Trevor attended the NECL AGM last week and below are notes from this meeting -
Firstly admin stuff – I registered team for next year and ordered balls!
We along with half of Div 4 have been promoted to Div 3 so a complete reverse of last year mass relegation.
This is due to Colchester pulling out their 2nd XI from Div 1, St Osyth resigning from the league (Prem division), Braintree College are no more (thank goodness for that) and Wickham Bishops also folded (apparently they never recovered from being ‘skittled by a bowler with a shuffle’ in a Cup/Plate match a couple of years ago when they were on the verge of beating a then Div 3 team!)
4 new teams in Div 5, Coggeshall 2, Springfield 2, Clacton & St Margarets – some angst from teams from Suffolk being allowed in. Committee have apparent rule of 30 mile radius around Colchester, so no likelihood of increased travel distances.
The new Div 3 is Ardleigh, N Springfield W; Hawks; Totham; Worms; WBCC; Earls Colne; Abberton; Harwich.
The league is setting the fixtures, so these will not be known until end of Nov – this does not help arranging friendlies until we know when we start Sunday games!
The cup & plate are now separate, the Plate is for the lowest 16 teams based on the new seasons tables, so we are one of the lowest ranked clubs in the cup – great more fun at the expense of Div 1 teams!
New balls for each innings was defeated by 22 to 20 – I voted in favour as discussed with Pete T.
Most other league proposals passed, most proposed by others rejected – Copdock wanted fines for teams not having their own scorer, and teams to field with 10 players while the other player did the book!
Fines are being reintroduced for incomplete Sportstatz results.
Only point of interest from Graeme Pryke is a scheme called ‘Inspired Facility’ has funding available for capital projects – not sure how the committee want to investigate. Pat was asked to progress sources of funding, so he may already be on the case?
Also of note – thanks to Kevin Hewes of Mersea – sat next to him as clubs were lined in alphabetical order – we will be expected to attend end of season league do to collect Runners Up ’trophy/medal’ and Darren is likely to be honoured as div 3 top batsmen – not confirmed as they won’t decide how many innings qualify for a while – so keep you diaries free for some time in Feb, usually held at Earls Colne Golf club.
Trev