surely dickie you can pop in for half hour, before goin on to your 'do'.......

Chaps, some very bad news to pass on to you.

Clive has informed me of the very sad death of Arthur Dougherty (Fothergill and Harveys). Apparently he was taken ill some time last week and died shortly thereafter. We must extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends, and to all at F&H CC. It's a tragic loss.

Arthur was one of those players who always played the game with a smile on his face, and was a dogged opponent. Only a handful of years ago he was one of the most dangerous batsmen in the league, his unorthodox style proving a real handful to bowl at - those of us who have put our hands on our hips in exasperation as another decent off stump delivery was whipped through backward square leg will know only too well what I'm talking about!

One of my fondest memories of "Doc" was when we were playing for the NMCL interleague representative team at some place down in Staffordshire. The opposition included about 7 league pros and were giving us a bit of a hiding. I can remember Arthur striding out to bat with Barrington Browne, a West Indian international quickie, steaming in - and Doc was determined to stay helmetless. The look on Browne's face as this diminutive ginger headed chap hooked and pulled him with little apparent fear was tremendous - and it certainly gave the rest of us who were waiting to bat some palpitations!

He was a lovely fellow and is a tremendous loss to his club, this league and cricket in general. RIP Arthur, and may you swipe many a ball through square leg, wherever you are now.

Hope we're all excited about the season - less than a month away now folks! Get the kit dusted off for Thursday night's 1st net session! The NMCL have finally updated their site with all the year's fixtures, so if you want to know when the Oldham pair are meeting for their annual sparring, check it out!

the india/pakistan test series has finished all spuare at one apiece in what seems to have been an excellent competition. shame that there has been little coverage on sky or by anyone else. still south africa v's zimbawe was nearly as good! hardly!
laters

in fairness on the womens cricket and wides etc... i take it they play to the same standard of umpiring as the mens international game? if this be the case, then how would we match up if we had the same level of umpiring?

anyway i wouldnt complain with a victory like that on day one of the season!

I was wondering when that was coming! Ahh Good friday tomorrow, the annual all day power drinking session at the dogs! See my pre season diet doesn't change, but I have given up them nasty cigarettes. Well done me! I'm absolutley gasping for one though.

Indeed, I must agree. It always seems more relevant when it's Matt bowling 38 wides ... particularly when stood at first slip ;-)

Just seen the stats on the Womens cricket, Sri Lanka scored 70 and 38 of were wides!! I think thats why theres no interest.

the womens cricket world cup is apparently taking place in south africa. england are playing sri lanka, with england batting and on 68 for 1 but you would never of know by the lack of coverage. i mean you would have thought sky sports might have been interested in promoting female sport and aired live coverage. instead golf (fair enough i suppose), horse racing news (boring) and teleshopping currently block the air waves. so i thought i would check the teams progress online. bbc.co.uk sports and in the corner a small discrete box indicating live up dates. even the bbc are really interested.
i know what you are thinking, 'what is he dribbling on about' or 'it's only women's cricket'.
well my answer is that it's cricket and it should be promoted and the fact that our women's national team have brought home the silver ware on two occasions (twice world champs).
laters....Discuss??

Cotters, this is excellent news. Really pleased you'll be playing. That strengthens the bowling back up no end.

Note complete lack of sarcastic comments too - it's genuinely good news.

excellent news cotters!!! who for remains to be seen (opposition batters?) , only jokin fella...and i know what you're thinkin 'poeple in glass houses' ;-)
laters

These rumours were true but I've changed my course so I can be available (if required naturally) from the start of the season.

well cotters i am led to believe that we will not be seeing these 5 over marathon spells until june-ish is this true? and how so.

i think it could be 'COME ON COTTERS'

Enjoyed football last week.

Looking forward to nets (only one week away). Spoke to the Skundric lst week, he's hitting double century's and taking 10 wickets per game.... hmmmmm...... As for me I think bowling 5 overs without throwing up will be a bonus, oh yeah not getting karted would help as well!

