AGM 2025

PRESENT: Mike Howarth (Chairperson), Jim Barclay(Secretary), Roger Barrett, Graham Seed, Jeff Davis, Liz Davis, Ryan Davis, Rob West, Harry Low, Jack Nott-Bower, Duncan Gordon-Smith, Richard Godfrey, Nigel Miles-Thomas, Tim Taylor, Sam Sargant (Treasurer) arrived at 7.30 by prior arrangement to fit in with a tech rehearsal at The Old Vic

Apologies for Absence received: Owen Oldroyd, Shomit Dutta, Ollie Gibbs, Alastair Whatley, Jack Wilkinson, Martin Wright, Martin Mathews, Max Higginbotham, Tom Law

 Minutes Read round the table and accepted as a true(ish) record of last year’s meeting with any matters arising to be dealt with during relevant section of today’s menu.

Chairmen’s Opening Remarks

Mike said it had been a splendid season and acknowledged Liz’s immense contribution as scorer and morale booster and her achievement in being ECB registered, so we may now lose her to Lords. Roger celebrated his 50th year with the club and this was finally acknowledged, at the 3rd attempt, with cake, candles and inflatable banner, at Wembley.

Club Captains report Rob

Stats: Played 36, Won 17, Lost 10 (some very closely, in either way finishes) Drawn 7, 1 Tied & 1 No result, as game conceded by Watford following challenges to Umpire’s (RB) decision  

Could well be the best season we have ever had, at least in recent playing memory.

Good to see some young players emerging,

Rob managed to play 18 and won 16 of the games he played.

Excellent fixture versus Merv Hughes’ touring XI at Raynes Park. First time they’d played a timed game, and they loved it.

Apologised for leavin Vice Captains with some of the toughest fixtures

JD deserves big thanks for getting the fixtures

Highlights: Mihir Agarwal 131 in a run chase. He guested for us while staying with Dipak Chavda to gain experience in England

Rob scored 101 no v The Garrick club in the T20

Charlie Moore’s run of Fivefer, Sixfer and then 7 for 28 v Graces

Remarkable turn around win in West Wycombe game, They had us out for 67 and we dismissed them for 50 with Rob’s 7 for 22!

The Cheshire Tour was a great success, 2 T 20’s on day one then 2 full games and will be repeated for 2025.

Tom and Rory Law intro’d to Stage through the Royal Opera House fixture will play regularly for Stage next year.

All in all an excellent year.

Match Managers’ Report

RB said the polling system for availabilities on What’s App helped enormously.

Every fixture we had 11 on the pitch. RB very happy

MH asked if the poll could be updated as the relevant fixture got nearer but JD explained thatonce it was pinned it was difficult to alter it.

JD said there were 3 games when we failed to provide a team

Sunbury, Sonning (World Cup) and Sevenoaks

Fixture Secretary’s Report

Fixtures to be dropped for 2025 Bank Of England, High Beech, Wandsworth Cowboys, & Watford Town (ditched on account of altercation this year when the oppo refused to accept the umpire’s decision and conceded the match

Dulwich general discussion over clash this year over their refusal to play a timed game. Fixture retained but It will be a limited overs game so we need to turn out a strong side.

Merv Hughes XI visit every two years, so not in 2025 but should be included in 2026.

Couldn’t coordinate a date for the 2025  fixture v The Brigands at Half-penny Down, ( introduced through Sam) Sonning will be played later in season. Thames Ditton still not nailed down because their FS hasn’t replied despite many prompts.

X Arrows 22nd August

We are playing Wimbledon at Raynes Park on May 26th 2025. MH said that it was excellent to have Wimbledon back on the card as it will help redevelop our relationship and possibly allow us access for ground hire at Raynes Park as an alternative to Colets for potential “home” fixtures v other thesps teams, possibly for intro T20s but with a preference for full matches mid-week.

RW extolled the virtues of the tour BUT said he was not available this year for the same dates but the tour could be mid August. This clashes with Dulwich but JD said Dulwich fixture could possibly be changed & since everyone agreed a Cheshire Tour without Rob was not on, so the tour will be 19-21 August.

Treasurers Report

See attachment. Though less in hand than at this time last year, a supply of 24 balls has already been paid for. Full cost of nets for 2025 has been expended and no income yet come in. 

Some discussion on other wandering clubs not paying a sub but just charging higher match fees. Higher match fees for unenrolled non-sub-paying players and levels of match fees for matches with no tea, matches with tea, matches where Stage are required to pay a contribution for ground-hire, and matches where there’s both a ground contribution and tea.

MH proposed that the membership sub be increased to £45 quid and the suggestion was agreed.  Also that anyone playing more than 3 games should be heartily persuaded to pay the club membership subscription. 

