Club Reports - 2000

DUKESMEAD WCC
2000 was a good season with which to start the Millennium. We were pretty competitive in Southern League Division One, finishing 3rd overall. We had some crushing victories, bowling Kent Nomads out for less than 50 being out top achievement, but we also had some flat days, such as our capitulation to Brighton away in the League and to Gunnersbury away in the Cup.

Our top competitive victory of the season was to win the Dukesmead 6-a-side trophy. This was the first Dukesmead win since 1983. Lorraine Poole was Captain, supported by Michele Quayle, Marilyn Smith, Margaret Page, Sarah Bartlett and Rachel Byrne.

This year’s tour was to Canterbury to watch England play South Africa. Very professionally organised once more by MazTours, although who would have guessed it would be the match that England lost !

We were well represented in Middlesex squads this year. Marilyn Smith was again captain of Middlesex and Dukesmead squad members were Lorraine Poole, Michele Quayle, Rachel Byrne, Katie Berry, Laura Joyce, Sarah Bartlett and Sarah Hargraves. At the Junior awards, Laura Joyce was presented with the U19 best bat award, Laura Young best bowler and Sarah Bartlett best all-rounder. A Dukesmead clean sweep in the junior awards has to be good for the future of the club.

Top innovation of the year has to go to Lori (editor) and Lorraine (features) for the first issues of the Dukesmead newsletter “Have we got news for ewe”. Brilliant idea and long may it continue.

At the AGM, Lori presented the Captain’s Trophy to Marilyn Smith for a good season with the bat and the ball. Jan Sergeant presented the bowling cup to Marilyn Smith. Laura Joyce was presented with a bat for her first 100 and Lori Bedborough was presented with a mounted match ball for her first hat-trick.

Gunnersbury WCC - Report - 2000
At last, a season for the Club which truly reflects its potential. This culminated with 2nd place to Invicta in the Premier League (South) and the winning of the NCKO, beating Redoubtables comfortably in the Final.
The season began with a good number of new players, both senior and junior. This was aided by the Club’s continued work to encourage Juniors, especially by Keely Juster who attended Colts’ training at both Ealing and Old Actonians and coaching by Jim Room at Thursday net sessions.
On the pitch, the Club won 6 of the 10 Premier League games - beating Invicta once on the way (the only Club to do so). In the Cup, progress was made beating Radlett, Dukesmead, Wakefield, Derby and then Redoubtables in the Final, with only a polystyrene cup to show for it !
Unfortunately, the weather put an end to a number of friendlies, with only 4 played, winning 2 and drawing 2.
The Club continues to supply the counties with players, including Keely Juster, Kate Dunham, Alex Cram, Beth Morgan, Coral Handley, Carole Ward and Nita Bhatt, plus a number of Juniors for Middlesex, while Debbie Stock, Anita Thorose and Radhi Nanalal played for Thames Valley. Additionally, Beth Morgan continues to play for England U21.
To conclude, a season for Gunnersbury to celebrate on the pitch and one the Club decided to celebrate off the field by presenting Honorary Membership to Sheila Hill, Anne Savory and Rita Schwartz for their tireless contributions to the Club.

Twickenham Riverside Report 2000
It has been a season of mixed fortunes - on the plus side, we had the opportunity to join Twickenham Men’s CC as the Ladies’ section and although it is early days, we are sure that we have taken the right step in providing better match facilities for our players. On the minus side, we now find ourselves relegated to the South Division Three League. Not a good start to joining Twickenham, but with everyone’s support and commitment, we are sure we can reverse the league situation.
With the introduction of home and away league matches, this meant 17 matches were played, of which only 3 were won, 3 drawn, 9 lost, 1 tied and 1 abandoned. A number of other matches were cancelled, due to a shortage of players, mainly the opposition, or poor weather. Nothing can halt the weather, but it is extremely disappointing that so many clubs gear themselves mainly to League matches at the expense of the friendly matches being cancelled. This is another trend that needs to be reversed, for it is the friendly games that give the new inexperienced folks a chance to show and enjoy their new found skills.
Playing 10 League matches proved too much for our resources and with our only winning 2 matches late in the season, this saw us floundering at the bottom of the South Division League, a number of points behind our nearest opponents. In the Knockout, we played Kent Nomads. An exciting end to the match saw both teams tied on number of runs, with us losing the match having lost he most wickets. We were then drawn in the Plate and some spirited play in the match v Ridgeway saw us though to the Quarter Finals v Hambledon, only to lose on the toss of a coin when the match was abandoned.
Thanks to a Millennium Award, we have been able to have a coach at our summer nets and this has proved very beneficial to members. We thank Mike Thompson, the Middlesex Coach, for all his help with this. We see Mike again during the winter when 4 coaching sessions are planned at Teddington Sports Centre. They will not only be beneficial for our players, but we are hoping that we will gain some new members from these coaching sessions. Despite several new folks enjoying cricket with us this season, we still played the majority of matches short, mainly due to the fact that we have been badly affected by injury this summer, and with a number of members involved with weekend work, it soon affects availability.
We were again represented at Cricket Week and on the County front, Sherina Blanche played for Middlesex 1st XI. Ceedy Dawson was selected for Surrey 2nds and Naomi Poletyllo for Sussex 1st XI and British Universities.
Carol and David Bryant, along with Mary Seaton, officiated at ECB women’s matches. Carol also continued as Middlesex Selector, along with Ann Baker as Surrey Selector. Ann also represented the Club when Shepperton celebrated their 21st birthday on August Bank Holiday Monday. Janet Bitmead represented women’s cricket at a Sports Reception in September hosted by Richmond Council at York House in Twickenham. Sadly, the Club has to report that one of our 1946 founder members, Louie Hibbs, passed away in October and 1947 member, Jo Batson, passed away in February. Both had held Offices for the Club. Louie was made a Life Honorary Member when she stopped playing in 1955 and like Jo, always supported the Club over the years.
Next season will be the hardest challenge yet for the Club. If we are to keep going, then membership must again be top priority, along with our return to South Division Two of the League. All of this must be focussed around good cricket and enjoyment for members - something that is fundamental to the game of cricket and which must not be lost in the quest for winning so often seen these days.
We look forward to meeting Clubs again next season.