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MEMBERSHIP
The current membership is 100 – the President, 18
vice-presidents, 2 life members, 44 playing members and 35 non-playing
members.
FINANCE
The Treasurer will submit the following recommendations for
subscriptions and match fees for 2008:-
Aged under 18 and in full time education:
Subscription: £65 (same since 2006).
Students:
Subscription: £80 (same since 2006).
Match fees
(both categories):
Saturday: 1st, 2nd and 3rd XI £7.50 (same
as 2007); 4th XI £7 (£6 in 2007).
Sunday: 1st and 2nd XI £6 (£6.50 in 2007).
Colts match fees: Saturday £5 (same as 2007); Sunday £4 (same as
2007).
All other playing members (including unwaged):
Subscription: £115 (same since 2006).
Match fees:
Saturday: 1st, 2nd and 3rd XI
£9.50 (same as 2007); 4th XI £9 (£8 in 2007).
Sunday £7 (£7.50 in 2007)
NB. Where
an umpire is paid on a Sunday. the match fee for both the above
categories may be increased by £1
All above subscriptions are subject to a £15 rebate if paid before May
31.
Non-playing members:
Subscription: £10.
CRICKET COMMITTEE
Cockfosters season was
another good one for the 3rd X1, who sealed promotion again to division
8 under the calm eye of Andy Gregory.
The 1st, 2nd and 4th's had some good times and bad, or should I say
tough! The 1st X1 led by Club Captain Matthew Fisher, had a good
start to the season winning some close games, but some bad days at the
office left the 1st team finishing 4th in Herts div 2. The 2nd X1
took to the season with a new challenge of Division 5 cricket under Adam
Pigden, Much the same as the 1st's, lost some games that
maybe they should have won in key times of the season. Adam has stepped
down for 2008 and given the arm band to Matt Hillier, So best
of luck to him for the season ahead!
The 3rd X1 found it ‘like a walk in the park’ most Saturdays under Andy
Gregory. You and your team and all that played in 2007, well done,
a great season, Same again in 2008 please! The 4th X1 is showing to be
one of the hardest jobs in the club, Captain Neil Hale (Dave)
one Friday night wrote out his batting order for that Saturday and by
the time morning came round only four of that team was still playing
due to cry offs. Funny in a way, but not really. All of Neil's hard work
and phone calls paid dividends as the 4th X1 stayed in their division
ready we hope for a less stressful 2008 for Captain and Vice. Great
effort Dave.........
Sad times hit the club this year with the sudden death of 1st X1 scorer
Mike Pratt. Sadly, in the close season the club was hit with more
sad news on the passing Peter Coombe. Peter was up most weekends to
watch an afternoons cricket with a cup of tea in hand. Both will I'm
sure be missed by the club and friends of the club.
2008 will see the return of Rick Tebb to work on the ground. 2007
was Rick's last season, so we were told, but the club was finding it
hard to
find a suitable replacement and Rick didn't want to see all the hard
work over the years to be thrown away, so IPA sales will stay at the
same
level during the week for another year. That’s great news Rick!
Let’s make 2008 a great year for the club, with the young players we
have coming through the system and the Captains we have in place
for the season ahead, surely the only way is up for Cockfosters Cricket
Club.
GROUND
In 2007 the UK
experienced the mildest Winter, the hottest Spring and the wettest
Summer in nearly 100 years (Source: National Press Dec 2007)
Although Spring
preparation was completed in good time for the start of the season, the
unpredictable weather patterns made pitch preparation,
repairs and general maintenance very difficult to manage. According to
the Groundsman’s records 13 Senior and 8 Colts games were cancelled
due to rain or ground conditions.
When play did take
place, it was evident the playing surface continues to improve, after
the ‘banding’ across the square that was experienced
following the work of 2005. The conditions for the Autumn renovation
work were ideal and it is anticipated that the problem has been
eradicated.
With periodic
rainfall throughout the summer producing vigorous grass growth and
attention to cutting by a helpful Council employee, the outer
playing area faired well. The overall condition of the outfield is good
with worm and weed spraying being undertaken in late Autumn.
