Panther News

Stratford-upon-Avon Cricket Club incorporating Stratford Bards Cricket Club Spring 2016 Oh No! Not Again!

The amazing photo above illustrates the recent devastation to the ground. Luckily, the timely appearance of Martin Malone meant that our expensive £3,500 mower was saved from destruction, as he managed to drive (sail!) it to the relative safety of the car park. It's not clear how the cricket square has faired after being submerged for 24 hours, but the impact will undoubtedly have undermined the end of season works completed in September. Flood Appeal 2016 has now been launched to raise much-needed funds to provide the Club with the sort of financial provision it needs to address this and future flooding events. This is the third time in seven years that the whole ground has been overtaken by the River Avon. While we clearly can't hold the waters back, we can take some precautionary measures to mitigate the damage. Ironically, the Club made the final payment on the 'new' nets at Swans Nest Lane this month. They will now need some maintenance to get them back into a fully safe state. The Future is Bright The 2016 season is almost become Stratford 3rd XI upon us, and apart from the rather than maintaining their New flood last month, things are status as Stratford Bards 1st Overseas Player shaping up well. A number XI. This is set to change of us have been busy in the thanks to enthusiastic and signed closed season getting committed support from things in place to ensure we Emma Holman-West and hit the ground running at the the Alscot Estate team who end of April when the Birmingham will sponsor Bards kit and undertake a League kicks off. number of grounds and facility With the help of Andy We’ve changed the format of the improvements both before and during Flower and his Newsletter slightly this year. It’s been the season. contacts in Zim- babwe, the Club has broken down into clearly defined Overall, with the financial state of the managed to acquire sections which aim to address key Club and the quality of our facilities the services of Yasser interest items, including player continuing to improve, membership Parker, a 24-year-old recruitment, planned social events, and growing beyond expectations and the Zimbabwean, who is providing an update from our all- Club’s position and reputation in the a quality batsman and important sponsors. various leagues climbing, there’s much who plays and As you’ll read, REPL, our main sponsor, to be encouraged about. captains the famous Old Hararian have increased their commitment to the Whether you’re re-joining or joining for Sports Club. In 2014 Yasser was Club. I’m delighted by the way our the first time, I and the Club’s manage- awarded a First Class contract on a partnership is evolving. I’m equally ment team would like to thank you for pay-as-you-play basis which repre- pleased to announce a notably your support. Enjoy the read. I look sented his first step into professional enhanced relationship with the Alscot forward to seeing you this season. cricket. He is also a qualified coach Estate. I’ve been troubled by The Bard’s Best wishes, who, we hope, will add much to our loss of identity since merging with the Steve Cootes junior coaching set-up. I know you will Club in 2011. Simply put, they’ve Chairman make him most welcome. 1 REPL Renew Main Sponsorship President’s It gives me great pleasure to once again greet you on behalf of REPL Group as Message main sponsor of Stratford-upon-Avon Cricket Club. PRESIDENT When we became main sponsor for the first time last year, we were very much encouraged to take up this mantel by the energy, optimism and commitment we found at the Club. Following some challenging years on and off the field, we felt that everything was now in place for a new and vibrant partnership. And Mike Callender, CEO REPL Group goodness how those hopes have now about it, I would urge you to take a Great Joy! been fulfilled. moment to visit www.mollyolly.co.uk – it It was an absolute joy for us to be It's Here Again truly is a wonderful cause. associated with such a successful So attention turns to the new season, At this time of year I feel a certain season, and a pleasure to see the Club and I know expectations at the Club are lessening of my natural grum- performing in such robust fashion at all high. Strong domestic recruitment has piness.This is not because the days levels. Of course, those excellent no doubt been helped in part by are lighter, the little lambs are performances culminated in some well- success on the field, and in part by the gambolling and daffodils are bringing earned promotions for the 1st XI and the continued involvement of Andy Flower sunshine to grey landscapes. No! It is Bards; but even the 2nd XI had some off it. I'd like to add my welcome to because the cricket season is upon us! great moments in what turned out to be Yasser Parker, this year's Overseas However, Joy Unconfined has been a difficult season. Player, who will have a big job filling the dealt a swift kick in the teeth by the Perhaps as much as anything, we were sizeable boots left by Ben Cooper. And river Avon! You will, no doubt, hear how delighted to witness the growth of the I know the junior section has plans in things stand from our Chairman, and I junior section, which now has more than place for another successful year. add my pleas for help to make sure 90 members. The high level of In every respect Stratford feels like a that we can start cricket on time at community and grassroots engagement club going from strength to strength, Swans Nest Lane this summer. Steve at Stratford does great credit to and we at REPL Group are delighted to Cootes and the Committee, the everyone involved with the Club. play our part in that. We too go from captains and players, the junior A long, long way from the business of strength to strength. Although you may coaches led by Colin Davis, and he not have heard of us beyond this who is bearing the weight of the recent sponsorship, we work behind the catastrophe, Brian Webb, are working scenes with some of the biggest so hard to give us cricket this season. retailers and supply chain companies So, I beg you to support the Panthers around the world, and are winning new and the Bards by attending money- contracts for our technology solutions all raising events, supporting the Flood the time. As a result, the number of appeal, and by coming to watch the REPL employees grows weekly – and matches. while they are certainly not recruited for The REPL Group are once again our cricketing ability, we are hopeful that our main sponsor, and employees and real sporting performance, Swans Nest swelling ranks contain ever more management do enjoy coming down to Lane also hosted an extraordinary (for sporting enthusiasts capable of putting watch the cricket. I ask, therefore, that myself and my colleagues at least) on a good show in the sponsors match! members welcome and look after not game of cricket as part of the 2015 So here’s to 2016, and to another only our wonderful sponsors but all REPL Family Day. I won’t dwell on remarkable season on and off the pitch. spectators, including the many REPL’s narrowest of victories, or the On behalf of everyone at REPL I wish opposition supporters who come! bruises we earned along the way, but I the teams at every level and age group do want to take this opportunity to thank Wishing every success and enjoyment the very best of luck for the matches absolutely everyone at the Cricket Club to all the teams, both senior and junior ahead, and I look forward to seeing who helped us organise such a this season. many of you around the Club soon. memorable day and raise a lot of money Hugs and Kisses, for our nominated charity, Molly Olly’s Mike Callender Ali Troughton Wishes. If you haven’t already read CEO of REPL Group President

