ROMILEY CRICKET CLUB

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2011

Last year I reported that in our debut season in the Meller Braggins League both our first and second teams were successful in gaining promotion as champions of the ‘3rd’ and ‘C’ divisions respectively, and that stage 1of our ‘journey to excellence’ was complete.
This year I have to report that the cruel disappointment of our 1st XI failing to gain promotion to the First Division has stymied our intended progress up the pyramid. It was perhaps predicable that in Romiley the outcome of the final and decisive match of the season was determined by the weather denying us promotion by the lowest possible margin.
I have heard theories as many as they are various as to what went wrong but it is you the first teamers who must now face the challenge of a new season and ensure our journey to excellence is put back on course.
The First XI did however reach the final of the twenty -twenty competition
when we lost to Weaverham. I must say here that in over 40 years of involvement in cricket I have never witnessed such appalling behaviour as I, the League Chairman and many people from other clubs observed from Weaverham’s players and followers.
I must congratulate and thank our players for their refusal, despite serious provocation to be part of this loutish display and hope sincerely that the League have had some post match involvement.
Overall I believe that Alex Barber has done a good job on the pitch as skipper and I am somewhat dismayed why he has chosen to stand down after such a short time at the helm.

The Second XI have secured promotion as Champions to Division A.
A measured, considered approach by skipper Martin Astley made the success appear to be easy and I must congratulate Martin and his team on their commitment to the cause.

The 3rdXI also gained promotion as champions and will now play in the Cheshire League 2nd Division East next season. Thanks to Dave Oldland and Phil Smith for skippering this side.

In 2012 our new 4th XI senior side will take the field. Our aim is to give all our seniors a game and introduce even more juniors to senior cricket. A Captain will I hope be elected later tonight and I wish him well.
The introduction of the 4ths will give us a ‘3 team Sunday package’ which will inevitably give rise to fixture clashes. I am hoping that with a little flexibility and the hire of Mellor’s ground we can reduce problems to a minimum. I have already started negotiations with Mellor.

It was a huge disappointment to me to learn that we could not enter an Over 40’s team in 2011because no-one was prepared to be the organizer. Might I appeal to those of you who are in this age group to perhaps reconsider so that these enormously enjoyable fixtures might continue.

It always gives me the greatest pleasure to record the continued progress of a number of our ‘home grown’ juniors in the senior sides. Their contributions are too numerous to mention here but suffice to say they have been significant.
The production line continues which is testament itself to the quality of junior coaching we have here at Romiley. My thanks go to all of them.
It is a disappointment to me that several of our qualified coaches are not coaching now or have even left the Club since this is an expensive drain on our resources.
I am pleased to tell you that 3 senior players have started UKCC2 courses only this week and that next season they will complement our coaching staff. I welcome and encourage other senior players to come and make a contribution to junior training on Friday evenings. In the presence of a qualified coach this is quite acceptable. Smoking,drinking and lessons in the use of English are not.

Our Women’s XI have also had an excellent season under the leadership of Anna Goatman. In the league they finished 3rd in the 1st division, 4th in the T20 league, losing semi finalists in the divisional cup, and runners up in the knockout cup. This is only their third year in competition and I am delighted with their progress and new players are joining all the time.
I would like to acknowledge here the effort made by Danny Oldland in umpiring many of their matches.
Again any coaching contributions from senior players will I’m sure be welcomed by our women’s team.
I have also had a number of enquiries during the season regarding a ‘girls team’ and so I ask again if anyone is prepared to coordinate this section.
We should also record that during August we were hosts to the MCC women’s team who overcame a select Cheshire XI.
Our women’s team successfully organized the function, meals and looked after our guests who were more than sufficiently impressed with RCC.

.
During the season I have heard a number of complaints regarding selection.
I will be asking the Cricket and Ground Committee to meet soon and discuss this important issue and to then provide the Selection Committee with meaningful and considered selection policies. Some of the requirements are League determined but might I suggest that both these and our own conditions be committed to paper so that all will be able to see where they stand and be able to adhere to.
 
