Hales Cricket Club held their 54th AGM in November, progress having been made both on and off the field during 2009. The First XI won Alliance Division 2, their fourth success in as many years. The A team finished bottom of their league, but due to Alliance teams dropping out, they have remained in Division 4 for next year. The Colts recorded their best season to date, finishing fifth in their league and chalking up seven victories on the way. Carter Cup Cricket was also experienced for the first time in the Club’s history.

Chance 2 Shine was again a success, with the Club coaching in local schools under the leadership of Quorn Handley. The Club also received ECB Clubmark accreditation renewal, a Chartermark of the youth work the Club provides. In addition, the Club retained its ECB Focus Club status within the county.

Officers elected for the 2010 season were:

The Club’s new square had a very successful outing in August, with over 450 runs being clocked up in Sir Nicholas Bacon’s President’s XI match. Work is ongoing, with the pitch on course to host Alliance cricket at Hales for 2010, money continuing to be raised for the new clubhouse via grants, donations and sponsorship.

Hales Cricket Club held their Presentation Dinner at the White Horse Chedgrave, which once again provided excellent fayre. Quorn Handley was guest speaker, with the awards presented as follows:

1st Team Player – Phil Squire

1st Team Bowler – Graham Squire

1st Team Batsman – Dave Harmer

Captains Cup – Matt Lovick

Fielder – Mark Ramsdale

Most Man of Matches – Dan Andersen

Players’ Player – Rob Andersen

A Team Player – Jon Vale

A Team Batsman – Milton Lindsay

A Team Bowler – Jamie Weston

A Team Man of Matches – Jamie Weston

Highest Individual Score – Dave Harmer: 114 

Best Bowling Performance – Alex Taylor: 7 overs 0 maidens 28 runs 8 wickets

Young Player of the Season – Chris Andersen

Clubman of the Year – Steve Claxton

 Honorary Scorer Roger Chubbock will receive a briefcase, in recognition of his over 30 years service to the Club. Chairman Pete Dye thanked him for his long service and dedication to the Club over such a long time.

Hales Cricket Club are celebrating the renewal of their ECB Clubmark Accreditation after successfully gaining the ECB Chartermark for the next 3 years. Manager of Youth Cricket Pete Dye is delighted to have gained this once again: ‘As a Club, we are very youth orientated, so it is excellent to receive ECB recognition for what we are doing regarding youth development.’ The Club’s rise to Alliance Division 1 has been very much down to the development of our young players, but Dye also praised the efforts of hard-working secretary Carl Pitcher in putting in many hours to ensure that the Club has met the Accreditation requirements.

ECB Media Release:

Fast bowling directives change for 2010

The ECB fast bowling directives have changed following a two-year consultation process. The outcome is that bowlers up to under-15 level are now able to bowl longer spells and more overs in a day.

Under the new guidelines bowlers at under-16 and under-17 level are now permitted to bowl an extra over per spell, but those in the under-18 and under-19 category have had the total number of overs they can deliver per day reduced from 21 to 18.

These guidelines come into effect from the start of the 2010 season.

The fast bowling guidelines are designed to raise awareness of the need to nurture and protect young fast bowlers through their formative years. Research has shown that fast bowlers are by far the most likely players to be missing playing and training time due to injury.

For the purpose of these guidelines a fast bowler should be defined as a bowler to whom a wicket keeper in the same age group would in normal circumstances stand back to take the ball

Kevin Shine, ECB lead fast bowling coach, said: “The elite fast bowling group has been researching injury prevention, performance enhancement and workloads for the past four years.

“The new recommendations mean youngsters under the age of 15 can now bowl an additional over in a spell and two overs more in a day. These figures are over and above the original directives.

“It is clear that our young bowlers need to bowl more so that they can develop match winning abilities and habits and I look forward to the revised directives giving individual fast bowlers and teams more of a chance to play match winning cricket.”