First one of the year " COME ON"

clive, any idea about when the new shed in going to turn up? if so have you got a date to erect it? (the shed that is)

i think i'll try and perfect the good length leg-spin ball first........ but you never know i might drop in the odd mystery ball. that is as soon as i manage to copy young jedi's technique to bowl a ball that is slow and straight and which batsman seem to be hoodwinked by.
laters

Nick,

If you manage to develop a top class "doosra" I think we'll be able to keep it under wraps ;-) Keep working on it.

Sorry I couldn't get to the ground at the weekend - too many birthday festivities ...

i would like it be known that if the icc have any doubts in regards to my bowling i would be happy to fly to australia for my action to be 'checked out' and stay there as long as it takes to identify any illeagal faults (notes i'didn't say just faults as i'm sure there is plenty of them for people to see, especially the batsmen). i could possible meet Harbhajan Singh and teach him a trick or two.
laters.......bags pack and readyto go???!! ;-)

well the shed was up when i left the ground at 11:00 this morning. lets hope there are no strong winds any time soon as i dont want to be putting that shed up a third time.
poor turn out for the job i have to say with just clive, keith and myself there, with dasher making a late but timely apperance.
still it's done and there sounds like clive is sorting out another shed so perhaps there will be a better attendance next time.
laters

I was waiting for that! No, I'm not hoping for some Graham Gooch/Austin Healey type transformation, I was actually looking to see which sites link to ours ... and that came up as a bit of an oddity!

Ok Paul - I'll be the one brave enough to ask - what were you up to on that hair site in the first place????

Marvellous. Chaps, just come across something hysterical, which shows how crazy this whole InternetWeb thing is. Look at this site, scroll down and note the TSJCC reference!

http://www.tophairdirectory.com/wigs/M-V/nh-wigs.html

Just a quick reminder that if anyone wants something putting up on the website, you can send it to me or Cliff (who will then send it to me!). Young Danny asked about a tribute to the 2nds cup run last year. Absolutely. Someone email me some pics and the facts and figures and I'll post it.

if any of the players that do turn up turn out to be duck eggs, don't blame me. i'm only tell you what i've been told! time will tell, but i'm gettin myself out of anything before i get in it.....if you know what i mean?

captaincy situation came to a quicker than expected result. it also see's a completely new leadership team for the 1st which should be interesting and that 2nd team stalwart jones keep his finger in as 2nd team vice.

laters

A few quick notes from the AGM last night.

1. Captains for 2005

1st XI - Dasher Deegan (icon), with Nelly Butt as Vice
2nd XI - Andy (uphill into the wind no more) Smith, with Micky J as Vice on the 1 or 2 weeks he won't be opening the batting for the 1sts.

2. Club Officials

CDO, President, Chairman, Secretary unchanged
Dickie P has taken over as Treasurer
Doc P elected onto general club committee
The position of Vice Chairman is unfilled after Brian stepped down and no-one stood to replace him (Dickie: "Scott, are you interested?" Scoop: "No, Richard, which is why I didn't say anything")

3. 100 Club

An impassioned plea from Cliff for more people to join the 100 club - numbers have dwindled alarmingly over the past couple of seasons. At the very least every playing member should be in. It's only 12 pounds a year, which as Dickie P very helpfully pointed out "is only a pound a month". Cheers, Mr Treasurer ;-) Standing order mandates and reminders will be issued in the next newsletter (for which Mike "ClubMan of the Year" Ainscoe received another deserved vote of thanks).

4. Club Constitution

Due to new regulations in place and guidelines issued by the LCB, amendments to the club constitution were passed last night - basically in order for us to apply for grants and other funding, we need to have a clause which states that in the event of the club folding, its assets will be given to another cricket club, and not divided up among the members. In essence, this is to stop Cliff taking all the rollers home.