Moving on to junior cricket it is of great concern to me that whilst still relatively ‘rich in juniors’ their numbers have again fallen this year to just over 100.
We have not had an U7 section this year which inevitably has created a hiatus for the future. I am hoping that the introduction of our 3 new coaches next season will help us bridge this gap and ensure the ‘production line’continues before lasting damage is done.

This has not stopped us fielding some 8 different sides in 4 different leagues in 2011.

The U18’s had a disappointing season finishing 7th from 14 in the SMJCL
They reached the final of the Cup competition but lost in a weather affected,overs reduced match.

The U15’sHigh Peak side finished mid table

Our U13’s Cheshire League team won their division whilst the High Peak side finished in the top five .

Our Cheshire side U11’s having won their division lost their final against Neston whilst the High Peak side were semi finalists in their competition.

Our U9’s also won their division and were runners up against a very strong Warrington side in the final.
And so unusually we have not won any silverware this year but as you have heard the junior section continues to flourish and I would like to thank Tim Brown for his sterling efforts as Junior Coordinator. He has done a fantastic job again.
It is of special note that Ben Allcock as outstanding junior cricketer of the year became this year’s recipient of the John Leach Trophy.

Remaining on the sports side I’ve been asked to make the following brief report on the Table tennis Club as follows:

In the Glossop League RCC A team won the Volcrepe cup and finished mid table in the league.

RCC B team was promoted to Division 2 whilst in the Wilmlsow League we gained promotion to Division 2 and were runners up in the team doubles.

Thanks must go to Pete Jepson, and Dave McPherson for their continued support, encouragement and advice in guiding the juniors forward.

If I might move on now and talk about our facilities.

I think all would agree that the ground drainage is working well and that during the 2011 season the difficulties of the uneven drain runs gradually diminished.
One or two small drain runs are still required and these will be attended to as funds allow.

The major project has of course been the new outdoor net facility.
Again this was attended to by our Ground Development Committee.
No-one could have known of the difficulties and increased cost that were going to beleaguer this project and it is down to the determination of the team especially the doggedness of Geoff Wilks and Malc Berry that the project was completed even nearly on time.
It is a facility second to none and the duty of care for its upkeep falls to you the players. To assist you a list of rules has been drawn up and will be posted by the nets area.
The final cost of the project was £43,000 some £6000 above budget, and as the Hon Treasurer will point out in her report this has had a knock on effect on our finances.
Since our contribution to the nets was principally funded by the legacy from the late Peter Smith it has been decided that a plaque be attached in a prominent position on the nets to pay tribute to his generosity.
The shortfall in paying for the nets was thankfully made good by a hastily arranged loan from the Trustees. We must think about repaying this loan before any capital expenditure in 2012 is made.

Also this summer you will have noticed a new pair of site screens which will be a requirement when we move to the higher divisions of the league. However it was another expense for which we had no grant and had to fund ourselves.

Our ability to apply for grants is entirely a function of us being a Clubmark Focus Club.
The work required to maintain Clubmark is being added to annually and is far too much work for one person. I intend in the next year to set up a new sub committee to attend to Clubmark maintenance and I will be expecting some senior players to be in it.
Running parallel with Clubmark is Child Welfare.
My thanks go to Dave McPherson for continuing with the CWO job. Thankfully there have been no child welfare incidents to report.
During this year the so called ‘vetting and barring’ scheme has been completely reviewed and rejected although I understand that a drastically revised and more workable version is in preparation.

I go on now to thank the people who have been involved in the running of the Club.
Firstly the Executive Committee must be thanked for their work during the last year. The transition to a reduced number on the Committee has not been at all successful and there have been a number occasions when the meeting has been non quorate.
Later in the agenda you will hear a number of proposals and additions to the Club’s Constitution which we have debated and believe will alleviate this problem. There are also a number of changes required for Clubmark.

I’m sure you’ll all agree with me that our new groundsmen Dave Oldland and Andy Holt have done an excellent job during the season.
I also want to thank John Rowcroft who has given unstintingly of his time to help on the ground.

I would also like to thank Dave and Julie Shenton and Phil Smith for their efforts as Club stewards. Phil has now resigned his position which will not now be filled.
There have also been delays in the introduction of the new till/swipe card system but I am assured this will be attended to early in the new year.

