2009 Letter

10th February, 2009

Dear Harpsden CC member

I do hope you have had an enjoyable autumn and winter so far. Despite all the cold weather we’ve experienced, the cricket season is approaching and hence the Harpsden Cricket Club pre-season letter.

The fixture list is again taking shape due to Suzie Bradley’s hard work over the winter. There is the usual array of weekend jousts combined with seven weekday fixtures. I said last year that the long-term weather forecast was set fair – unfortunately I think I meant 2009 was going to be a long hot summer, rather than 2008!

I am very pleased to say that Andy Bryan has accepted our invitation to become a Club Vice-Captain, sharing that role with Will Stevens. Andrew Norton has kindly agreed to stay on as Club Captain.

The club kit has been added to again with 2 gleaming new cricket bats, new gloves and various other sundry additions. We have also finally acquired some new bails for Ollie, Will, Christian, Ed and all the Toms et al to aim at.

Will Stevens has kindly offered to prepare the statistics again this season (with back-up from Ed Birkett when/if he goes away) and we would be grateful if you could all ensure that the scorebooks are filled in fully, and correctly, including details on the fall of wickets, so that we can monitor not just individual scores, but also partnerships.

Miles has been keeping me in touch with how much weight he has been losing this winter on the Atkins diet. The leaner/meaner Miles Hodgkiss is aiming to pick up all the awards this year, so the competition is on!

We have decided to invest some of the club funds this year on a cricket mower – the experts believe that taking more grass off the wickets will increase the amount of bounce. I’m sure both the quicker bowlers and the spinners will benefit. We are also making a significant investment by replacing the hot water system to ensure that there are hot showers for all. We have really struggled with the current system and expect to have the new system in place before the start of the season. We are also going to give the showers an industrial clean to get them into appealing shape!

We are also looking to build a lockable box in the home changing room to store all the kit. Not only is this likely to give us more room for changing and keep the changing room looking tidy, it is also going to make it easier for us when we rent out the ground, thus potentially enhancing our revenue as we become more inclined to rent.
There are a couple of other projects that we are considering. Firstly, Joanna Cary will survey the tea ladies/men this summer to see whether we should look to install a dishwasher in the kitchen. We will also consider, over the course of the season, whether we should put in automatic watering system for the square to ensure better re-growth, and hence probably better pitches, than we currently have.

We have organised a spring get-together at the Himalayan Tandoori (16 Reading Road, Henley) on Saturday 14th March at 6.30pm for 7.30. We have reserved the private room on the first floor and despite the significant increase in the cost of rice over the last year we have managed to keep the cost down to £13 a head for an all-you-can-eat blend of starters, mains, popadoms, nans etc. Depending on the balance of students, and non-students, this should work out about £10 a head for students and £16 for others. Drinks will be extra. I would be grateful if you could let me know (rodbirkett@btinternet.com) whether you will be to attend. We can fit in up to about 35 people and hence the attendance of spouses and siblings will depend on how we are going with numbers.

The reason we are starting the curry night at 6.30 is that we have decided to have the AGM then, preceding the dinner. If anyone would like to come for the formal part of the evening, then please arrive promptly for 6.30, if you wish to just attend the dinner then some time around 7.15pm would probably be about right.

A few dates for your diaries;

Saturday 14th March, 6.30pm to 7.15pm; AGM at The Himalayan Tandoori at 16 Reading Road, Henley.

Saturday 14th March, 7.15pm for 7.30; Curry at The Himalayan Tandoori in Henley.

The Shiplake College nets are no longer available to us and so we are trying a new system this year. We have booked the nets in the gym at Henley College on Monday 16th, Monday 23rd and Monday 30th March; from 7.30pm to 8.45pm. The location is shown on the following link: http://www.henleycol.ac.uk/henleycollege/info/location.html If you follow Paradise Road right up to the end there will a gate that will be open, go through that and then follow the signs to the Sports Hall.

Sunday 12th and Sunday 19th April at 10.30am to noon: nets at Harpsden Cricket Ground, and if the weather is good enough, we might even venture on to the square.

Easter Monday 13th April 10.30am to 1pm: pre-season working party at Harpsden Cricket Ground. There are various jobs that need to be done before the season starts and the more support we have for this the better. If there are enough of us there and the weather is good, we might even get some more nets in, or a middle practice.

Saturday 25th April; 1st Harpsden home match, against Woodcote.

Sunday 26th April; 1st Harpsden away match, against Wargrave.

Sunday 28th June; President’s XI vs Chairman’s XI.


Monday 31st August; Harpsden Six-a-Sides. Will Stevens is organising this event again this year and I’m sure it will be as enjoyable as the 2008 event.

Saturday 19th September; Annual Dinner.

The cost of playing and membership is being increased from last year, although I’m sure it remains among the lowest in the country! The 2009 charge for Adults will be £70 for a season ticket OR £8 per game and for Students it will be a £30 season OR £4 per game for those who don’t buy a season ticket. We are also introducing a charge for evening games of £5 and £3 respectively for those who don’t buy a season ticket. Any increased revenue that we raise will go back into the club through improved facilities.

Ian Whittaker is still in charge of clothing and he will be taking orders for shirts, jumpers or caps so do email him (familywhittaker@hotmail.com), or catch up with him at the nets, if you want to enhance your wardrobe.

Thanks to Joanna Cary the Harpsden Cricket Club blog is in fine fettle so do have a look if you get a chance (http://harpsdencricketclub.blogspot.com). A copy of this letter is going onto the blog so that the net dates will be there if you misplace this letter!

Team organisation remains an onerous task and Jane has very kindly offered to do it again this season but if you were able to contact her (01491 575126) before the season starts with your early season availability that would be very helpful.

We are always looking to enhance the membership of the club as it is the people who make it what it is. Do please bring your cricketing friends along to the pre-season nets or introduce them as the season progresses.

Look forward to seeing you at the AGM/Curry/Nets,

With best regards,