Staffordshire Cricket News

 

Summer Coaching Camps launched
by Staffordshire Cricket

 

Staffordshire Cricket are for the first time going to have Summer Camps in various parts of the county.

 

The camps will be mainly five and six hours a day over four days and will cover all abilities from Beginners to County Players on the different courses available.

 

Softball courses for children from 6 to 11 are available at various venues.

 

Bronze courses are an introduction to hardball cricket.

 

Silver courses are aimed at children who have started hardball but want to improve.

 

Gold courses are a full 5 day experience in the week of a cricketer including a full game on the last day.

 

Batting and Bowling Masterclasses are also available as well as one to one coaching.

 

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Local cricket is mourning the sudden death of Dave Kettle, who has been a key member of the cricketing fraternity for many years. Dave recently suffered a fall which resulted in a broken collar bone and on soon, after complaining of pains, was taken to hospital where he sadly died from a heart attack at the age of 63.

 

Amongst the many roles Dave occupied, a key one was the position of Chairman of the Stone & District Cricket League and League President John Grocott says, “It is terrible news. He has been a good servant to cricket in the area and in particular to the Stone League. He has been a good friend to me personally and he will be sadly missed.”

 

At club level Dave was heavily involved with Meakins Cricket Club where he has been a member for many years being Chairman for over 30 years, during which time the club has prospered until reaching its current position in the North Staffs & South Cheshire League. He currently filled the dual roles of chairman and treasurer at the club and Vice-Chairman James Menzies admits, “It is devastating news. It is bad enough for us at our club but it will be a massive blow to the Stone League. It has come completely out of the blue and he will be missed badly as he was such a nice guy.”

 

During the recent reorganisation of cricket in the area, prior to the start of the 2008 season Dave played a vital role and Chris Hopkin the Chairman of the North Staffs & South Cheshire Cricket League described Dave as, “The honest broker in the middle. He was a genuinely nice guy who contributed greatly to local cricket in the area. It is undoubtedly a sad loss to cricket in North Staffordshire.”

 

Amongst his other roles was as a Board Representative of the Staffordshire Cricket Board. Jason Britton Staffordshire's Cricket Development Manager says, "Dave's contribution to cricket was immense both at grass roots level and up to the higher echelons of the game in committee meetings. He always put his views across in a very dignified and structured way brought a common sense approach to dealing with issues."

 

Dave leaves a wife Margaret and sons Andrew and Richard

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Stafford Prep School emerged victorious in a keenly contested finals day of the ASDA County open kwik cricket competition.

 

Ten schools took part in the competition at Moddershall Cricket Club after several weeks of district competition.

 

The semi finals during the afternoon saw two very close games with Stafford Prep School defeating a very good Revensmead side from Newcastle. In the other semi final St Edwards from Leek defeated Oldfields from Uttoxeter.

 

St Edwards won the toss and batted in the final getting off to a positive start but a loss of wickets in the middle section left the Leek school finishing on 219. 

 

This looked to be easy for Stafford prep but the Leek school battling back tremendously with the final result in doubt until the penultimate ball before Stafford hit a final six off the last ball to finish winners by 14 runs.

 

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Staffordshire  U17’s  v. England Ladies in a
20/20 match @ Denstone College

 

An interesting challenge for a mixed and relatively inexperienced Staffordshire side comprising five U17’s, five U16’s and one U15 against a full strength and experienced England Ladies team.

 

England Ladies batted first and set off at an excellent rate of 8 an over, before losing Claire Taylor at 40 for 1, caught behind by Curtis Lally off Gareth Woolley for 20 in the 5^th over. Charlotte Edwards followed 10 runs later, bowled by Matt Coxon in a very tight spell of bowling and the introduction of spin was the downfall of Beth Morgan holing out in the deep to  a good catch by Coxon off Jack Warren.

 

Lydia Greenaway & Jenny Gunn put on a 4^th wicket partnership of 49 in 7 overs until Gunn was caught & bowled by David Jones for 24 on 106 for4. Greg Chance grabbed 2 wickets in the final over, bowling Greenaway for an excellent 45 and having Laura Marsh stumped by Lally for 5. Staffordshires Danielle Wyatt finished on 2 not out in a total of 132 for 6 wkts in the 20 overs.

 

Staffordshire's reply was cautious reaching 23 in the 7^th over when Alex Thomson was bowled for 14, trying to sweep spinner Holly Colvin. No 3 Jack Davis put some impetus into the innings, however at 50 in the tenth over opener Adil Jiva holed out on the square leg boundary to Danielle Wyatt for 12. Davis continued to play some excellent shots and boost the run rate to around 6 an over when he was stumped by Sarah Taylor off the bowling of Jenny Gunn for an fine 34 on 68 for 3 in the 12^th over. Three more careless wickets fell in the middle order leaving Staffs on 91 for 6 with 3.3 overs left and 42 runs required. Lewis Jelfs  hit out pushing the score upto 113 in the 19^th over, Warren was caught off Anya Shrubshole on 113 for 7 and Jelfs in the final over was out for 27 to a quite brilliant catch by Heather Knight off the bowling of Shrubshole, leaving Staffs on 117 for 8 giving England Ladies a win by 15 runs.

 

Andy Grice
Funding and Marketing Director
Tel: 07831 158522
Email: andy.grice@ecb.co.uk