2 PLAYING MATTERS CONGRATULATIONS!

Mike Brown pictured at the Stratford-on-Avon District Sports Awards 2016

After the bitter disappointment of losing out on promotion from the Birmingham & District Cricket League's District Division 3 on the last day of the season in 2014, the 1st XI responded by gaining promotion last season with some impressive displays. Their success brought them a nomination for the Stratford Bike Hire Senior Team Award at the Stratford-on-Avon District Sports Awards 2016. Unfortunately, they just missed out on the top spot. Hopes For This Season A Winter of 1st XI to Continue Momentum Content 1st XI Captain, Mike Brown, was upbeat of season standings. The Winter has been a time of great about the prospects for the coming season. Historically, we have development on the playing front. He stated, “Following on from last season's lost winnable games Winter nets have been well attended, success, we will be looking to take that early on, so I expect we had a superb pre-season training momentum into Division 2. The Club has the side to improve as recruited well over the Winter and there will a whole and get the camp at Loughborough and strong be greater strength in depth and competition season off to a much recruitment has brought no less than for places. stronger start. We are 10 new players to the Club. As a team we will be looking to improve our not setting any performances in the 50 over win/lose format. specific end of season Andy Flower very kindly organised a These games fall at the start and end of the goals at this stage but will re-assess this supremely professional day at the season and will have a big influence on end throughout the season.” “National Cricket Performance Centre” at Loughborough. We had full access 2nd XI Aim to Bounce Back into Div 1 to all the facilities (including a nutritional lunch), and were able to put in place New 2nd XI Captain, Having suffered heavily from having key some great planning for the season. Josh Hickman, wants players unavailable throughout the 2015 his team to improve season, it is hoped that the strong their overall perfor- recruitment of players during the Winter will mances, “After the help to provide stronger and more settled disappointment of sides. We have to eliminate the poor batting being relegated last performances of last season, so there will be season, the primary a strong emphasis on improving this aspect objective for us this of our game. Promotion is achievable this season is to gain season if we remain focussed for the whole immediate promotion back into Division 1. season” 3rd XI Plan to Build on Last