The results included input from clubs, county boards, ECB elite performance group, which includes, ESCA, ECB performance, ECB development, England elite player development, ECB operations, and HMC schools.

SEE ALSO:

https://www.ecb.co.uk/ecb/directives-guidelines/ecb-fast-bowling-directives,100,BP.html

Hales opened their new ground by hosting Club President Sir Nicholas Bacon’s XI, with the President’s team running out winners by 26 runs on a day when 437 runs were scored on the new square.

Club Chairman Pete Dye bowled the first ball to Sir Nicholas to officially open the new ground. The President’s team scored freely, led by Chris Travers, who produced an outstanding innings of 99 before being well caught by Marty Cornish one short of a deserved century. Former Kent Captain Matt Fleming once again showed his pedigree, racing to 70 before falling to Jon Vale courtesy of a smart stumping from Graham Squire. Ricky Martin, Colin Watts and Robin Konieczny all made valuable contributions as the President’s men posted an impressive 236 for 6 total.

In reply Hales made a lively start, with Graham Squire (46) enjoying his opener’s role. Matty Lovick (42) were the main contributors to Hales’ total of 211 before Matty Wright bowled Harmer to finish with impressive figures of 3 for 21 and give Sir Nicholas his first victory since 2003.

Afterwards Club Chairman Pete Dye presented the Winning Alliance Division 2 side with a bottle each before umpire David Pearce awarded the Man of the Match award to Chris Travers for his outstanding innings. David also praised the efforts of the groundsmen Steve Claxton and Matty Lovick, who did a remarkable job in getting the ground ready for the occasion, 437 being a testament to how good the square is. David also presented Sir Nicholas with 5p, which honoured the bet he had made regarding the President’s game taking place on the new ground.

That left Sir Nicholas to thank his team and pay tribute to the Hales team for winning a fourth consecutive title. The Club are extremely grateful to Sir Nicholas for providing such an excellent day for everyone, with Lady Susan producing a stunning lunch that was enjoyed by all. What was also very nice was the ex-players, who were there to mark a truly historic and enjoyable occasion.

Congratulations go out to the Presidents’ team, with a note that the pitch played extremely well considering this was the first game ever played on it.

In August, Hales Cricket Club staged Greeny's Day 6-a-side in memory of former player Matt Green. Six teams – Burston, Kirkley, Melton, Greeny’s team and two Hales teams – competed for the trophy. Host Club Hales won by 6 runs against an excellent Melton side led by former player Woody Loines. In the semi-finals, Hales beat free-scoring Burston, and Melton overcame a strong Kirkley side.

Karen Knights and her team provided an excellent BBQ, and Sara Green organised the raffle, with all profits for the day – expected to be over £200 – going to Royal Marsden. Matt’s father John presented the trophies on a day when the weather made the day perfect, with the Club and the Green family very grateful to everyone who had supported the day.

Hales held their 53rd AGM at the Jubilee Hall, Loddon. Club Chairman Pete Dye congratulated the first team on a third successive Championship, which will see the club play in Alliance Division 2 next season. He also recognised the overall development of the club both on and off the field.

The club ran the Cricket Foundation’s Chance 2 Shine programme for a second year, providing coaching in schools around the local area as well as running teams at U10, U11, U13, U15 and U17 levels and a Colts side in the Norfolk League.

The new ground has its square laid and will be ready for the 2010 season. With funding and grants in process with the ECB, charitable trusts, the Norfolk Youth Fund and South Norfolk District Council, a facility fitting of the abundance of young players within the club has almost been achieved. As a club, we have run a full structured youth programme since 1995, which has seen the rise in standard of our First Team. That team contains seven U19 players who all started in our Colts side, and they require the backing of a facility to continue their development and progression in the sport.

Pete took this opportunity to thank club President Sir Nicholas Bacon, who has supported the club in what will be the most exciting and outstanding achievement in its 53-year history. The club has a strong investment in youth, which will always be the case. We have a great group of players, and it is wonderful that their ambitions and potential will soon be fully realised.

