Badgers Cricket Club – News Archive Page – Season 2014

Affiliated to the CCC

This page provides a repository of all the archived news items for 2014, in reverse chronological order. If you really have a desire for the older or newer entries, then the links below will get you access to all those that I’ve saved over the twenty-three and a half years that the site has been in existence.


Echoes of 2013 at Badgers’ dinner

An enforced move from the South Hatch Restaurant on Epsom Downs saw the Badgers’ presentation dinner up sticks to Chipstead Golf Club where we were well looked after, not in the least by the skipper’s sister-in-law. Mark and Allan reprised their now standard double act, with the averages related trophies find their way to the same homes as last season and most of the rest ending up in the Gordon household one way or another. For the record, the trophies and mementos (for the less regular recipients of the sundry cups), found their way to:

BattingMark Gordon520 runs @ a ridiculous 104.0
BowlingBill Jenkins34 wickets @ 7.5
FieldingMark Gordon19 catches
CaptainsJake Gordon 
Frank ButtRob Knew & Jake Gordon 
‘Wang Fu’Steve ‘I feel a little bit wobbly’ Pitts 
‘Supporting Cast’ AwardVinny Cibardo 

As usual my statistical notes had been trawled for milestones to mention during the speeches, but the usual leavening of humour prevented a litany of numbers boring the non-playing fraternity too badly (I hope). One factoid mentioned by the Chairman which I haven’t revisited since early June, is that Bill lies second in the lifetime bowling averages, behind only Badgers legend Brian Moore. Less obvious is the fact that he also lies second in strike rate (ie. the number of balls required for each wicket) and is ahead of Brian in that category.


Presentation Dinner details

The annual presentation dinner has been arranged for 15th November 2014 and will take the same format as in recent years. However, the closure of South Hatch has meant the need to find a new home and Chipstead Golf Club in How Lane has been chosen as the replacement. The bar will be open from 18:00 (6.00pm) with a carvery dinner at 19:00 (7.00pm) and carriages at midnight. The cost per head is £25 and you should all have received an email from Chairman Allan Butt with a starter selection and full details.

I have included the exact location of the golf club on the 2014 version of the Google Map showing the grounds we play on or for those that prefer more traditional maps you can use this one of the area in Streetmap.


Indoor Nets Season 2014

This season’s indoor nets have moved to a new home – The Cricket Centre in Plough Lane, Wallington – and will take place on Monday nights between 19:30 (7.30pm) and 21:00 (9pm) starting on 3rd February and running for twelve weeks (which takes it to 21st April in my estimation). Because of the ways things are set up, and the fact that we only have one of the two lanes booked, we are limited to eight people per session. Given that that is the case we will be canvassing availability in the same way as we do for matches during the season and managing the list so that we can juggle things to give everyone as many sessions as possible.

I have included the exact location of the centre on the 2014 version of the Google Map showing the grounds we play on or for those that prefer more traditional maps you can use this one of the area in Streetmap.


AGM – 20 Jan 2014

A dozen stalwart Badgers gathered at Mark’s house for the 2014 installment of the Annual General Meeting, with Ben modelling one of the training tops from the club’s new online shop. Things got off to the usual sluggish start, with the kick off delayed until the Hon. Sec. was able to finish his family duties, and two other laggards not arriving until after Matt had made it. I will leave the gory detail of the meeting for the minutes (in the hope that they’ll be delivered sooner than last year’s, which were distributed just a few hours before this meeting) and simply offer a concise overview of the key discussions and decisions.

The published rule changes were agreed and accepted by the meeting, and you can find the resultant updated version (incorporating a change made by the 2013 AGM that I had missed when compiling the previous copy posted) on the clubhouse page. The club officers were re-elected unopposed, with Pat confirming that he has was happy to continue despite having retired from playing and Graham offering the hope that he would be available to play rather more frequently than last season. Alec Cochrane, Bill Jenkins and Vinny Cibardo were all elected as members of the club, with the latter two present and able to accept the honour in person!?

The Treasurer then reported a small profit for 2014, helped by the unusual number of matches played which resulted in a higher contribution from match fees given the 2013 decision to switch back to £7 per game. On that basis it was agreed that both subs (£30) and match fees would remain unchanged for 2014. The almost complete fixture list was distributed and discussed briefly, with all concerned thanking Matt for his efforts.

Tour has been left in the same place in the calendar, with Fenns Bank and Malpas confirmed for the Friday and Sunday, but Rob expressed concern about the numbers thus far committed and requested that a push for attendees be undertaken ASAP before he finalised arrangements. The dinner has had an enforced change of location for 2014, to Chipstead Golf Club, and will take place on 15th November. Indoor nets have also been forced to change host and details can be found in the item above.

Finally, having confirmed yet again that Pat really had packed up playing, the meeting unanimously elected him to Honorary Membership. Given the lateness of the hour by this point further discussions on honorary membership were parked for next year and the meeting closed.


Notice of AGM – 20 Jan 2014

This year’s AGM will take place on Monday 20th January at 19:30 (7.30pm) and will again be at the skipper’s gaff – 11 Tangier Wood, Burgh Heath, Banstead, Surrey, KT20 6AG. All members should have received written notification via email with an agenda and various associated comments from the Chairman. Please make every effort to attend and contribute to the running of our club.

I have included the exact location of Mark’s house on the Google Map showing the grounds we play on or for those that prefer more traditional maps you can use this one of the area in Streetmap.

For those of you that have lost or not received the letter in whatever form, the agenda for the meeting will be:

1Apologies for absence 7Fixtures 2014
2Minutes of AGM 2013 8Bonus Ball 2014
3Amendment to Club Rules 9Tour
4Captain’s report 10Presentation Dinner
5Treasurer’s report 11Nets
6Election of Officers 12Any other business