Season’s Success Due largely to Ed Cunynghame's drive Setting out his expectations for the coming hopefully, this will and determination, the recruitment has season, 3rd XI Captain, John Paton, said, enable us to put out been very encouraging and the new “Last season ended with a streak of 11 wins stronger teams, players will give real strength in depth from the last 13 matches, which propelled us especially in the to all three league sides, and will make to promotion from the 5th Division. early part of the competition for places stronger. With The most pleasing aspect was the way we season when we two of the teams having achieved have traditionally struggled. held our nerve in winning several matches promotion last season, despite the when it seemed that the opposition had the I want to see us play good, competitive upper hand. It is this attitude that we need to cricket, in the right spirit and bring a pleasant Club suffering from sporadic availability maintain and build upon this coming season. atmosphere to our picturesque Alscot Park problems, we hope the additions will It looks likely that for the first time in several ground.” help the Club to grow and become years, availability will be much better and even more successful. 3 PLAYING MATTERS Who’s New Groundsman’s A big Stratford Cricket Club welcome to the following new players: Cuttings John Price – returns to Stratford after a two Matt Dutton - joins us as an all-rounder from Current Update year spell at Knowle & Dorridge. John local club Wellesbourne. Matt runs Cotswold scored his maiden 1st XI century for the Complete Cricket who currently help to Although the September re-seeding of both Club aged just 16. coach our junior section, and will provide a Swans Nest Lane and Alscot Park squares good link for junior players looking to step up was carried out in ideal conditions, the weather David Bailey - a classical left handed bat, soon turned against us with the wettest winter into the senior teams. joins us from Leamington 1st XI. on record. The follow-up mechanical spikings - is a young, skilful, opening could not be done until late January. Perry Derrick - an off-spinning all-rounder Archie Walker We have moved to organic fertilizers from from Redditch CC, has been impressive at bowler, who is following in the footsteps of Symbio and their core samples from Swans Winter training. his talented father, Jon, who played in the 1st XI for Stratford at a similar age. Nest Lane established that the loam “platform“ Andy Fisher - a hard hitting middle order batsman from Eastnor, who will add much Tom Whitting - an all-rounder, comes from needed experience to our playing strength. Winchester College and will also add to our coaching team. Jamie Carter - has relocated to Stratford and is a batsman who can keep wicket. Harry Williams - is a strong opening bowler with valuable Birmingham League ex- Sam Cooper - highly rated, Sam joins us perience with Stourbridge and Halesowen. from Kineton and is a top order bat who can keep wicket. Junior News U15s Nominated for SDC Sports Award is very hard and therefore very dry. Perception was that the water seeped up from underneath Following their superb performance in when river levels rose, but this is not the case. winning the WCB U15 Championship with Our problem is surface water which is unable an unbeaten record, they were nominated to drain through. Sample cores from the for the Everyone Active Junior Team of the middle of big puddles on the square showed Year Award at the Stratford-on-Avon that the loam 3” down was absolutely dry. To District Sports Awards 2016. Alas, they address this issue, a third spiking to 6” was carried out mid-February. failed to collect the top trophy. The heavy rainstorm on the night of Tuesday 8th March, caused the river Avon to burst its banks on Wednesday evening and proceed to hit the ground like a tidal wave on the Junior Kit Thursday morning. By 1.30pm the clubhouse This and our REPL sponsor shirts can be and car park had been evacuated. ordered through Duncan Fearnley Sports. Experts through Worcestershire CCC advised The link for ordering can be found on the that we needed to drag brush the square whilst Club web site. still covered in floodwater to minimise the silt settling on the grass leaf. This was followed by Colin Davis, Laurence Dingley and Fund Raising To help raise much needed