Our Chairmans rearward glance at the 2003 Season; and the hopes for 2004/5.

In our 75th Anniversary Year I am pleased to report that the 1st X1 have gained promotion to the Surrey Championship Premier Division having won the First division. We were graced with for the most part of the season with excellent weather with only two games being affected by rain, both of which we were well on the way to victory. Both the Saturday 2nd X1 and Sunday X1 had enjoyable if not quite as successful seasons.

The social side of the club is obviously important and the Anniversary Cricket Week proved a success culminating in a match between the Presidents and Chairman’s X1s and as Chairman I feel that the opposition cheated. Cricket week proved to be a financial success for the club and obviously funding a club of our type is very important. The Stag Night was well attended, as was the Summer Ball, which was particularly successful as a social event. My thanks to the President for his day, which was also extremely well attended.

On a salutary note we have had to fight the League and the ECB be admitted to the Premier Division as we have allegedly ignored an edict that all Premiership sides should have Colts X1s and we have been given until season 2005 to have X1s in leagues for under 11’s, under 13’s and under 15’s. We have approached Notre Dame School who are anxious to help us, not only with having girl Colts but also making their brothers aware of our new facility. To enable us to join leagues in the year 2005 it is important to grow the Colts over the coming season. We have appointed Darren Talbot an ex-Walton and Surrey under 19 Player to head the Colts academy, however as you will all be aware this is a club responsibility and cannot possibly be achieved by one person. He will need as many players as possible to help with the coaching and also need three team managers.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Steve Lewis for our excellent website. For those who are unaware it can be viewed on www.avorianscc.co.uk. It gives a wide view of the club and also highlights the Colts academy. During the course of the season results and team selection will be available on the site. I must say that having looked at some major companies websites ours would be viewed as exceptional.

All of the committee members have had a busy year and I would like to thank them for their efforts over the past 12 months. Again thanks to John Lane for his hard work to produce the high standard of our playing surface.

To be members of the Surrey Championship Premier Division does bring its problems and costs. To date there has not been sufficient effort from the club members as a whole to help with the general running of the club. For example putting the ground “to bed” only a handful of members were present including the President and myself! More members need to help with the running of the club, being a member of a club like ours does not mean just turning up to play.

Let’s now look forward to 2004 with the hope that the 1st X1 do well in the Championship and the 2nd X1 gain promotion. I am particularly concerned with the Colts and look forward to seeing this academy grow so that we can comply with the ECB Regulations and build on the grassroots strength of the club. Finally clubs do not run on fresh air and my thanks to all our sponsors and especially to Jeremy Hinds for his generosity. For those who are unaware we have a 200 club and this is an excellent way of raising clubs funds.

Peter Ruddy, Chairman, Avorians Cricket Club.

A final word from Darrell, our illustrious President.

May l add my heartiest congratulations to all the players at Avorians, the committee members and officers of the club.

Our 75th Anniversary has proved to be an epic year for the club and not withstanding any pitfalls that may arise l look forward to the future with confidence.

A new addition to the club this year is our web site. l hope all members will use the site and would like to thank David Miller who has taken so much of his own time to construct and combine all the information we have given him.

Darrell.