Thanks was given to outgoing treasurer Carole Claxton, who has given the club excellent commitment. This level of support will be needed throughout the club as it pushes ahead for the new venture in 2010.

Hales CC held their presentation dinner at the White Horse in Chedgrave to celebrate a successful season both on and off the field. The first team won the Lovell Blake Alliance division 3 at the first attempt, with Steve Rowe’s young side losing only one game on the way to an impressive title.

Off the field, phase one of the new ground is almost complete. Thanks to a £50,000 grant from the Norfolk Youth Fund and support from Club President Sir Nicholas Bacon, the 7.5 acre site is taking shape. The square was laid in May, an £8000 artificial strip has been secured via the Chance 2 Shine coaching programme, the ground has been levelled, and the outfield will be seeded soon. The ground should will be ready for matches in the 2010 season, the aim being for the new facility to be opened with the President’s game on 30th August 2009.

Awards for the season, presented by former Chairman David Pearce, were as follows:

• 1st team batsman – Dave Harmer
• 1st team bowler – Rob Andersen
• 1st team player – Matt Lovick
• Highest individual score – Dan Andersen (124)
• Best bowling – Graham Squire (6 for 8)
• Captains’ cup – Mark Ramsdale
• Fielder of the year – Chris Andersen
• Players’ player – Chris Andersen
• Man of matches – Dave Harmer/Matt Lovick
• A team player – Todd Jones
• A team man of matches – Todd Jones
• A team batsman – Damien Loines
• A team bowler – Ben Etteridge
• Sunday player – Dan Andersen
• Sunday young player – Aaron Beaumont
• Young player of season – Rob Andersen
• Clubmen of the year – Carole and Steve Claxton

Club Chairman Pete Dye presented Carole Claxton with a bouquet in recognition of the excellent job she has done as Treasurer, and club scorer Roger Chubbock was acknowledged for having been marked as one of the best scorers in the League. Jon Vale presented his alternative awards, which were as good as ever on an enjoyable evening with food of the highest order, courtesy of Simon, Karen and the rest of the team at the White Horse. 

Hales Cricket Club celebrated an amazing year at their presentation evening at the Jubilee Hall, Loddon, on Saturday 8th December. Club Chairman Pete Dye invited David Pearce, Jimmy Dye and Mick Kinnair to join Club sponsor Derek Barnard, of Barnard Sports, in presenting the awards. Dye said, ‘The club has had the best year ever, winning Norfolk League Division 1, the Coronation Cup, and the Sunday league, securing a new ground and taking a place in the Norfolk Alliance, but I felt it important that people who have worked tirelessly for the Club in previous years should be here to enjoy this occasion.’ The Club’s new ground is being started in Spring 2008, with new modules being put in later this month to see us through the next few years until our new pavillion is erected.

Trophy winners were:

U8 Player   Harry Mclean

U10 Player   Jake Rolph

U10 Most Improved   Ryan Claxton

U10 Coaches Award   Alex Jary

U11 Player   Chris Read

U11 Most Improved   Josh Pitcher

U11 Coaches Award   Megan Knights

U13 Player    Jamie Weston

U13 Most Improved   Jack Cook

U13 Coaches Award   Tom Watts

U15 Player   Chris Andersen

U15 Most Improved   Lewis White

U15 Coaches Award   Aaron Beaumont

U17 Player   Rob Andersen

Most Improved Girl   Kirsty Andersen

Best Girl   Jessica Weston

Young Club Person   Max Mclean

Young Player of the Season    Chris Andersen

Most Improved Young Player   Jonno Wright

Colts Batsman   Josh Knights

Colts Bowler   Jamie Weston

Colts Player   Mark Minns

Colts Coaches Award   Chris Ayre

Sunday Player   Dan Andersen

Sunday Young Player   Rob Andersen

A Team Batsman   Chris Andersen

A Team Bowler   Dan Andersen

A Team Man of Matches   Todd Jones

A Team Player   Dan Andersen

1st Team Fielder   Martin Cornish

Captains Cup   Jon Vale

1st Team Batsman   Gary Summons

1st Team Bowler   Graham Squire

1st Team Man of Matches   Dave Harmer

Players Player   Rob Andersen

1st Team Player   Rob Andersen

Best Bowling Performance   Matt Lovick (6 for 17)

