Opening Up - Solihull Municipal Cricket Club

Opening Up
Warwickshire Cricket Board Newsletter
March 2015
Introduction
This month has been an extremely busy one with lots of great things happening throughout the County! Here are just a
few of the topics we will be covering in this months edition: Women and Girls Cricket in Warwickshire, Willoughby's Eric
Palmer, Deloitte Community Cricket Event, Training and Development, Safeguarding and Clubmark, WCB GA Groundsmen
of the Year Awards 2015, Natwest CricketForce, Holiday Coaching Courses (Find out how to get FREE season passes for
U16’s), Smile Group Travel, Forward Drive Cricket Academy, WCB Golf Day and much more!!
Happy Reading!! Please visit our website for more regular updates: www.warwickshirecricketboard.co.uk or follow us on
twitter @warks_wcb.
Women and Girls Cricket in Warwickshire
The 2015 season promises to be an exciting one in the development of our
programme for women and girls cricket . We are looking to dramatically increase
the number of clubs and players involved in the game.
Warwickshire have, over the last few years, enjoyed considerable success in the
Women’s game with the County side raising to the Premier League of County
Cricket as well as players like Amy Jones and Becky Grundy establishing themselves
as England Regulars. It is the base of the game we now need to be developing and
growing playing opportunities. We now have 14 clubs offering girls cricket and the
table on page two indicates the clubs and their contact details.
During the season our clubs have committed to a variety of competition ranging from
8 a side soft ball at U11 and 13 to senior women’s hard ball cricket. There is a playing
opportunity for everyone with 2 new hard ball competitions at U 13 and 17 being
available for the first time.
As a Cricket Board we deliver cricket in over 200 schools across the county and the
feedback is equally positive amongst girls as boys so our challenge is to extend the
opportunities for them to play and enjoy the game. If your reading this as a potential
player or a club interested in setting up a girls section please either contact the
appropriate club or contact the WCB via [email protected]
Women and Girls Cricket in Warwickshire
Club
Berkswell CC
Contact
Sarah Ginn
Email
[email protected]
Training
Time
(W) Starting Monday 13th April
6 - 8pm
(G) Starting Tuesday 14th April
6:30pm
6 - 7pm
Coleshill CC
Adam Harrison
[email protected]
Weds 6th May - 15th July
Five Ways Old
Edwardians CC
Bob Walpole
[email protected]
Starts Friday 24th April
6:30 - 8pm
Kings Heath CC
Bernie O’Connor
[email protected]
Starts Friday 17th April
6:30 - 8pm
Standard CC
Bob Combellack
[email protected]
Starts Thursday 23rd April
6:30 - 8pm
Walmley CC
Paul Ballinger
[email protected]
(W) Starts Weds 22nd April
6 - 8pm
(G) Thursday’s from 23rd April
Starts Tuesday 5th May
5:45 - 7pm
Weoley Hill CC
Sean McConvery
[email protected]
7:15 - 8:15pm
Four Oaks Saints CC
Jill/Mike Farmer
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Earlswood CC
Mark Dixon
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Kineton SS CC
Morgan Powell
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Leamington CC
Clive Bawden
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Moseley CC
Steph Jobson
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Solihull Blossomfield
CC
Roger Lewis
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Sutton Coldfield CC
Kim Harvey
[email protected]
TBC
TBC
Willoughby CC’s Eric Palmer collects hat trick....at the age of 78!
Congratulations go to Willoughby Cricket Club’s Eric Palmer who recently completed
another notable hat-trick, although this time not in the playing sense.
Club President Eric, 78, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for services to
cricket at Rugby Borough Council’s 2014/15 Annual Sports Awards recently. It came in
recognition of his exceptional long standing service as official and player at the club notably completing 50 years as Treasurer last year.