Historically the turn out of players at our social functions has been poor.  So our new Social Committee led by Simon Prendergast have targeted their efforts at junior productions which have been well received and raised much needed cash.
I repeat what I said last year which will be borne out in our Hon Treasurer’s report. We are not as wealthy a Club as some of our players would seem to think and quite bluntly we are living beyond our means and something will have to give sooner rather than later.
Thanks to Simon and his team for their efforts.

I must thank Mel for her work as Treasurer and also the Finance Committee for keeping our monetary matters under control. It is sad that I have to tell you that both Mel and Ron Taylor have resigned and that currently we have no Treasurer nor Chair of our Finance Committee.

The Pavilion Committee continues its good work in looking after the upkeep of our buildings.Thanks to them.

I particularly want to thank Margaret McPherson for her unstinting work as Hon. Club Secretary, and for arranging and the Presentation dinner.

I would like to make a record here of the Club’s thanks to Ruth Miller who has finally stood down from running our 100 Club lottery and I believe it’s fitting that this year she was the recipient of the Langhorne Trophy.
Dave and Margaret McPherson have kindly agreed to take over from Ruth.
You can all help them make us a 200 Club so that bigger prizes can be afforded.
It really is an inexpensive thing to take part in and I would urge all our members to join.

Thanks are due to Dave Oldland who has again looked after our Fantasy League and to Martin Leach and Serge Pani for producing our superb handbook.

I especially wish to record my sincere thanks Malcolm Berry for the support he has given me during the year and for the many helpful and constructive conversations we have had.
He has also masterminded the revival of our website and as I said earlier has headed up the nets project.

Our sponsors new and old have made a difference by providing much needed cash but we can’t have too many so if you or your company might be able to help please come forward. Bob Wakefield has coordinated sponsorship during the year but he too has resigned from the Executive Committee.

Tonight, as normal I will leave ‘matters fiscal, including the budget we have set for 2011 to be put to you and explained by our Hon. Treasurer.
Subscriptions this year have also been discussed at the Executive Committee and shortly our recommendations will be put before you.
The Cricket and Ground Committee will again determine what match fees will be levied but clearly it must be sufficient to make the whole operation ‘cost neutral’

I now come on to what I believe to be the most important thing I will say tonight.

You will have heard me mention the word ‘resign’ on several occasions
in this report.
It would be remiss of me not to inform you, and record, that this is causing me grave concern for our infrastructure and future.
We currently have no Vice Chairman, no Treasurer, no Chair of Finance, no Chair of Fund Raising, no SCDG rep,and because of non quorate meetings we have been forced to introduce emergency measures to allow the Executive Committee to make any decisions at all.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for our operation to function efficiently and I regret to tell you that I perceive almost an ‘unwillingness’ within the Club to do anything, be it attendance at working parties, grant applications, serving on sub-committees or carrying out official duties on behalf of the Club.
I must be careful to point out here that my criticism does not apply to everyone and I still have a small number people on whom I can rely to get their job done. These stalwarts are becoming fewer though and I cannot, nor will not ask or expect them to do anymore.
We have made appeals to our junior parents at the Presentation night but to no avail.
We cannot go on leaving things to the ‘few’ and I need to see an improved allegiance and commitment to the Club from players and members alike if we are to avoid a catastrophic collapse of our infrastructure.
Later tonight we will be asking for nominations for several posts and I would ask you all to consider what I have just said.

As for myself I am not entirely certain that I want to lead a dysfunctional unit such as I’ve just described and much of what happens later in tonight’s meeting will have an important bearing in my decision to stand as Chairman again.

 

So in conclusion.
You have just heard me express my consternation about the administration and functioning of the Club but I am hoping that by the end of this AGM
my fears will prove to have been unnecessary.
Despite our obvious disappointment of not having progressed up the pyramid, I think you’ll agree with me that on the field RCC has had a successful year at both senior and junior level.
We must all now renew our efforts for 2012and you the players must ensure that your energy is directed in the right areas. And, for fear of repeating myself a determining factor for our further success is still down to the degree of your commitment.
As ever I urge you to make good use of the winter nets which I understand have now been arranged for you and ensure that you are all up and ready to take advantage at the start of the coming season.

Mick Rowe(Chairman Romiley CC)

JMR161111