Highest Individual Score   Dan Andersen (168)

Clubman   Steve Claxton

There were presentations of bouquets to Kirsty Lovick, Belinda Rowe, Carole Claxton and Carrie Walker, and Roger Chubbock received a shield to mark over 30 years as Honorary Scorer for the Club.

Thanks to to Rory's Disco for the entertainment, Loddon Jubilee Hall and the Daniel Andersen modelling agency for providing the model to show off the new Hales CC leisure range!

Hales were  crowned Coronation Cup champions in a thrilling last-over victory against a tough Ashmanaugh side. Graham Squire stole the show with a top-class bowling performance as he bagged another 5-wicket haul for the club.

Ashmanaugh won the toss and elected to bat on a hard, bouncy-looking track at Winterton Cricket ground. Starting cautiously against some excellent bowling from Graham Squire and Matthew Lovick, Ashmanaugh looked to work the ball around for singles before taking a more aggressive approach.

As the Ashmanaugh openers became acustomed to the bounce, they began to open up and put together a strong opening partnership. Bernie Everett was first to depart, being bowled by an excellent delivery from Lovick to temporarily dampen the fast scoring run-rate. Sallis continued to blast the ball to all parts of the ground until Squire cleaned him out with a fine delivery. Hales began to gain some sort of control towards the end of the innings as the run rate slowed down and Squire cleaned up.

Squire was in awsome form as he returned with figures of 5 for 42. Lovick bowled with great consistency too as he conceded only 28 runs from his 5 overs. The Ashmanaugh innings finished on 133 for 6 wickets from their 15 eight-ball overs.

Hales set about chasing down the huge total with Harmer and Gary Summons going out with all guns blazing. Summons timed the ball sweetly as Harmer took a more blunt approach going for the  big shots.

Summons departed for 20, and soon after Phil Squire fell for 2, which introduced Aaron Jones into the game. Jones didn’t hang about as he hit Ashmanaugh’s overseas bowler out of the ground first ball, just as he did with his third ball.

Every time Hales fell behind with the rate, they clawed their way back into the game with big shots, perhaps a bit ignorant of the fact that singles would have done it. However, they got themselves in a good position, and as Harmer departed for a very fine innings of 46, the Hales lower order kept their heads to finish the game in the last over. A stunning win as Hales were crowned Coronation Champions with a 2-wicket victory.

Coronation Cup Man of the Match goes to Graham Squire for another top performance.

Scorecard

Ashmanaugh

B Everett        b Lovick                 25
Sallis              b Squire                 57
S Khan           not out                  21
Mollen            c&b Squire               2
D Inglis          c D Harmer b Squire   2
D Flint            b Squire                  0
S Warminger   b Squire                   1

Total 133 runs, 6 wickets

G Squire 5-0-42-5 M Lovick 5-0-28-1 S Rowe 5-0-52-0

Hales

D Harmer        b Khan                         46
G Summons     c Everett b Mollen          20
P Squire         c Everett b Inglis             2
A Jones          c Flint b Mollenn            20
M Ramsdale     c Mollen b Warminger       0
M Cornish       c Everett  b Warminger     8
M Lovick         not out                        16
G Squire         b Khan                           0
J Vale            b Warminger                   0
D Andersen     not out                         7