funds, the dowsing the whole square with clean water, Brian Webb with England Ladies pitch by pitch, to flush away any harmful Junior Section will be holding two Bag Rugby International, Laura Keates residues. Warwickshire Cricket Board des- Packing Events at Morrisons Super- patched their Pitch Inspector to assess the market. A similar event last season raised damage and take soil samples. His findings 2016 SEASON nearly £400. Hopefully, we can better that supported those of Symbio. We are awaiting this year. the report results relating to both soil nutrients The juniors will again have a busy playing and any harmful surface residues. Our season, with teams in the following WCB Duncan Fearnley Factory Visit progress is in their hands. leagues: U9 8-Aside Pairs Hardball; U10 Paul Fearnley of Duncan Fearnley Cricket 8-Aside Pairs Hardball; U11 Grizzlies 8- has very kindly agreed to arrange a Other Matters Aside Pairs; U13 Premier League; U15 factory visit to see how their hand-made An important and major addition to our storage Premier League. The U16/U17s will play cricket bats are produced. This will be facility is our new 20' container. Proper ramps in the Cotswold Hills U17 T20 League. arranged on a Saturday, probably towards make it much easier to get equipment in and Coaches for the season will be Matt the end of May, and should be of great out. On order are four new modern sight- screens which will save us many hours of Dutton, Nick Jones, Colin Davis, Laurence interest to parents and children alike. painting and repair. We purchased a good Dingley, Alex Marney and Harry Abell. Awards Evening second hand Denis mower for Alscot Park, Plus Yasser Parker and Tom Whitting. At the end of the season, probably in which has interchangeable cassettes with the September, the Club's main sponsor, mower at SNL, enabling both squares to be Training Nights REPL, have very kindly agreed to sponsor produced to the same standard. We now have These will take place at SNL as follows - our Junior Awards Evening and provide a new Bowdry roller mop for taking away the U12s and older age groups, Monday and present prizes for various surface water on the plastic covers, and two evenings 6-8pm, U11s and below, achievements during the season. It side sheets which by attaching to the main Wednesday evenings, 6-8pm. Complete covers prevent water seeping under the should provide a fitting climax to the mobile covers. Cricket will again be providing support on season. For more information on Junior If you can help with mowing, rolling or pitch these evenings. U16/17s will train with the Cricket, please contact Colin Davis on Seniors on a Thursday evening from 6pm. preparation, please contact me on [email protected] or 07828 485177. [email protected]. 4 All Hands to the Pump! On April 3rd the Club pulled with the accumulated debris scrubbed and washed tarpaulin ‘jackets’, together in the context of this and general detritus, and general rubbish duly skipped. year’s “NatWest CricketForce” deposited, not least, from the It was an outstanding effort by all, with the event. CricketForce, which is held recent flood. results exceeding any optimistic forecast of over a designated weekend each We were aided by a what could be achieved. All those who got year, is a nationwide initiative supplementary celebrity work up early on a Sunday morning to support the specifically aimed at cricket clubs. force in the form of Jim Club as they did, deserve a huge spiritual It is designed to bring members Troughton (and family), Keith pat on the back for going the extra mile and and the local community closer Barker and Andy Umeed, some making the prospect of our first cricket together with the aim of ensuring of Warwickshire County Cricket match on April 23rd feel manageable. Well that grounds and facilities are ready for the Club’s finest. By 10:00am we had done to all! new season. accumulated a working party of 30 plus Having set an people between Swans Nest Lane and ambitious agenda Alscot Park, all bringing much needed of cleaning, jet- energy and enthusiasm for the cleaning blitz washing, brushing that was about to take place. and dis-carding, a By 1:00pm grass had been cut, cricket nets high-sided skip swept, storage facilities cleared of flood was ready and damaged supplies and equipment, mobile waiting to be fed wicket cover frames dressed with their