5. Groundwork

Cliff noted the excellent groundwork undertaken last weekend, but also indicated there's plenty more to do. In one of the evening highlights, he informed the members about the shed falling over and then said that the sightscreen is mangled "because the shed fell on it". A moment of genius there.

We've also had the entire ground (including the football field) vertidrained. For those that don't know what that means, Cliff succinctly summarised it as "putting 14 inch deep holes every foot this direction and that on the field". Richard noted that while this is great, it also means that half our drains have been punctured as they're so shallow. More comedy moments there.

We're also hoping to get some road chips / shavings (?) and roll them into the football pitch to give us a car parking surface. I think I've got that right. If not, parking will continue to be a haphazard and undoubtedly scary game of chance, where you hope that it doesn't rain and leave your vehicle stranded in 9 inches of mud by the hedge.

6. Bickering

Rowdy and Mozzer bickered all night.

7. CDO Report

Kieran sent us a handwritten note with some thoughts about getting behind the new skipper, whoever that might be, and also supporting Cliff with the ground work and other duties. Hear, hear. He also suggested that he'd got one up on the rest of us and will be playing the role of Pegleg in the end of season pirate evening!!! ;-)

8. Fundraising

Cliff noted that we'd recently been unsuccessful "but very close" in a bid to get a grant for professional drainage. He noted that we'll be submitting further grants as soon as mid-March.

Nelly asked why we couldn't have two race nights given the excellent money-spinners of the past few seasons. It was commented that people might not want to support two events like that, and so we're looking into an alternative summer event, in all likelihood a single wicket competition/barbeque/family day in July, which hopefully Young Jedi will organise. Unless he's too busy at Premieres of the final Star Wars movie, anyway.

9. New players

We could face quite a few problems on the playing side this year. In a moment "off camera" that needs reporting, Scott and I raised the problem with Cliff that most of the Saturdays this season feature both teams in action. Cliff disputed this, saying "In May, there's only the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th." Thankfully all the other Saturdays in May are free then ...

With Mozzer retired, CDO injured and Cotters unavailable for half the season, we could be desperately short of players. Nick "laters" should have a few new lads down at nets, we'll see how that pans out. He said that one of these guys might have played for Queensland Under 16s, making us wonder a) if that's Queensland, Australia, or Queensland, Bolton, b) if this lad knows what he's getting into and c) if he's another of Ashley's "he's played for Nottinghamshire" (but clearly not at cricket) ringers. Time will tell.

If anyone knows of anyone at all who can fit into a set of whites and turn out at weekends, we'd like to know.

10. Friendlies

Plans for a pre-season game have fallen by the wayside, but on Bank Holiday Monday, May 2, Bobby Loomba wants a "Totty All Star" side down at Greenmount. In the absence of one, we'll be senidng whichever 11 players are sober(ish) and available. Apparently, Bobby will be "putting on an Indian" after the game, which will be well worth seeing. Unless he means food of course ...

11. Nets

Nets are at Castlebrook on Thursday 31 March and the 7, 14 and 21 April, 8-10pm. Please make every effort to attend and prepare to watch Mozzer argue with the local Jewish school who will inevitably be double-booked with us.

12. Selection

This will either take place on a Saturday after the game, Monday, Tuesday, possibly Sunday, but definitely before Wednesday.

13. Other business

Not a lot actually, despite the above events it was a quiet night. Dasher confirmed that he's still an icon, Rowdy announced that he's going to score 550 runs (On the pitch!?) and Graham Fletcher appears to have turned into Arnold Schwarzenegger following his new weight training regime. As long as he doesn't turn into a killer cyborg brandishing an Uzi 9mm we can all rest easy. Pegleg will be scoring for the firsts in some games, which will be nice (note the absence of any punchline about 'that being a first'), and we're hoping to tempt a 7 year old into scoring for the 2nds - the alternative being some lad that can't write very well. Still, you've got to be positive about these things. Oh and Cliff has a new lady on the go.