It completed a proverbial treble for Eric after having also been honoured by the
Midland Cricket Club Conference and also the Warwickshire Cricket Board in 2014.
He was awarded the prestigious Norman Sharp Long Service Award for services to cricket by the MCCC at their Annual
Dinner in March last year, before being honoured at the Warwickshire Cricket Board’s OSCAs in September with a Lifetime
Achievement Award (pictured with Jim Troughton above).
Deloitte Goes to Bat for City’s future
Last Friday, more than 60 students from eight schools across Greater Birmingham took part in the inaugural Deloitte Community Cricket
event at Edgbaston. Developed alongside the Warwickshire Cricket Board (WCB), and in conjunction with Saltley Academy, the event was
created to bring together children from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds over a shared love of the sport. The
organisers’ hope is that the experience will foster a better understanding of, and in turn promote, the diverse communities within the
City.
With each eight-a-side team including one child from each of the participating schools, the event started with practice sessions at the
nets followed by a five-hour tournament, umpired by members of the WCB. Also in attendance were cricketers Moeen Ali and Sian Kelly,
who came to support the event which also has the backing of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Sajid Javid.
Dom Wong, Partner at Deloitte in the Midlands and lead on the firm’s Corporate Responsibility programme in the region commented;
“Birmingham is a vibrant and ethnically-diverse city which continues to gain momentum especially in terms of attracting tourism, talent
and business investment. However, despite all of the good news, there remain areas of significant deprivation across the City and some
widespread misconceptions from those looking in on cultural and socio-economic divides.
“It was a fantastic day and really inspiring to see students from the different schools working so well together. It just goes to show that
there are no barriers between children, only those that we impose on them.”
Mustafa Ali a Year 8 student from Saltley Academy, said; “The best part of the day was meeting new people. Without the tournament I
would never have the opportunity to get to know anyone from other schools”.
Peter Weir, Head of School, at Saltley Academy added: “I and my school are delighted to be part of this inaugural cricket tournament,
working alongside Deloitte and the WCB. By bringing together pupils of both genders and from schools across the diverse communities
that exist in our great City we can start to build bridges.”
The initiative is one of a number of schools
programmes run by Deloitte in the UK including
Teach First, Employability initiative and Business
in the Classroom which aim to raise aspiration,
support achievement and provide opportunities
for students in low-income communities.
Business in the Classroom, now in its fourth year
in Birmingham, also specifically provides Year 8
students in the region with the chance to gain
employability skills and general awareness of
business.
Sian Kelly from Warwickshire Ladies Cricket Team
& Oxford University, who was an umpire on the
day concluded: “It was great how everyone
enjoyed themselves playing cricket; integrating
with their team mates from different schools and
showing how cricket, facilitated by Deloitte, can
help bring the local community together.”
Photo, From L to R: Ricky Friend (Deloitte), Grace Homer (Deloitte), Moeen Ali (Cricketer), Adnam Rehman (Saltley Academy), Issy Wong
(Arden Academy)
Participating schools were:
Arden Academy (Knowle), John Willmott School (Birmingham), Light Hall School (Solihull), Ninestiles School (Acocks Green), Saltley Academy (Birmingham), St Peter’s Catholic School (Solihull), Tudor Grange Academy (Solihull), Washwood Heath Academy (Birmingham).
Training and Development
Summer Level 2 Course
The WCB will be holding a Coaching Young People and Adults Level 2 Course
during the summer:

Dates : June 14th and 28th, July 5th and 12th

Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm
If you would like some more information regarding this course or any other
course please contact [email protected].
WCB CA Workshop - ‘Coaching at the Sharp End’

Date: 20th May 2015. Time 6:00pm - 9:00pm. Venue: Bedworth CC.

Price: £10 for ECB CA members or £20 for non-affiliated ECB CA members
This three hour workshop is for coaches who will be working with children between the ages of 8-13 years old.
Paul Greetham will discuss the player pathway and he will also speak about where young players should be by the time they
reach county level. As well as this, skills and drills for children will be delivered by Danny Maskell and David Smith.
Coach Support Worker (CSW) Courses (See below for the dates the WCB will be coming to your area)

South Birmingham / North Birmingham - week beginning 10th-12th August 2015 - Four Oaks Saints CC

Coventry District / North and East District - week beginning 17th-19th August 2015 - Corley CC

Solihull District / South & Central District - week beginning 24th - 25th August 2015 - Knowle & Dorridge CC
Club and Coach Mentoring Programme 2015
To support coaches putting into practice and build on all that is taught on our courses this programme is now available,
initially to a limited number of clubs so if you require some help and new ideas on coaching implementation apply now!
Please contact Darren Franklin at [email protected] or 0121 446 3604 for more information on this or any
of the above courses.
Safeguarding and Clubmark
After 12 years of dedicated service Rick Coleman has retired as Warwickshire’s County Welfare
Officer. He has done a great job and we are most thankful to him. Gerry Bailey (pictured) is taking
on the role with immediate effect and his contact email is [email protected]. Amanda Felton is
also becoming Deputy County Welfare Officer with extra focus on safeguarding for women and
girls.
Clubs due for Clubmark re-accreditation in 2015 are: Alvis Jnr, Ansley, Aston Unity,
Atherstone, Berkswell, Dorridge, Exhall & Wixford, Griff & Coton, Hampton & Solihull, Handsworth,
Gerry Bailey
Kenilworth, Kings Heath, Marston Green, Nether Whitacre, Nuneaton, Oakfield, Pak Shaheen and Statford-upon-Avon.
The next Safe-Hands course for Club Welfare Officers will be held on Monday 27th April, 6pm at Edgbaston. Please look
on the WCB website under ‘book a course’ or contact [email protected]
Please note a new email address to order DBS forms – [email protected]
WCB Indoor Cricket Leagues
Sunday 1st March saw the last day of Indoor League at Archbishop Isley
School, with 4 teams fighting to gain the winners spot at the WCB Finals
Day at Edgbaston.
The first semi – final saw Birmingham Indians cruise into the local Final
by defeating Sultans Of Swing.
Batting first Birmingham Indians posted a formidable total of 102 , Kishen
Patel and Karam Sohal leading the way with 26 no and 25 no respectively.
This was followed up by their very tight bowling which had Sultans fighting
all the way of their overs before being dismissed for 51 runs.
The WCB Indoor League Finals Day will be held
at the indoor school at Edgbaston on Easter
Sunday, 5th April at 5:00pm.
The four teams competing to be crowned the
overall WCB Indoor League Winners 2015 are:

Unity
(Edgbaston
UWMCC
(Coventry
Winter
Winners)
Winter
Winners)
Tigers (Archbishop Isley Winter Winners)
Al Ansar (Edgbaston Autumn Winners)
The second semi – final between Tigers and Olton Bears was fiercely
contested. Tigers batted first and with Olton’s strong bowling attack
managed to score 90 runs in the 10 overs. Olton were confident in backing
themselves to get to the 91 runs needed even after losing a wicket to the
second ball of the innings. After 5 overs Olton Bears were 43 – 2 needing
another 48 runs for victory.
However Tigers had a different plan and after a Masood over costing 18
runs, Zubhair and Naeem produced some top class bowling to take the
remaining 3 wickets leaving Olton Bears stranded on 77 runs all out.
So to the Final.
Birmingham Indians won the toss and seeing the batting of Tigers in their
semi- final, decided to field first.
Tigers again started big with M.Khan hitting the second ball for 6 and taking 12 runs off the first over. But Birmingham
Indians came back in the
next over with Kishen Patel taking 2 wickets in his first 3 balls. With some
tight bowling to follow for the remaining overs, Tigers managed to recover
and ended up with 85 runs.
Tigers took a leaf out of Birmingham Indians book by opening with some
strong tight bowling, dismissing the dangerous Kishen and Jugdip for only
16 runs in the first 3 overs. The excellent bowling of Naeem, M.Khan and
Zubhair kept the going tough for Birmingham Indians with runs hard to
come by. But the tide turned when Nick Patel came to the crease and
decided to play a captains innings taking it down to 36 needed of 18 balls.
He then took 10 off the penultimate over to set the stage at 11 to win
from the last over. M.Khan made it captains vs captains as he took the
ball with Nick Patel being the last Birmingham Indians wicket.
Archbishop Isley Winter Winners: Tigers
Khalid Sadiq
Khalid has been appointed as an Inner City
Youth Cricket Worker as part of the WCB South
Asia Cricket Development Project. He is already
a very active Street Chance coach and his remit
has now been extended to develop youth
teams
in
Birmingham
with
a
view
to
establishing an Under 16 Inner City League.
ECB has invested time and or funding into new
facilities in the City at Waverley School, Holford
Drive and Portland Road and youth activity at
these sites will be a big part of Khalid’s work
programme. Talented cricketers not already
A 4 off the first ball relived some of the pressure, 7 needed of 5, but
M.Khan stayed calm held his nerve produced a good delivery that resulted
in a run confusion between Nick and Iman Kang resulting in a run out
and the game and title for the Tigers.
playing in the Birmingham League can hone
their potential in the Birmingham Lord’s
Taverners Cities Cup. For further information
on
Khalid’s
role
please
[email protected]
contact:
WCB Groundsman of the Year Awards 2015
On the 19th March groundsmen from around the County travelled to the Edgbaston Foundation Ground to
celebrate the WCB GA Groundsman of the Year Awards 2015.
The Day started with a welcome from Chairman, Dick Chase and a tour of the Edgbaston Foundation Ground
led by Robert Franklin (head groundsmen of Edgbaston Foundation Ground) and Jonathan Blakeman
(Community Officer). The groundsmen were then treated to a talk from Pitchcare representatives Dan Hughes
and John Handley .
After the tour, head groundsmen of both Warwickshire grounds, Gary
Barwell and Robert Franklin carried out a small workshop which
provided club groundsmen with an insight into repairing bowlers boot
marks, both with very different techniques but both very effective.
The day was then concluded with the awards ceremony presented by
Chairman Dick Chase and Head Groundsmen Gary Barwell. There were
three awards to be handed out on the day which were: Birmingham
League Ground of the Year 2014 (Harborne CC), Warwickshire League
Ground of the Year 2014 (Southam CC), Geoff Calcott Groundsmen of
the Year 2014 (Peter Day).
A massive Congratulations to Harborne CC, Southam CC and Peter Day
for winning their awards! Keep up the great work!
WCB GA would like to thank the following people for a great event:
Dan Hughes and John Handley from Pitchcare, Dick Chase – WCB GA
chairman, Robert Franklin, Jonathan Blakeman, Gary Barwell and all
the groundsmen who attended the awards day . For any information
on training courses or workshops please contact Darren Franklin:
[email protected]
Harborne CC
Southam CC
Peter Day - Harborne CC
Natwest CricketForce 2015
Tom Milnes attended NatWest CricketForce at Solihull
Municipal and took the NatWest T20 Blast Trophy along
with him. This CricketForce event was one of 60
