This event is on Saturday 11th November at Venue 16 in Ipswich with details as below.  Following the success of Geoff Miller last year we are pleased to welcome another high profile speaker in David Gower to our Annual Awards Dinner.  David is best known as captain of a successful Ashes series but his record as an attacking batsman across the board has been an inspiration to many.  His flamboyant batting style would certainly have fitted into what is now known as Bazzball!  Since retiring from cricket he has had a very successful career with the media – best knows for his work home and abroad on Sky Cricket. The event is advertised as the Awards Dinner but all are welcome to attend.  A booking form will follow shortly but in the meantime get the date in the diary…………!!  

Well done to West Mersea CC!

James Rutter (250no) & 15 year old Seb Gladwell (102no) put on a record partnership for all wickets and all divisions in the league of 376 not out v Chappel & Wakes Colne 2nd.

James Rutter’s 250no is the highest score recorded in Division Seven.

Meanwhile at Mersea in the Second Eleven, Chris Warren returned the Best Bowling Figures in that division – 9 for 15 v. Harwich & Dovercourt 2nd

The forecast for tomorrow is poor.  All are reminded of the Rules on cancellations:

14b In matches where panel umpire(s) have been appointed, the match may NOT be cancelled before the start time without permission of any panel umpire.

14c For matches without appointed panel umpires, the home team must speak to an official and or the captain of the visiting team and give them the opportunity to visit the ground before calling the match off. To call a match off by text message or leaving a voicemail is NOT acceptable.

Ben Wilkes has been suspended indefinitely from Friday 28th July by both the Two Counties Championship and the T Rippon League for playing cricket whilst still banned by the T Rippon League .  There is a Disciplinary Hearing scheduled by the T Rippon League and Ben will be suspended until the conclusion of that hearing.  There will be no action taken against Wivenhoe CC as the player was registered on play cricket before the ban was made.

There seems to have been an increase in the number of incidents recently being brought to our attention.

Please can we ask clubs to remind their players and anyone supporting them to ensure they conduct themselves both on and off the field of play. The links under the Rules/ECB Regulations for Recreational Cricket tab provide both the Recreational and General Conduct Regulations and Safeguarding Resources.  These are:

General Conduct Regulations

Recreational Cricket Regulations

Safeguarding Resources for Clubs

The majority of recent incidents have and will be dealt with by their respective leagues, however as some have involved U18’s either directly or indirectly, we’ve been notified and they’ve been formally raised and logged on our Safeguarding reporting system and where applicable the ECB Safeguarding Team have also been advised..

We appreciate matches can become quite heated, however “Spirit of Cricket” and supporting regulations must be upheld. We will continue to monitor the situation and deal with any conduct / safeguarding concerns raised with us, report to the ECB if necessary, however would really appreciate your help in reminding players and spectators about their conduct and the potential consequences (both internally and externally) if they fail to do so.   Where applicable we have consulted with the ECB if a safeguarding concern warrants their knowing and opinion and ultimately in addition to any bans the league imposes if warranted we can take further sanctions on both player and club, especially if it relates to safeguarding.

Further to my earlier post it has been decided that as the season is more than half way over that all matches for this season will be marked as a concession by Needham Market and therefore the opposition will get 20 points.  This removes the unfairness of some clubs losing more points than others and also ensures that the stats remain.

It is with regret we announce that Needham Market have decided not to continue in Division 4 with immediate effect……. All points gained in matches played by them so far this season will be removed.  We understand that they are considering rejoining the Championship next season at the lowest level – this of course would need to be ratified by member clubs at the AGM.

We are delighted to announce that Mo Ismail of Ipscol has been added to the Essex County Representatives on the MSC.   We are sure that he will have valuable input into the deliberations and decisions made……

He replaces Stuart Coker in an attempt to lighten his work load.  Stuart, in addition to his time consuming role as Fixtures Secretary, had also taken on responsibility for some of the play-cricket results administration.

Congratulations to Maldon’s Chris Harris for establishing a new record highest Individual score for the Two Counties Cricket Championship. His 263 not out, scored at Drapers Farm against Copdock & Old Ipswichians II, broke the previous record by 11 runs. His innings included 25 fours, and 11 sixes.

The Life of Brian …………

I sit here with tear in my eye reading the Facebook comments from so many different people who felt moved to reflect on the way that their lives had been affected by this wonderful man – a true legend at a time when such a eulogy is too frequently applied without real cause.

Brian “Harry” Firmin was a larger than life in every sense of the word in all that he did throughout his life. He embodied his beloved Halstead CC and was always the first person that people from other clubs would ask about when you told them you played for Halstead.  His association with HCC began in 1953, umpiring for the club in the school holidays. For 32 years Brian was HCC’s Groundsman, eventually hanging up his mower keys in 2018.

He was also a wonderful tourist both with the club, with the Hoboes and for many years, at home and abroad, for the Ipswich Greyhound Regiment, where he would spend much time after the game drinking the odd beer or two (and often more) and reflecting on the game he had just seen or officiated in. He was an excellent raconteur, I can still hear his infectious laugh and always rejoiced when the time came for him to break out in one of his famous songs – his voice became miraculously louder and the songs more risqué with the number of beers consumed!  His Regimental nickname of Harry was in fact born at Milsted Cricket Club by the opposition at the local pub after the game during the usual Regimental sing song, when they felt his appearance and voice reminded them of Harry Secombe and there can perhaps be no greater praise than that.

He will be missed of course but we can all hold our memories of those times spent in the company of this remarkable man.  More details will follow regarding funeral arrangements and tributes, but in the meantime, have a pint of bitter (possibly a wormer tops?) for Harry.  He will now probably as we speak be sitting down supping a pint of beer with Lloyd Rayner and his other mates now departed…..

RIP Harry – never to be forgotten…..

A list of Category 3 players (as at 05/05/2023) can be found on the website under the Overseas Players tab ……

Please be patient tonight when entering scores as play-cricket has some issues which they are attempting to resolve….  Leniency will be given tonight in the event of results not being entered within the timescale allocated.