Social News B LU Welcome to the events which will be available to view in our 0 C Social Section of handbook and on the website. Emails will be 10 the Annual News- sent out with reminders and details as and letter for 2016! when events arrive. My name is James Not only will I be planning events to raise The Stratford Cricket Club's 100 Club raises Urquhart and I have much needed funds for the Club’s much needed funds for the Club. The 100 played for the Club metaphorical ball to keep rolling, but also Club contributed £1,200 profit to the Club for several years, other non-profit events, simply to integrate last year. £5 a month, paid by Direct Debit, coming up through new and current members. We have 'buys' a single number (multiple numbers the junior section recently started our monthly ‘Team Feed’, can be bought), providing members with the and eventually playing for our 1st XI. I which is a get together after training to help opportunity of winning one of three money helped with a number of successful events with team building. prizes each month. In addition, there is a last year, including the 2015 Golf Day and I I'd like to thank all those who attended our Super Draw once a year. The more was delighted to be approached to fill the Annual Dinner on April 16th, and for making role on a permanent basis. it one of the best attended and successful members we have, the bigger the prize pot, This year our focus will be ‘less is more’; less events in recent years. The Dinner will be with 50% of the total going to Club funds. events planned with hopefully higher followed by an even bigger REPL Family As an example, Ian attendance at each one. It will be great for Day on June 12th. King (pictured), me to expand on some of my ideas and The second Annual Golf Day is planned to joined on the continue to keep the Club’s resurgence take place at the end of August, and we will Presidents VIP Day going off the field. also be staging a Race Night at the Club last August and We kicked off our social calendar with the after the season has finished. won £100 in the Big Fat Quiz of the Year. This was a great As always, keep an eye out for Social September Draw! success from the feedback received with an updates during the season. If you have any How's that for impressive 62 people attending, raising ideas or comments, please do not hesitate timing? To join, please contact either nearly £500 for the club. I hope we can build to contact me - there is no such thing as a on this for the rest of the year. bad idea! [email protected] or Helena We will be planning to stage several other Hopwood, [email protected] . President's VIP Day The President's VIP Day will take place on Sunday, 31st July. It is hoped to emulate last year's very successful event, when our VPs, members and past players joined up in great numbers. There will be a buffet lunch followed by an old fashioned “timed” cricket match between current and past players (still playing). A successful raffle is very much part of our fund raising on the day, so we need as many prizes as possible. Please contact [email protected] if you can help. 5 Sponsorship News 2016

