2020 in review!

Whilst 2019 was an unbelievably successful, and trophy laden, season and perhaps a once in a lifetime experience that we’d like to replicate sometime; 2020 provided us with a once in a lifetime experience that no one would wish to repeat. However, with all the challenges and difficulties that were experienced during a totally surreal season it is pleasing to say that the Club not only weathered the storm but also progressed in many ways.

In March playing expectations were at their height as the 1st team prepared for their East Anglian Premier League (EAPL) debut, a strong 2nd team line up were looking for a third successive promotion (and for some more competitive cricket), the thirds were looking for a title push and the fourths were gearing up to be the ‘nursery’ to bring on the youngsters as they moved from junior cricket.

All our hopes and plans were soon in tatters as the world events of March transpired to call a halt to most activities including cricket. The Club rose to the test and our Club captain, Aaron Pledger, came up with a challenge to keep the players and volunteers active, a positive for mind and body alike. The initial task set was that the Club members would cycle, run and walk a combined total of 1000 km. The aim was to match the £1,500 that Marc Pearson had already raised, with a head shave, with the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust being the chosen beneficiary. In the end, thanks to the efforts of eighty-three past and current members (some as far away as Australia), the target was upped to 1000km for each discipline and a £2000 fundraising target. This physical effort combined with our first on-line quiz evening meant that we raised over £2500 making a total of over £4000 for that most worthy and timely charity. Each year we have charitable cause and usually raise between £1000 and £1500, so this year given the circumstances this effort was exceptional, and firmly underlines the club’s big community ethos.

After a lot of behind the scenes lobbying by the England and Wales Cricket Board where several false dawns arrived. Just when we thought any chances of cricket in 2020 were over, an immediate policy U-turn signalled the return of the sport. Sure, there were some new playing conditions and disciplines to be followed, but cricket was back! The league administrators worked the oracle with some innovative solutions to give the players as much competitive cricket as possible. Groundstaff were also impressive as decent wickets were provided with shorter preparation times.

On the field we bravely entered two midweek sides, and three adult Saturday teams without knowing whether players would want to face the risks and come out of hibernation. Whilst the appetite for cricket throughout the region proved to be excellent the Club was certainly at the higher end of providing opportunities to play.

This was mirrored by a terrific effort by Cricket Development Manager, David Ellis, backed by All-Stars (5-9-year olds) Cricket co-ordinator Rebecca Free, who managed to organise almost a full program of Junior and All-Star cricket in July and August (at a time of year when Junior cricket has traditionally finished). It was refreshing to see all the Senior sides provided coaches on a rota basis to enable these sessions to be completed and provide a valuable link to the Junior section.

On the field the Midweek 1st Team defended their league title and the younger 2nd Team gained valuable experience in what was a very tough league given that they were effectively playing in a division higher than normal.

The second and third teams were scheduled to play five games. The seconds were in great form winning the first two games before a couple of opposition defaults meant that they didn’t play for three weeks. They still won their mini league but this period of inactivity told when the lost their play-off game against higher league opposition.

The thirds had a perfect season winning their four league games and then their play-off game. They were an exciting blend of some experienced and long- standing club players, some exciting new faces and some juniors making the transition into adult cricket. Sean Jenkins, the former first team bowler, had an exceptional season with the bat, scoring three scores of over eighty including his maiden century as he scored 306 runs (and out just once).

The first team were paired in the EAPL Southern section, the 2020 EAPL being split into two divisions of six sides with each team playing each other home and away, with Frinton and Sudbury who between them had won the EAPL for the last three years. They warmed up with three friendlies against EAPL opposition and suffered three defeats, and the step up in class was a bit of a worry despite some encouraging performances in elements of each game. The return to competitive action, after the perfect season of 2019, provided the necessary motivation as the side created history on 25 July 2020, when the Club made its EAPL debut. The win at Saffron Walden started an incredible run of seven successive wins, including home wins over Frinton and a stunning bowling performance to demolish a strong Sudbury side. Just when the title was in our grasp, we lost our final home game of the season against Copdock and Old Ipswichians. This meant that we needed to win the last two away games at Frinton and Sudbury to win the Southern section title. The Fifth team travelled en-mass to Frinton, for the weekend, and they were rewarded with a stunning win against Frinton. Frinton’s line-up included two players who were part of the Essex team that picked up the Bob Willis County Championship Trophy a couple of weeks later, at Lords and another player who is contracted to Essex. That set up a winner takes all last day showdown at Sudbury, where we won comfortably to set up a next day play-off final. We were pitted against seven-time EAPL winners, and the reigning 50 over and T20 English Club Champions Swardeston. This was a game too far for our tired bowling attack, as Swardeston won by eight wickets, although to our credit we made them work for it. Generally, it was our bowling that was our stronger suit and perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that our two defeats came when we played back to back fixtures with the short turn around not helping the bowling unit. Individual honours in the year go to Waqas Hussain who became our first, and hopefully not our last, EAPL centurion. Our bowling strength was underlined by the fact that Callum Guest, Mark Smith and George Darlow all finished in the top four of the leading wicket-takers in the Southern Section. Despite some stellar individual performances it was the combined intensity, combined desire and a superb team spirit that shone above all; and all this delivered several wins that look unlikely at times.

With demand for cricket at a high we arranged a couple of fourth team friendlies and we managed to get an invite into the Suffolk T20 cup. A mix squad of players from all levels of the Club somehow managed to get the T20 finals day at Woolpit. We stuck with the mixed squad for the final and almost pulled off a miraculous victory over a strong Sudbury line up losing by just one run.

So, despite all the difficulties we can look back on yet another very successful season, and one where the Club has again grown. Our standing as a club has increased through our EAPL experiences where we have not only shown ourselves as Premier league class on the pitch but we are also backing it up off the pitch. We have won many new admirers, both from inside and outside of our village. This has really put us on the map as an up and coming Club in East Anglia. We should be thankful to the Parish Council, our groundstaff (at both grounds), our volunteers, our fans (both old and new), the players and of course our sponsors for their continued support despite the issues many businesses have had to face. Our media and social media coverage have also been exceptional.

We again look forward with optimism as we start the long journey in preparing us for our next challenges. We are pragmatic enough to realise that next year will be tougher, and that our successes of this year will not earn us extra points next year. We will look back, fondly, on 2020 but we will not rest on our laurels as we individually and collectively look to improve in 2021.