Total 134 for 8 wickets

KKhan 5-0-22-2 D Inglis 3-0-40-1 Mollen 3-0-24-2 Warminger 3-0-21-3

Beccles & Bungay Roll of Honour nomination: G Squire 5 for 42

Hales entertained the Chairman's XI on Sunday in a game that celebrated what has been an excellent season for the Club. Chairman Pete Dye won the toss and elected to bat. First to go was Bradenham's Luke Findlay after a mix-up with his brother Ryan. Brooke's Jon Andrews played some delightful shots before occasional seamer Jon Vale produced an unplayable delivery. Ryan Findlay (22) and Andy Knights (15) restored the status quo before Quorn Handley produced a cameo 27. It was, however, much-improved Mark Roe who took on the Hales attack, taking advantage of the attacking field to crash 10 boundaries in a career-best knock of 59 that had to be seen to be believed. The Chairman then demonstrated that he can play on the off-side with one well executed straight 6 as the Chairman’s team closed on 229 for 9.

The Hales team made a lively start with skipper Steve Rowe scoring freely off the Chairman, but next over he rolled back the years by bowling Rob Andersen round his legs and having Graham Squire caught; lack of fitness then spelt his withdrawal from the attack. Josh Knights and Jamie Weston bowled excellent spells before the Chairman's involvement was ended – going for a spectacular stop, his Simon Jones slide resulted in a trip to A&E for ligament damage. Mark Roe took two wickets, with Kevin and Andy Knights supporting well as Hales fell short by 41 runs in a game in which the result mattered not, the Chairman just being thankful to Steve Rowe and his side for going easy on his team.

Thanks to go to Gary Weston and Mary Dye for providing a tea of the highest order. The Fluffy Fish Bar man of the match went to Mark Roe for an excellent all-round performance.

Hales Geen was the venue as Hales played their annual game against Sir Nicholas Bacon’s President’s team.

President’s skipper Bacon won the toss with his double-sided coin and chose to bat first on a well-prepared track. The bloated Hales team, who had feasted on king prawns and the finest meats and foods in the pre-match lunch, then returned the favour and served up some buffet bowling for the President’s team to feast on.

Mark Keer-Roe and Jaymarr Vale bowled exceptionally well at the start, accounting for both openers, Keer-Roe taking the prize wicket of dangerman Nicholas Bacon with a decent delivery. Former Hales star Ricky Martin, batting at number 3, weathered the early storm and began to look dominan as the rain came down.

A heavy shower meant that the covers had to come on, and play was stopped for around 20 minutes until it brightened up. The strip was reasonably dry, but the bowlers run-up areas were completely soaked, which meant the spinners had to come on. Makeshift spinners Harmer and Cornish took some punishment from Martin as he displayed fine stroke play and manipulated the field well for ones and twos.

His only support came from another former Hales player, Robin Konieczny (22), and Roger Middleditch (19 no). Martin eventually departed, being well caught behind by Dan Andersen for a classy 77. The President’s innings closed on 169 all out in the 39th over with Vale the pick of the bowlers (3 for 30).

After another long tea interval, the Hales batsmen weaved their way out to the wicket to chase down the target. Unfortunately, Hales lost both openers cheaply, but Graham Squire and Dan Andersen posted a third-wicket partnership of 99 to score the majority of the runs needed to give the President’s team a beating. Squire was in awsome form, hitting four 4s and four 6s in his aggressive innings of 53 while Andersen played the anchor role. Andersen did a fine job, but eventually fell just four runs short of his half-century.

As wickets started to tumble and the innings was rocking, cool heads were needed to finish the game off, and it was Canadian all-rounder G. Cameron (11 no) and Sri Lankan-born Vale (5 no) who guided Hales to victory.

Scorecard

Hales Youth was formed in 1987, playing in the Fitness Exchange League, under the guidance of Mick Kinnair.  In 1996 Steve Squire and Pete Dye started Kwik Cricket, before Stesh emigrated to Australia in 1999.  In 2000 an U11 team was formed, with the U10’s and U13’s arriving a year later.  2002 saw an U15 team formed, then in 2003 the Colts became the club’s third Saturday league team.  With the U’18’s then becoming the U’17’s the current structure of the teams at five age groups was formed.