Following on from last year we are REPL have also designed and funded a and Smart Accountants for their long delighted to announce that REPL range of polo shirts in various colours association with the Club and have significantly enhanced their for players and non-players alike. Shirts continuing financial support. relationship with the Club into 2016. will be available from behind the bar and We are also delighted to announce REPL will continue as title Main all profits will be put back into the Marston's Beer Company as a new Sponsor and include the Junior Section Cricket Club. sponsor for 2016. Marston's are the this year for the first time. The scope of The Alscot Estate will provide preferred beer supplier to the club and the agreement includes Senior 1st XI sponsorship to the Club in 2016 by we welcome them to help us celebrate and 2nd XI match day shirts and training updating the pavilion and ground in style this summer. kit, and Junior shirts; all carrying the facilities at Alscot Park with The Bards For more information on REPL logo. wearing sponsored shirts carrying the sponsorship, please contact John This is fantastic news for all associated Alscot Estate logo. Shurie on [email protected] with the Club and we look forward to Many thanks again to our friends at or 07703 106327. developing our relationship with REPL. Holdsworth Windows, Wright Hassall

REPL Group delivers technology and management solutions which transform business operations and processes. Our work focuses on some of the key battlegrounds for modern business advantage: from workforce management, warehouse management and back office systems to in-store digital and mobile solutions. Working across retail, supply chain, manufacturing and beyond, we are committed, energetic and agile; ensuring sustainable change is delivered in rapid, assured and a cost effective manner. We are a global business that has offices in the UK, US, Singapore and Australia. To discuss any of our offerings please contact us on +44 (0) 844 752 0036 or [email protected] We have just launched gloodoo™ , a revolutionary mobile enterprise toolkit that is transforming the way leading organisations empower their employees. You can contact us to discuss any of our offerings on +44 (0) 844 752 0036 or [email protected] The local pub has always been at the heart of the British community. It’s where we gather to socialise, celebrate, commiserate, relax, reflect, regroup, or simply enjoy a cold beer at the end of a long day. To us, that’s important, and always will be. We’ve been running pubs and brewing beer in one form or another for over 180 years. We have pubs that are traditional locals, family pub restaurants and fashionable town centre bars. While pubs may have changed a lot over the years, the reasons people use them hasn’t. We are now one of the country’s top pub businesses and the leading brewer of premium cask and bottled beers. We operate five breweries producing over 60 of the country's best loved ales at our sites in: Burton on Trent (Marston’s), Oxfordshire (Wychwood & Brakspear), Cumbria (Jennings), Hampshire (Ringwood) and the West Midlands (Banks’s). We're rightly proud of our heritage - our people, our pubs and our beers.

Solicitors Wright Hassall has been advising individuals and businesses across Warwickshire for 170 years and is proud of the deep seated roots which it has with the local community. For businesses we advise on corporate, commercial, business immigration, employment, dispute resolution and real estate, whilst for individuals and families, Wright Hassall advises on all aspects of residential conveyancing including buy to let conveyancing http://www.wrighthassall.co.uk/ for investment properties, family and divorce law, wills and tax planning, medical negligence and personal 01926 886688 injury, care and capacity including Powers of Attorney and all aspects of will disputes. The Bell is a beautifully restored eighteenth century coaching inn situated in the picturesque village of Alderminster, close to Stratford-upon-Avon. It is part of the historic Alscot Estate, a thriving award winning country estate headed by Emma Holman-West. The Bell has gone from strength to strength whilst under Emma's oversight, winning multiple awards as a country pub, restaurant and B&B. With a range of charming and interesting spaces, both inside and out, we are happy to accommodate private functions including parties, weddings and business meetings.

Founded in 1967 by Graham Holdsworth, the Company remains in the Holdsworth family. We pride ourselves on our high quality of care, craftsmanship and commitment to our customers. Our dedicated and skilled team, many of whom have been with us for over 20 years, use a blend of traditional, time-honoured techniques and modern processes to help us achieve the finest results possible. http://www.holdsworthwindows.co.uk/ 01608 661883 Smart Accountants Ltd was established in 1986 and recently opened offices in Sutton Coldfield. A small local firm, with most clients being sole traders, partnerships and micro businesses. Smart Accountants Ltd offers a variety of services including self- assessment, Limited Company Accounts, VAT returns, Payroll, Auto enrolment and business start-up and advice. http://www.smart-accountants.co.uk/ 0845 092 0139

Renowned and revered throughout the world in bat making for over 50 years, Duncan Fearnley today offer 8 contemporary bat designs, with each profile shaped to produce the maximum performance for all players, at all levels of the game. At its headquarters in Worcester, Duncan Fearnley cricket bats are hand crafted by master craftsman with over 30 years experience. The quality 4* and 5* bats are still manufactured from the finest English willow. Also available is a full range of cricket equipment and accessories, coaching equipment plus clothing and footwear. http://www.fearnleycricket.co.uk/ 01905 743380 We hope you have enjoyed our latest Newsletter. Feel free to contact us with any comments - [email protected] or 07828 485177. Follow us on our website stratfordcricketclub.com and on social media.

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