Scorer’s Report

Season 2024 Liz Davis
We had a successful season in 2024 and a sense of team unity. This was another season that I have scored fully electronically using Play Cricket Stage. It continued to work well as other members were able to look on Play cricket app links to see the games live throughout. Last season I became a Full ECB Association of Cricket and have used it for other ECB MCC games, and this will continue for the next season.

Using the Play Cricket pro version on my laptop has been easier as opposed to tablet version as it has more detail and is easier to edit. There are a few limitations however, as once you have started live scoring a game, should captains on the day change the number of overs a bowler is allowed in a limited overs game, it cannot be edited there and then. I did manage to find a solution later thankfully and edited it for you later.

Looking at statistics for the season more than 80% were scored last season electronically using the pro software for 2024 season compared to 70% the season before, so the aim in 2025 is to get more and more players with a “Play Cricket” presence so they can look at their own figures throughout the season😊�

The few games I couldn’t attend were scored in a book by others but I have entered them manually into the “Play Cricket” programme afterwards. 

I would again like to thank Ryan for his role as an extra administrator for at times making changes for me and troubleshooting. Over Christmas Ryan also gave me a fantastic gift to use as an additional aid to scoring next season I thought you’d like to see it! (holds up t shirt saying Bowlers Name)

Looking forward to another successful season

Liason with other clubs

MH said that he was in contact with a number of theatrically-allied other clubs and now that free dates for 2025 had been identified it was envisaged that some further matches could be arranged, perhaps an occasional T20. But was this practical? RW suggested a later start time for T20s but it depends on day-length at time of year.

Recruitment, especially of enthusiastic, talented, theatrically-qualifying younger players remains an issue and we should all be aware of recruiting at every opportunity. Coordination of nets alongside Gaieties at Lords has strengthened connections. Tom & Rory Law have joined Stage through the RoH fixture (thanks Ollie).

Break for refilling glasses and toilets. Debate in committee had led to just one platter of spicy chicken wings being provided but adequately supplemented by GS’s crisps and Chairperson’s olives, cornichons,  cheese and mincepies.

Election of Officers

Vice Presidents 

All the vice presidents on the card have been non participants in the affairs of the club since Cornwall was joined to Brazil. What has happened to them? MH has tracked some of them down: Philip Dunbar was still around but he said he compartmentalised his life so didn’t mind if he came off the card. Jeremy James Taylor, was delighted to have been contacted and looked forward to renewed involvement. No contact as yet with Sir Tim Rice  but it would be good to keep him on the card. No means of contact found for Eric Delzenne but passing years would suggest he has passed on to that pavilion on the other side. 

MH proposed Ed Pegge as a Vice Pres. since he is the oldest, longest-playing club member and now firmly Oz based after many years of splitting the year with UK , following the cricket season. This was passed as was the elevation of Jonathan Kydd to VPship. 

On clarification that he was now officially retired from playing, Nigel Miles Thomas was also proposed, seconded by GS and joined a triumvirate of new VPs

Confirmation on the nod for continuation of Charles Collingwood as President (50 years in the Archers this year) MH as Chairperson, JB as Secretary, JD as Fixture Secretary and Nets Manager

Tim Taylor, despite claiming complete inadequacy and desire for the role, somehow found himself reluctantly putting his head above the parapet and speedily inducted into the role of Treasurer, so effectively handled by Sam Sargant over recent years. Mucho gracias Sam, who will happily advise Tim in the changeover and offered as much encouragement as possible.

Social Media: RW said that his mate Rob would do it, but needs the admin login details from JK . Ryan volunteered to come on board as well. Everyone thought this dual headed approach would be a good thing.

Safeguarding Officer. DGW had fulfilled this role and would continue to do so.

Captain: RW to continue 

Vice Captains: Tom Law and Rory Law would be offered VC in addition to existing VC’s

Match managers:

Max

DGW

ROB West

RB

AW

Awards

Batting: Mihir Awal (Top of the averages: 110 over 8 inns, 4nos) RW Highest runs scorer (568 over 16inns)

Bowling: Most wickets Charlie Moore (40), JD in second place  (26)

Fielding: Joint RW and Charlie Moore

Captain’s Prize to Rob’s Dad Peter West who has travelled, with Elaine, Wed and Sunday all the way from Cheshire to umpire for the Stage and was integral in setting up the tour. This prize is a splendid recreation of the original domed trophy containing three stumps and a Stage embossed ball, by our own in-house model-maker Ryan D.

We are now in February, so just March and a bit of April to get through before the white flannelled fools can once again tread the green sward and lock antlers jettisoning the crimson sphere at the waspish willow wand etc. continued page 94….🥱🥱🥱🤮🤮🤮