DITCHLING CRICKET CLUB

Newsletter: Autumn 2007

Cricket: the 1st XI achieved a respectable mid-table finish. This was in line with our aims for the season after last year's tough slog for promotion. The 2nd XI ended 5th in Div 4. With 5 clubs leaving the East Sussex League, there's some chance we may still get promoted into Div 3. The Strollers had a good first season under Capt. Claringbull and the Sunday side were a happy, successful crew. All in all, another good season of cricket in Ditchling. My thanks to the skippers and their vices for all the hard work they put in to make it so.

Cricket Week: another fantastic week: our first victory over our friends at Chipstead for 12 years (Searle 53, Earwicker 2 for 33 and Wheeler TKO); another win over MCC despite home-grown Johhny Norfolk's 70 for the visitors; and a nail-biting one run loss to the Royal Navy. Guy Walsh took the champagne for Ditchling performance of the Week. Jenny Adams catered wonderfully for all our culinary requirements and the Week ended with a raucous rave-up with The Epstein.

Ground: the square has been loamed, the nets taken down and the score-hut cleaned and tidied. Many thanks to the following for their help with this: Bowtell, Brown, Claringbull, Clinton, Cooke, Earwicker, Forman, Franey, Jones, O'Meara and Ward (plus friend and baby). During the winter, your committee will be trying to acquire new net facilities and some covers.

Finances: we made a loss on the dinner but a (larger) profit on Cricket Week, so we are solvent. Thanks to everyone for a much improved (but still not perfect) record for paying annual subs. It makes our lives so much easier: there's little worse than chasing money from friends.

Golf Day: this is on Friday 12th October at Singing Hills. Numbers are already good but if you want to play, let me know. Its 9 holes in the morning and 18 in the afternoon. The usual prizes on offer.

and finally….. our Cricket week raffle: I am very pleased to report that the three nights for two in Palma Majorca goes to Kevin and Cherry Rickard. Huge thanks go to Paul Bowtell and First Choice/TUI for once again making this generous prize available.

More news around Christmas time. Winter well!

Matthew Searle
Chairman DCC
07986 383991

---

MATTHEW'S WINTER NEWSLETTER (PDF)