Saturday League Fixtures were issued to Championship reps and fixture secretaries in early December. Any clubs wishing to change the date of a fixture need to get in touch with their opposition and arrange a mutually convenient alternative date – this must be within the parameters of the season – 15th April to 9th September. Once this is agreed both clubs need to email fixtures@twocountiescricket.co.uk and Rick Jones with the relevant details. This needs to be done by mid January and certainly no later than the end of this month.

We hope to add all these fixtures to the play cricket site within the next few weeks.

Stuart Coker

This will take place on Wednesday 11th January 2023 at West Suffolk Crematorium followed by the Wake at Ravenswood Hall, Blackthorn, IP30 9JA

The MSC wish you well and hope that you enjoy the festivities….  Roll on next season……….!!

I am indebted to Martin White for the obituary below:

Cricket in the region has suffered a massive blow with the sudden death of Gordon Rayner.

He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital last Tuesday after being found unwell at his Hengrave home and died on Friday. He was 81.

For nearly 30 years, Gordon served with distinction as an umpire on the Two Counties’ Championship panel and in the early days had officiated games in the Dairytime League (now Medite) and the Suffolk Premier League whose fixtures were played on Sundays. He was highly respected by players and his calm exterior often diffused what could have turned into an awkward situation.

His experience and quiet, courteous manner helped many new umpires to become more confident and he acted as a mentor and helper to many. Always ready with advice when asked, Gordon often looked at both sides of the question before delivering an accurate and understandable explanation.

He later helped John Goldsmith arrange the youth fixtures for the popular and long-running Culford School tournament and until fairly recently had also officiated the school’s first XI matches after ending his association with league cricket and it became something he thoroughly enjoyed.

Gordon also played a vital role in helping Tom Smith with the appointment of umpires to all the Suffolk County youth games and dealing with call-offs and reappointments where necessary and had already committed himself to continuing that role next season.

In his cricketing days, Gordon was an opening batsman for Ampton and Culford and when he realised his career in that department was coming to an end he turned to umpiring the game he loved.

While his health had not been as good as he would have liked for some time, he never complained took each day in his stride and was always cheerful.

In 2002 he served for three years as chairman of the Suffolk Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers and remained a loyal member, always attending meetings and often in the company of his great friend, Alan Beazer.

He served for many years as one of the Association’s members of the Two Counties’ disciplinary panel and his experience in that role shone through as up to his death he had been performing a similar task for the Suffolk FA, of whom he was a past chairman and an honorary life vice-president.

Gordon was a gentle, kind, caring and humorous individual who will be sadly missed by all those who had the privilege of coming into contact with him and the Association’s thoughts are with his sister, Barbara, son Adrian and his family.

Martin White

With immediate effect the Two Counties Championship restrictions on those players entering the UK on a Youth Mobility Visa are removed.  The link on the Overseas Players tab on the website has been amended to reflect the change.

There has been much discussion regarding the level at which a player/coach should be permitted to play in the Championship with concerns expressed by several clubs but the MSC have decided that as the matter is of considerable importance that it should be put to the member clubs to vote at the AGM.  It should be noted that to qualify to enter the UK on the International Sportsperson Visa, they would have to show that they had played a minimum of 5 matches at 1^st Class, ODI or List A  level during the previous 3 years – it does seem to the MSC incongruous that this could happen without restriction to such a player in our Division 9.  Thus:

From the start of the 2024 season:

No player/coach entering the country on an International Sportsperson Visa will be permitted to play in the Two Counties Championship at a level below Division 2.  This rule is subject to ratification at the AGM in October 2023

Just to let you know the above will take place at Sudbourne Church on Thursday 1st December at 11oclock.

Thank you for those that have booked your places for the awards evening for this Saturday, we are really looking forward to what should be an excellent evening and to listen to Geoff Miller once again. We have some last-minute details that we would like to make sure everyone is aware of.

We will be running an auction on the night with some fantastic prizes including:

• A bat signed by England’s greatest allrounder – Sir Ian Botham, by England’s leading Test bowler – Jimmy Anderson and by England’s leading Test run getter – Sir Alastair Cook. Half decent prize that…..!
• Several signed cricket bats from Essex current first team squad
• A signed Essex Eagle T20 Shirt
• A signed and framed picture of the best Test wicketkeeper at the moment, Ben Foakes

We will also be running a cash raffle on the night, with some superb prizes, we ask that you can all bring cash to be able to participate.

There is another function going on at Venue 16 on the night, so we ask that everyone follows the signs for the “Two Counties awards evening in the Willow Suite”.  Some of you have asked about the start and finishing time of the night.   We ask that people aim to arrive between 6:45pm -7pm, the finishing time is open ended, we suspect the after-dinner speech and auction/raffle to be finished around 11pm, We have an extended bar until 1am though, if attendees wish to stay and socialise.

For reference to everyone the venue address is:

Venue 16

312 Tuddenham Road

Ipswich, Suffolk

IP4 3QJ

Lastly, I hope everyone received their invoices for their orders and can ensure payment is made before the night to keep admin to a minimum during the event.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday – any questions please contact me.

Many Thanks

Scott Button

MSC Member

07985 668421

Excellent news here……………..

Robin Mills of Mistley CC has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement award.  This is well deserved as Rob has been with Mistley man and boy and has made an outstanding contribution to his club both as a player and administrator over many years.

We also understand that Copdock and OIs CC (having won the Regional Final) have been awarded the ECB National Award for Community Engagement and Eight Ash Green were runners up and highly commended in the Tackling Climate Change class.  These reflect considerable hard work by these two clubs and we wish to thank them on behalf of the Two Counties Championship.

Well done to all you guys…….it is your efforts and that of many other “unsung heroes” that make the Two Counties Championship as successful as it is!!

Peter Clift has died suddenly at home recently. He will be missed by family, friends and fellow cricketers at Sudbourne Hall CC who are in our thoughts.  Peter not only played for the club but also supported work on the ground.

He was also a very good footballer who played for the youth team at Ipswich Town FC with the likes of Kevin Beattie and Brian Talbot when the manager was Bobby Robson.

Peter had played for the Suffolk 60s 1^st team in 2013 and from 2020 – 2022 and  played for the 2^nd team on nine occasions and had one 3^rd team game too.  He recently said to me that he hoped to get back to playing again next season.

We are yet to know of any further details but we will keep you informed.  Peter will be sorely missed by many and may he rest in peace.