The perimeter of the
ground continues to be kept neat and tidy by stalwarts Gerry Fisher and
Mike Pigden, but still a large proportion of time is
spent repairing and clearing up the acts of vandalism that continues to
frustrate the efforts to improve the overall appearance of the Ground.
BUILDINGS
The interior of the
Clubhouse has had a refurbishment that befits the 21st
century, with a new ceiling and lights, lounge furniture and wall to
wall carpet and makes the pavilion a much warmer place on cool summer
days and in the winter. No sign of beer stains yet.
It is planned that
the refurbishment will continue in 2008 in the ladies toilets, the
showers ceiling and the scorebox roof. It has recently been
discovered that the roof of the main pavilion is in urgent need of
repair.
WINE COMMITTEE
The bar
continues to be one of the main sources of the Club’s income, ably run
by Brian Wheeler and his team of helpers; the members of the
Wine Committee and others who have helped with the running of the bar at
the weekend, during the week and when the bar is closed. Total
sales increased by over £6,000 compared to the previous year despite a
number of games being lost due to poor weather. Part of this improvement
was as a result of the use of the bar during the winter by Southgate
County FC following the fire damage to the Hadley Field pavilion. Bar
prices
were increased at the start of the season and this factor combined with
increased sales resulted in the bar surplus increasing by over £1,800.
The Club
depends on its bar income and needs to maintain income at the levels
achieved but to do so requires more support from the membership
of the club. The Wine Committee has a very small membership and needs
more members. It the
responsibility of the Wine Committee members to
ensure that the bar closes on time, takings are removed from the
Clubhouse and that the premises are locked and the alarm set.
For the bar
to
be open, we need volunteers to staff it.
CATERING
Thanks to Dee Hale
for once again providing food and refreshments throughout the season
especially as it’s not a easy job keeping 22 players
happy every weekend. Carol and Tracey Sayers thanks for your help during
Cricket week. Laura Wells, your help was greatly appreciated on the
one Saturday Dee was unavailable. To anyone who has helped and not been
mentioned we apologise but a big thanks to you.
COLTS
The Colts Section
had another very successful season with 2 age groups finishing up
division winners of the Middlesex Colts Association. The U/17s
won Division 1 and lost in an area play-off to Bessborough. Captain Tony
Sayers was Colt Player of the Year. The U15s won Division 2 and lost in
an area play-off to Mill Hill Village. Many thanks to Richard Blaby for
managing this talented age group and also for helping out on practice
nights.
Also thanks to helpers Patrick Barker, Andrew Cooper and Daniel Cooper.
The U/13s won only one game in a tough Division 1. Many thanks to Barend
Velleman for managing a large and demanding group of players and also to
helpers David Seiff ,Richard Cattlin and Anthony Levy. The U/11s didn’t
manage to win a game in a very strong Division 1. The team consisted of
many players who had had little match practice until this season and
they performed creditably in every match. Many thanks to our Chairman of
Cricket Chris Stead for coaching the U/10s on Monday nights.
The positive team
spirit shown by the players is the main reason why the teams had so much
success and this is to be encouraged as their careers
develop.
Special thanks go to the evergreen
Lloyd O’Geare for his coaching on practice evenings, coach Chris Edwards
for his help on Tuesday nights and helpers on practice nights - Mark
Sayers, Tony Sayers, Sam Penny, Matthew Stead and James Stead.
ENTERTAINMENTS
Another year gone
one which saw two quiz nights, a race night, a Hawaiian night and a
Christmas party (Gerry Fisher Happy 60th). A big thanks
to Neil, Dee Ruby and Jane for their organisation of these events.
Thanks to Gerry for his quiz night and a great day of racing at
Newmarket and to Chris Stead thanks for another successful
Six-a-side. Long may all these events continue.
A big thanks to Mark
and Tracey Sayers for their efforts behind the bar and to anyone we have
not mentioned we apologise but thanks
FUNDRAISING AND SPONSORSHIP
Sean Heaney has been
the club sponsor over the last year and for this a big thanks goes to
Scott Alexander who obtained this sponsorship for
the club. The 100 club had a very successful year. A big thanks to Neil
Hale for the running of this. Thanks to Matt Hillier and Neil for making
over
£300 from the raffle of the Kevin Peterson signed cricket bat. To anyone
we have not mentioned our apologies and big thanks. All help is
welcome.
