Ramsbottom
FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/CRICKETCLUBMAG
Ramsbottom
CRICKET CLUB
I am Rod Hamer, the chairman of Ramsbottom Cricket Club, one of the founder
members in 1892 of the Lancashire League - probably the best-known cricket
league in the world. Numerous well-known professionals have graced the league
over the years and we at Ramsbottom have enjoyed some of the best including
players who have gone on to captain their countries including Peter Philpott, Ian
Chappel, Michael Clarke and most recently Faf du Plessis.
I have been with the club for
twenty-one years and been chairman
for the last thirteen years. I first
watched RCC in 1959 and returned
when my daughter began courting
the club’s opening bowler. Since
then I have helped the club grow
both on and off the field. A large
part of maintaining a successful
club is in obtaining sponsorship and
having a successful social facility
as it is impossible to fund cricket
from gate receipts etc. It costs RCC
approximately £50000 p.a. to provide
cricket for our members. Because
of our success in this area we have
been able to enjoy many wonderful
moments over the past few years and
to improve our facilities. Our ground
is one of the best in England - not just
my view but that of many neutrals.
50 Issue 49
The 2019 season has started
excellently as all senior clubs have
won their fixtures throughout April.
We are confident of having a good
season and winning trophies. It will
be hard to do this within the new
league structure of two divisions
following the league having been
expanded over the last two years
from the original 14 clubs to 24
- there will definitely be no easy
games in the first division but it is
our hope and ambition to be the first
champions of the ‘’new’ league.
With this in mind we have again
worked and trained hard throughout
the winter in preparation for the new
season. Extensive indoor training
has been undertaken and financed to
improve fitness which has enabled
us to integrate three or four new
signings so that a good team spirit
was in place right from day one. O
ur
excellent
facilities
and
coaching programmes help us to
attract young, promising players to
the club and our policy of promoting
young players to play in our first
XI is another major factor. Our first
XI for the first two weekends of the
year included five players under 19
together with three others in their
early 20s who had come through our
youth system including our captain,
Tom Parton.
Obviously, therefore, the value of
our youth policy is appreciated and
we do have a thriving youth section
with two or three games per week at
various age levels being played on
weekday evenings on our ground.
We also enjoy great support for The
All Stars Cricket Programme due to