Hello Sports fans
Here at Kimpton Cricket Club we are looking forward to a dramatic summer of village cricket, as we set out to repeat our invincible season from 2020. We have a number of exciting pieces of news to share with you, and some dates for your diary.
Last year, with help from the parish council, we took the big decision to make a significant investment in our playing surface, including adding an artificial strip to the square. The infamous ‘ridge of doom’ is no more than a marginal incline, meaning the ground is now almost indistinguishable from Lords (probably).
As we warm up towards our first match of the season on Sunday 2 May, we have scheduled a number of activities that we would encourage you all to think about getting involved in:-
Firstly on Sunday 11 April (next week!) we have our annual golf day. Master golf bat handler Giles Cooke has managed to squeeze us in at Batchwood Golf Course for an afternoon – places are still available if you get in touch with Giles at the Whatsapp, or via email (milesgiles1@tiscali.co.uk)
The following week - Sunday 18th April – we are laying on a festival of endeavour. We would like to get as many volunteers down from 10am to help prepare the ground, put the net on the mobile batting cage, get the clubhouse in shape etc and basically do a good bit of civic duty. Let us know if you can make it down to help.
The activities will be disrupted at about 12.30-1pm with a spectacle. Following the inaugural ‘running up a hill in cricket gear’ challenge of 2020, a brave quintet will be racing this year. Please do the following!!! Come down to watch people running (then walking, then crawling….) up and down the Hoo pathway. Bet on who you think will win! Have a side-bet on the winning time.
Donate donate donate! This is about raising money for the club, and also laughing at the poor fools who agreed to do the race. (more details to follow on runner, riders and handicaps….). we are expecting a frenetic bit of fundraising activity this season so stay tuned for more info – it is very exciting!
After the race we’ll head back to the ground and, depending on the weather, look to christen the new artificial surface with a net session. This will be ceremonial but also a great way to start warming up for the new season.
The following Sunday 25th April we will be having another net session (weather dependent) starting at 1pm and running throughout the afternoon, meaning you can drop in for an hour or so at a time, and participate. The more the merrier! This is all very much permitted within the COVID rules, but we will of course share more detailed guidance nearer the time
Fixtures start in earnest on Sunday 2 May – the full fixture list can be seen here. We are always open and welcoming to new or returning players. Please get in touch with the club via our website https://kimptoncc.hitscricket.com.
We use the Teamo app which you can download on your smartphone (search ‘teamo’ in your app store) to flag up availability, and also for payment in this modern age (we do collect cash in extremis, but we sometimes go to the pub after a game and cash+pub = uh-oh….)
We’re also hoping to introduce a couple of new features this season for Kimpton village and residents.
First we have organised two junior training courses, starting on Sunday 9 May (10am – 12.30pm) and running for 8 weeks:
All Stars (AllStars) is an official ECB programme to introduce 5-8 yr olds to cricket. Several club members have trained as activator coaches, and will deliver fun, safe cricket training on Sunday mornings. Spaces are running out fast, so if you have friends or family who might be interested, book now!
Dynamos (dynamos) is the equivalent course for 8-11 yr olds, and will run at the same time.
This is the first time for well over 10 years that KCC has arranged youth participation in cricket. We really want to offer the village and its residents something positive, and also give as many people as possible exposure to cricket. The participants of today help make up the first XI of tomorrow!
Second, for later in June we are busy creating some form of ‘Kimpton village league’ to ensure that as many people as possible are able to play. This is likely to be either 2020 (or ‘the hundred’ style_ 8-ish-a-side cricket, taking place on weeknights up at the Parkfield ground. we think these matches should take a couple of hours, so shorter than our usual Sunday matches, which gives a bit more flexibility to those who have less time available.
All are welcome. We are keen to know who might be interested in playing – who knows we may be able to do an IPL-style player auction! – so we can work out how many teams we might want to be involved in the first instance. Please get in touch via email, the Whatsapp group or just pick up the phone – contact details below…
Lastly, we are always keen to get feedback. Is there a way that you might want to participate in cricket but we’re not making it available to you? Any obstacles or barriers we can help remove for you?
Cricket has been a huge part of Kimpton’s village life for 140 years, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and playwright George Bernard Shaw are both former vice presidents (extraordinary but true…), and it’s down to all of us to ensure it thrives for another 140 more. We need your help, and we are keen to ensure participation is open to all!
Iain King footballsiainking@gmail.com 07764 198463
Tom Glinka tom.glinka@gmail.com 07782 218748
Simon Thompson simon@kimptonpark.co.uk 07899 810743
Jacob Sharpe Jacob.sharpe92@gmail.com 07765 160256