PUBLICITY
Our Website
Administrator Anthony Levy spent many hours publishing weekly teamsheets,
match reports and dashboard events on the Club’s
website and many thanks for this. He can’t do it all though and if
players want match reports or more information on the site then they
need to
provide it!
PEOPLE
PETER COOMBE died on 31st Jan, 2008, at the age of
77. The death of Peter brought to
a close an active association with the club of more than
50 years. Peter was a Midlander but, after leaving the Army following a
short service commission, he settled in Cockfosters and joined the club
in
1955. A middle order batsman and a useful change bowler he was a
stalwart member of the 2nd X1 over the next 20 years,
skippering the side on
many occasions. Portly even as a young man, Peter at the crease had an
upright stance scoring mainly in front of the wicket – he preferred to
lean on the ball rather than drive it. During the years he was always
near the top of the 2nd X1 batting averages with a number of
50’s and a
single century to his credit. As a bowler he relied on persistence with
the 23 yarder delivered from behind the crease as his speciality. During
the
1970’s Peter was a consistent member of the Sussex Tour and in later
years he played regularly with the 3rd team being a member of
the star 1977
team which lost just one of 24 games played. With his playing days ended
in 1986 he was regularly to be seen at Cockfosters supporting the teams
on match days. Off the field Peter served on the committee for a number
of years and, with Alun Whitaker, planned and executed the successful
Club Centenary programme in 1973. Appointed a Vice-President in 1979
Peter has in recent years been a Trustee to the ground licence. He
served
Cockfosters Cricket Club long and well.
MIKE PRATT died on 2nd Sept, 2007, at the age of 62. A Vice-President of the Club, Mike was taken ill whilst scoring at Chalk Lane for the 1XI
versus Northwood Town and died the following morning. He had been involved with the Club since the 60s having always taken on unheralded and
vital roles, initially umpiring for many years, then taking on the job of scorer for the 1st and 2nd XI and statistician for the Club. He played the odd
game when teams were short. Mike went on the Club tours to NZ in 1981 and 1990. He was responsible for the catering in the kitchen for many
years and his sausage in a sandwich was always welcome to after match players. His scoring was highly respected around cricketing circles. It
was always immaculate and often recorded unusual events during a match. Once such example was, “In the 1st XI match on 29/5/04 vs
Sawbridgeworth II at Town Fields, the 23rd over bowled by T. Hutton (Cockfosters) included 10 legitimate balls.”. He was scorer for the Club when
the 1st XI won the Becker Cup in 1993. Mike will be sadly missed. He was a dedicated enthusiast and he had a very deep love for Cockfosters.
GEORGE POWLEY died in 2006/7. He
had been a non-playing member of the Club for many years, then, due to
ill-health, he was moved into a care
home.
Nevertheless it was on the field of play as an umpire that he made a
major contribution to The Club. In the mid-1970s George, along with his
twin brother Alf, qualified for membership of the ACU&S. By 1979 the
‘Powley Twins’ had decided that they should impart their knowledge and
experience to others and the umpires training course was established as
a winter event at Cockfosters. Among other things, these courses could
be physically demanding – it can be cold in the Cockfosters’ clubhouse
on a January evening. Under their leadership throughout the 1980s the
Cockfosters’ umpires course had pride of place across North London. At
the same time George and his brother had established a national
reputation
in the field of umpire training and they were appointed by the ACU&S to
be Overseas Training Officers. These duties took George to a dozen
European countries, few of which the average club cricketer would
associate with the game. At home, the brothers established a ‘world
first’ as twins standing together in a match at Lord’s. George umpired
regularly for Cockfosters in the 70s and 80s. He and Alf (who died in
2002, aged 82) would often take it in turns to umpire on alternate
Saturdays, and because of their likeness there were not many people on
the field of play who knew whether it was George or Alf umpiring. George
will be remembered fondly by those who knew him, not only as a servant
and benefactor to the club, but as a friend. | 