happening in Warwickshire and over 2700 in the
Country!
Alex Roslyn, Municipal's NWCF Co-ordinator, said, Tom's
sanding was much better than all our lot! It was great to
have him down and many thanks go to him for coaching
the kids in the rain!'
The coaching took place at Widney Jnr School as Solihull
Municipal has just started a partnership with them with
the installation of a new Non-Turf pitch which the 3rd
team will use on Saturdays this season.
Tom helping out Solihull Muncipal CC
Edgbaston Foundation Ground, Portland Road
More than 20 players, staff and committee members
from Warwickshire CCC and WCB spent Friday
afternoon preparing the Club’s new community and
development ground at Portland Road for the
upcoming season as part of NatWest CricketForce
weekend.
The Portland Road ground set to host its first cricket
in more than 20 years this summer, with the
volunteers completing painting, cleaning and general
ground work.
The Portland Road Team on Friday
Warwickshire acquired the Portland Road Ground in
Smethwick, which is formerly the Mitchells & Butlers
Sports Club, in 2013 with a new Pavilion built and
groundsman Rob Franklin returning the square and
outfield to its former glory.
The first match will be played at the new ground on
22 May this year, which is the same day that the
Birmingham
Bears
entertain
local
rivals
Worcestershire Rapids in the first home game of the
NatWest T20 Blast.
For more pictures please click here.
Ed McCabe, Errol Simms and Jeremy Payne Hard at
Work!
Table 1: Whitsun Coaching Course information
Holiday Coaching
Venue
Dates
Time
26/05/15 - 29/05/15
10am - 3pm
26/05/15 - 29/05/15
10am - 3pm
Edgbaston
Sessions will be running at
Edgbaston and Waverley School
this Whitsun school
holiday.
Please see table to the right for
more information. To book
online please visit our website
or click here.
(4 days)
Waverley School
(4 days)
Free Season Passes for U16’s!!
Cricket for Teachers
Teachers from 20 different primary
schools across the County attended
the first Cricket for Teachers course.
The Warwickshire Cricket Board are
delighted to be running it’s second
Cricket for teachers Course for
Primary school teachers
on
Thursday 23rd April. Developed
in partnership with Chance to Shine,
teachers
can
develop
their
knowledge, understanding and application of appropriate games and
practices within the national
curriculum.
The programme will help teachers,
teaching assistants, and other adults
supporting learning within schools
understand how cricket can be used
to deliver high-quality PE and school
sport.
For more information about this or
to get an application form please
email
[email protected]
Sign up to one of our holiday camps and receive a FREE Under
16 Season Pass for our NatWest T20 Blast matches, as well as a
special rate on adult tickets! Limited number available so sign
up early to avoid disappointment!
National Cricket Week
Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week will be held from 22-26
June in 2015. Over 1,500 schools signed up last year and
with your help we are hoping to beat this number in 2015.
Schools and clubs can once again sign up for the week on the
Chance to Shine website (http://www.chancetoshine.org/
ncw_signups) to receive their free tea samples.
Kwik Cricket Competitions Reminder!
This is just a reminder for all primary schools to submit their
competition entry forms for the Kwik Cricket Competitions.
You should have received an application via email but if
you would like anymore information, or an application form,
please contact Danny Maskell:
[email protected].
Secondary School Competitions
Edgbaston County Ground was the host to this years secondary school indoor cricket finals. Across the county
there were 30 schools that entered the competition and the best of these teams were invited to compete for the
title of county winners. Over the two weeks, there was a very high level of cricket played with all children
representing themselves and their schools extremely well. Games were extremely close between schools with
most games being decided on the last over of the game, the final results are detailed below;
Winners:
Lady Tavs U13 Tudor Grange
Lady Tavs U15 Tudor Grange
U12s Boys Tudor Grange
U13s Boys Tudor Grange
U14 Boys Washwood Heath
U15s Boys Kineton High School
Congratulations to all teams involved! We hope you enjoyed participating in this competition and we look forward
to seeing you again in the future.
Jenny Gunn Visits Girls in
Warwickshire
Thanks to the Chance to Shine Schools' cricket
campaign, over two million children are playing
cricket today. In March the WCB team have been
visiting numerous schools around the county with
England Women’s cricket star Jenny Gunn. Jenny
