Shipston on Stour
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“I’m currently in my 36th consecutive year with Shipston on Stour Cricket Cub, having joined as
an eleven-year-old playing junior cricket. I made my debut for the senior team as a 13-year-old in a
midweek match against Coventry Police. With my father being a keen cricketer, as a junior I always
wanted to go with him and watch and always packed my kit just in case there was the opportunity
where a player never turned up and they needed an extra player.
As chairman, I think the most challenging aspect is trying to do your best to keep everyone at the club
happy, positive and motivated. There is nothing more rewarding for me than going down the cricket
ground on a Friday night, (junior practice night) to see around 100 children running around enjoying
themselves playing cricket.”
Gary Betteridge, Club Chairman
2019
“Our plans for 2019 consist of
being as successful as possible on the
field as well as building the club off
the field. Our focus is on building
the Junior section further so that in
two or three years we can see several
these children represent the senior
teams.
2019 marks a couple of notable
landmarks for members of the
club. This year represents our Club
President John Bradley’s 60th year
of association with the club from
player, administrator and now
regular 2nd XI league match umpire.
Also, 2019 represents the 50th year of
being the official scorer of the 1st XI
for Veronica Murphy.
We are also in the process of
applying for ECB Clubmark status,
so under the leadership of Neil
Harper we are putting in place all the
necessary procedures, paperwork etc.
to gain this important accreditation.”
Ashes to Ashes
“As part of our growth plans we
are aiming to replace our existing
outdoor net facility with a new two
lane arrangement. This obviously
comes with a cost and in partnership
with the Lord’s Taveners, four
club members are embarking on a
sponsored cycle ride taking in all five
of this summer’s Ashes Test venues.
They will ride the approximately 290
miles from Headingly to The Oval
via Old Trafford, Edgbaston and
Lords and it is aimed to complete
during the final Ashes test. All funds
raised on the ride will be split 50/50
between our club and the Lord’s
38 Issue 50
Taveners towards their excellent
causes.”
https://www.justgiving.com/
fundraising/ashestoashesride
Youth
“We would say that youth cricket
is critical to the club. Our 2nd XI
currently have four players who are
16 or under playing regularly, Max
Morris, who opens the bowling and
is a middle order batsman and has
also made a couple of appearances
for the first XI, Conor Murphy who
is a wicketkeeper/opening batsman
who last year became the youngest
player in club history to make a
league 100, Charlie Coyle a young
bowler who has just made a regular
spot his own and the youngest Jonty
Harvey, left arm bowler who has
broken through this year. Without
these boys, the 2nd XI would not be
in existence and under the league
rules if a club has no 2nd team then
the first team cannot operate in the
Premier Division, so youth cricket is
so important to a club like us.
With it becoming increasingly
difficult to attract players for many
reasons and the lack of cricket in
schools nowadays it is very much
down to local clubs to introduce
the next generation to the game of
cricket. That is why the ECB’s All
Stars initiative has been brilliant for
the game of cricket and for our club.