The Lee Cricket ClubBy Jon Swain
A new season starts on 17th April and it is the 135th of our wonderful club. Formed in 1875, the club has been an integral part of village life ever since. We are very proud of our beautiful ground and the refurbished clubhouse that adds to it. It is now almost complete and has improved the facilities enormously.
Whilst providing a typical village cricket scenario, we believe that we have taken the club to the next level. The enthusiastic coaching team, aided by others, have produced an array of young cricketers who now grace the County and District sides at various age levels. Some of those, deemed old enough under a new ECB Directive, are now appearing for our adult teams and making a huge impression. For me, this is the most important aspect of what we are about: trying to teach young people from the community to enjoy sport, played with commitment, yet adhering to the highest standards of behaviour. At the County Finals last summer, our teams were singled out as playing with the best possible attitudes and standards; a wonderful accolade.
Our bizarre weather means that, as I write this piece, we need rain as the
ground is too dry to roll effectively. Just a few weeks ago, I wondered whether
we would play in April, as everything was so wet! The ground is now looking
in great shape after a weekend of effort from some of the members.Friday night Colts Cricket commences on 30th April and we will endeavour to cause the least disruption possible to our neighbours. Please let me know if you have problems with cars parking in positions that obstruct your access.
We welcome a number of new players this season and are always hoping to recruit yet more. We are confident that we can offer something for any player, of almost any age, so visit our website at www.theleecc.org.uk and make yourself known. We run 1st and 2nd XI teams on Saturday in a local league, and friendly fixtures for our Sunday XI. Spectators are very welcome and I look forward to welcoming new visitors to this glorious ground.
So here’s to a successful season, and some really good cricket.