And we’re off! The 2026 cricket season has begun, and we are undefeated in April. I will admit that it is a fairly small sample size of one, but what a good one it was against near neighbours Rusthall in the traditional pre-season friendly at the Rec.
I was only able to see our successful run chase thanks to a brace of half centuries from Ali Wood and Arthur Plunkett (his first for SCC) but the bowling effort included successful spells from the team’s younger cohort which is very encouraging.
A small but perfectly formed AGM was held at the pavilion on Friday and in short summary, 2025 was considered a successful season of consolidation, we are financially secure and everyone kept their jobs in a show of support for the current regime that North Korea would have been proud of. There were a couple of ‘one more year’ protestations but they were not minuted.
A slightly larger but still perfectly formed social gathering, organised by Ollie, followed at the G&D and was a pleasant precursor to Saturday’s opener. There are other events planned during the season so please keep an eye on Spond for notification.
Like the first cuckoo of spring, it wouldn’t be the start of the season without my annual plea for renewed commitment to your club both at a playing level and in a supporting role for all the things that need doing to allow it to function. As with many clubs and organisations the number of members doing ‘stuff’ at SCC particularly in the Senior section is very small. A couple of more games during the season or an offer to help with some general tasks makes a considerable difference.
My next plea is to sign up to the 100 Club. It is an inexpensive way to support the cash flow of the club and with the added bonus of a potential win each month. We have just over 20 ongoing participants and we should be doing better given the overall size of our membership. A reminder note on how to join will circulated separately on Spond.
The machine that is the Junior Cricket Section is also cranking itself up and Francis Booth our Head of Junior Cricket has been in contemplative mood ahead of the outdoor campaign;
This is the time of year when you can look forward to four full months of Junior Cricket and the most exciting thing is – you really don’t know what is going to happen.
Will the Girls group continue to build on a successful 2025? How will the 2025 Under 11s, our most successful ever team, cope playing against Under 13s in the Championship division – our first ever venture into this division? What will the season hold for our first Under 15 League season since before COVID? Will one of our youngest cricketers in All Stars turn out to be a first team captain of the future? Will one of our players who are currently in the Kent Regional or Area squads be selected to join a Kent County age group squad?
One thing that is guaranteed though is that our coaching team of well over 30 parents will be doing their very best to ensure that each young cricketer who attends coaching sessions is given every possible opportunity to enjoy themselves and develop a love of cricket which we hope will last a lifetime’
Francis Booth
Head of Junior Cricket
I would encourage members of the senior club to come and watch and support the Junior Cricket teams where possible particularly if you are within striking distance of the Rec. Their team spirit and desire to play cricket in a sporting and competitive manner is a pleasure to watch and a credit to the coaches and parents that support their endeavors.
I hope everyone enjoys the season ahead. Do your best to uphold the ethos of SCC. Try to win but not at all costs, and above all enjoy yourselves.
Regards
Mark
Speldhurst Cricket Club 