visited numerous schools to deliver coaching sessions
to girls. Her enthusiasm and love for the game will
hopefully inspire girls across the county to get
involved and give cricket a go at their local clubs. For
more information on which clubs offer a girls section,
please see page two.
For any information on Chance to Shine coaching
please email [email protected].
Smile Group Travel
Smile Group Travel – the Official Travel Partners of Warwickshire CCC – are delighted to present a number of
exciting opportunities to participate in junior international tournaments, festivals and tours in Easter 2016. Join a
strong blend of local and overseas schools at some of the most picturesque grounds anywhere in the world.
Packages include the Gordon Greenidge International Junior Cricket Tournament, the Easter Cricket Festival and
the County Pre Season package – where schools get to train like (and with) professional sides including Hampshire
and Warwickshire CCC.
Find out more about these packages – or have a look at options to SA, Dubai and Europe by clicking on this link
http://smile-group-travel.com/offers/view_all.aspx or call Smile on 0844 332 0440
Forward Drive Cricket Academy Opening!
The Forward Drive Academy would like to invite you along with a few of your team members to
attend the opening of the Forward Drive Cricket Academy Indoor School on Sunday 5th April 2015. A
state of the art 5-lane indoor cricket centre which will provide excellent cricket training facilities for
cricketers of all ages and abilities. Time permitting a number of the attendees will be allowed to try out
the facilities on the day. The centre will be open from 12pm until 4pm. So please arrive early to avoid any
disappointment.
Special discounted rates for any bookings made on the day.
Free light refreshments will be available for all attendees.
Address: 177 BARFORD ST, DIGBETH, BIRMINGHAM, B5 7EP, WEST MIDLANDS
Don’t Miss Out...
Contact Us
WCB
WCCC Community Day
The Community Open Day will
be held on Saturday the 16th
May. On the day there will be a
host of fun, interactive
activities to have a go at and
the chance to see the world
famous Red Devil Parachute
Display team drop the match
ball in for an exhibition T20
contest featuring a Warwickshire Legends XI versus the UK
Armed
Services. The day is
being staged in Partnership
with local charity Fisher House
and all funds raised on the day
will go directly to the charity.
Gates will open at 10am and all
are welcome on the day .
The County Ground
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B5 7QU
____________________________
If you would like more
information regarding anything
you have read in this newsletter,
or have any other questions,
please get in touch!
Paul Greetham
Elite Cricket Development
[email protected]
Andy Wyles
Clubs & Leagues
[email protected]
Darren Franklin
Training and Development
[email protected]
Cash for Clubs
Don’t miss out in the 2015
T20
cash
for
Clubs
scheme. A great way to
raise cash for your club
every time you come along
and watch the Bears in
action.
Just follow the
simple steps on the left,
engage
your
local
community and your club
can start enjoying the
benefits of Cash for Clubs’.
Full details of all WCCC
community
events,
programmes and projects
are available to view on
WCCC’s community web
page. Please click here.
Danny Maskell
Schools
[email protected]
Eaton Gordon
Community Participation
[email protected]
________________________
For all other, general enquiries,
please call: 0121 446 3615.
_________________________
Visit us online at
www.warwickshirecricketboard.
co.uk
Follow us on Twitter:
@warks_wcb
Warwickshire Cricket Board Golf Day 2015
The Warwickshire Cricket Board is responsible for junior cricket development in the County and is a
non for profit organization that relies on grants to sustain the programme it delivers. Unfortunately
grants are becoming harder to obtain, therefore a number of fundraising events have been organized
so that junior cricketers in Warwickshire can continue to get coaching and support in schools, clubs and
at the County Ground.
WHERE: HANDSWORTH GOLF CLUB
11 SUNNINGDALE CLOSE
HANDSWORTH WOOD
BIRMINGHAM
B20 1NP
TIME: 12PM
WHEN: FRIDAY 12TH JUNE
COST: £250/TEAM OF FOUR
Can you enter a team?
Format:
Main Event

Full handicap stableford competition with the best 2 scores to count out of the team
of 4.
Individual competitions

Nearest the pin on all par 3’s

Longest drive
Putting Competition

Coffee and Bacon butties from 11.30.a.m.

2 course meal and Presentation from Warwickshire player
If you are interested in entering a team please contact – Danny Longhorne
07810 773895 or e-mail [email protected]