Good luck to everyone for the season.

Many apologies and a belated Happy Birthday to Scoop Doggy who celebrated his 33rd birthday yesterday. Here's a pic of the scoopster after a good night out ...

i m not sure if jonesy wants the job or even if he wants a lot of first team action! but may be he could be talked around..... i don't know. still some one 's got to do it.

No-one's dodging the issue ... no-one wants to do the jobs.

My own view is that Mick could be looking at 1st team captaincy if he wants it - he should have been in the firsts by right last year and will certainly be needed this time with KC probably out for the season. We are desperately short of batting and bowling at present, and there are others unavailable for games that we know of.

i take it that the website is quiet because everyone is dodging the issuse of captaincy of both teams? who's gonna step into keiran's shoes as captain elect? any ideas anyone?
rumor has it that mr jones would be happy to vice for the 2nd xi if that okay with any protential cap. i'm sure all will be revealed tomorrow night........ but any suggestions for the jobs?

not sure for 1st..... dasher perhaps if he's keen?
2nds..... stu 'shunts' hunter?

laters

it looks like the pakistan/india test match looks like going india's way unless pakistan can continue their rear gaurd action.

i take it no one is interested in a 20/20 style practise match other than paul. oh well just an idea for a bit of fun!

hope you are feeling slightly better keiran............ any chance of making a return for the last couple of games. hope so!
laters

just an idea, but how about a practise match the week be fore the season starts to get the real feel of batting and bowling again (indoor is not really the same). it could be a 20/20 game or some thing.... a bit of fun .....teams made up of mixing both 1st and 2nd teams up.
how about it?
laters

Matt, if you go for captain, you could open both ... ;-)

Speedy recovery KC, looks as if I'm going to have to open now!

Spoke to denise tonight. Kieran is sat up and also taken his first steps today. No doubt won't be long before he is chasing the nurses down the corridor. Should be home on Friday but only when they have sorted out a zimmer frame and cammode. You think I gest but I don't.

Kieran hope everything goes well with the op, and for a speedy recovery.

So not available for Thursday then? - all the best for a speedy recovery mate!!!

Chaps, some bad news to impart.

The CDO has broken his leg and is under the surgeon's knife on Monday. I'm sure you'll all join with me in wishing him a speedy recovery - he'll obviously miss the start of the season, but that's irrelevant. Get yourself better soon, Kieran!

couple of bits.....
.....first off, bluebell (for anyone even sadder than me for making up the crossword who are actually doing it!!!)....also, Paul; thought the newsletter was a bit dry actually with it being winter, so cheers...and, since you're doing the opta stats on the 5 a side now, what as my pas completion like last night? about 6%??....although I personally thought the whites sneaked it by one?.....watch out too for more Little Britain's in future news.......laters.......BITTY!

Mike Ainscoe, you're a legend. That's simply the best newsletter of 2005, without a doubt! Particularly chuffed with the "little britain" spoof, the wonderful scoop doggy rap, and the picture captions.

We've been trying to get a version online for a few weeks now but not managed it - call me an IT manager? Bah. A few behind the scenes technical thoughts are going on and hopefully it'll be resolved soon, allowing our 1000s of dedicated readers to view the wonder that is the "insert your own headline" edition newsletter ...

Good game of footy last night - well the 2nd half was! The first half was a walkover, with the whites 7 to the good after 28 minutes and the rag tags not at the races. Good comeback from all concerned - and a stonking game.

i have just received my copy of the latest news letter thingy....? and yet again it's top notch!
well done mr aniscoe and co(e). although i do have to stress my disappointment with the method of delivery. i believe a slight alteration to the front cover stating ' distributed by clive'in the shadows' brooks' in certain areas and subject to package!
again well done lads

dickie p's favorite bloom..? sorry wasnt at fothergils that day
LATERS (for those not in the know)