Second XI Division 1 title with a victory over fellow promotion winners Hornchurch on the final day of the season.

An inspired peice of captaincy led to a high quality century from opener Nick Gibbs backed up by 70 from Nathan O'Brien in possibly his last game for the club before moving back to Melbourne - we will miss Nathan next year in so many ways. Other steady contributions meant we were able to set a target of 243 while, critically, only losing four wickets in the process. Hornchurch had started the day 5 points clear in the table by virtue of their victories while we suffered abandoned matches but by tea we had earned 8 bonus points to their 1, overhauling the defecit and putting us in pole position should the game end in a draw.

Knowing they needed an outright victory the Hornchurch openers started aggressively and reached 50 in the eighth over before Alex Young made the first breakthrough. Not for the first time this year it was a pitch for accuracy and guile as Nick Gibbs and Kieran Savill turned the screw on the middle order. Despite a few lusty blows wickets fell regularly to the pair as they wrapped up the job sharing the remaining nine victims.

Andy Scrase was unlucky to receive a cut just under the eye attempting a skied catch in the gathering gloom - he was also playing his final game for the club as he moves to Kent in the close season. We all wish him well.

A monumental celebration followed!

The success of the season has been down to the hard work and commitment of the whole squad with eleven players appearing in 8 or more of the 14 games played. At training many of these second XI players have been the most consistent in attendance. Thank you to everyone that has played in the team this year.

Teams for 3rd / 4th September

First XI away at Woodford Wells - meet 9:30am at Castle Park

Austin (c), Ahmed, De Silva, Fisher, Foster, Hennessey, Pandya, Sneath, Stephens B, Stephens G, Ul Haq. Scorer: Trehane

Second XI home vs Hornchurch - meet 11:30am at Castle Park

O'Brien (c,w), , Bragg, Edwards, Gibbs, Nydam, Ranawat, Savill G, Savill K, Scrase, Young. Upmire: Mayes, Scorer: Spain

Third XI home vs Belhus at Colchester Garrison - meet 11:45am

Parsons (c,w), Bashall, Donnelly, Eaton, Gallagher, Husain, Lenihan, Reid, Thomas, Wheeler G, Wombwell, Vickers. Umpire: Thomas N

Third XI players please text Neil (07712 778208) to confirm whether you will meet at Castle Park or go direct to the Garrison.

Reserves: Avery-Hickmott


Sunday PP2 home vs Boxted - meet 11:45am at Castle Park (12:30pm start)

Cairns Snr (c), Barry, Wheeler G, Axcell, Thomas D, Greenwood, Avery-Hickmott, Swart, Keelings, Cairns Jnr, Savill G. Umpire: Thomas N

Team for Wednesday 24th August

Piri Piri Premier away at Frinton - 2pm start, meet 12:45pm at Castle Park;

Nick Gibbs(c), Kieran Dale(w), Chamath Jayasooriya, Dominic Thomas, Greg Stephens, Hugo Douglas, Jack Sneath, Jamie Barry, Ollie Bocking, Omar Ahmed and Stephen McEvoy

Freak of Nature

Heavy rainfall mid-afternoon heavily disrupted much of the cricket across Essex on Saturday but the Second XI game against Leigh-on-Sea was a somewhat freakish victim of the rules of the competition. With Leigh needing points in their battle to avoid relegation and C&EE keen to wrap up promotion both sides were reluctant to offer too much.

Having won the toss based on Friday's clear weather forecast skipper, Gilly, asked Leigh to bat first. Armed with an up to date forecast we could have elected to bat with more control over the destiny of the game.

Leigh were 66-3 after 22 overs when the rain came and play did not resume until 4:50pm. Scrasey collected two more victims caught behind and Vijai took a simple catch at short cover off Gibbsy. On resumption Leigh clearly didn't feel confident to reach 150 and went on the defensive, Kieran Savill and Gibbsy beat the bat time and again but could only add one more wicket despite attempting a variety of deliveries including one "left arm around" that grubbed and nearly bowled the stuborn #3.

Although we were able to bowl the remaining 30 overs in little over an hour and 10 minutes this did not leave enough time for us to receive 25 overs in reply and therefore the game was dead and according to the rules of the competition abandoned.

A frustrating day for all involved on both sides. However results (or rather lack of results) elsewhere mean that the Second XI is definitely promoted to the Premier Division for next season as we lead Hadleigh in third place by 42 points. The title is now almost certain to be decided in the final game against second placed Hornchurch on the last day.

Junior Presentation Evening

Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club will be holding their end-of-season junior presentation evening at Castle Park on Friday, September 16, from 7pm.

All junior members, from kwik cricketers up to the under 16s, and their parents are invited to come along to reflect upon the season past and to find out who will win this year's awards.

Parents are asked to make a contribution of snacks or other food towards a shared supper.

See you there.

Neil Thomas
Junior cricket administrator
Colchester and East Essex CC