Following a pitch inspection at a soggy Alleyn Court earlier today and with an eye on the weather forecast for today and tomorrow, I regret to inform you that tomorrow’s fixture is postponed. I am working with the captains of the other sides to find a suitable date to reschedule the event and will let you know asap.

Many thanks to all those who helped with preparations for tomorrow and/or made themselves available.

Next up is an away fixture vs Old Westcliffians at Chalkwell Park – next Sunday (6th May), 2pm start. I am still just short of an XI so if you are available, please get in touch. More details early next week.

As many will know, the Laws of Cricket have been rewritten with many changes, some of them minor, but some of them very important and/or controversial.

Here are a few:-

Beamers.

Two important changes here. ANY non-pitching delivery, regardless of pace, above the waist of the batsman standing upright at the popping crease, is now a No Ball. Also there is now only one warning, not two. In Under 13s cricket there is, thankfully, some common sense after loads of lobbying. Slow deliveries, if not deemed to be dangerous, will simply be No balls, with no warnings and no sanctions.

Multiple bouncing deliveries.

If the ball bounces more than once before the popping crease, it's a No ball.

No ball/byes/leg byes.

After a No ball, what looks like byes or leg byes are now to be recorded as such, so it could well be one “No ball” against the bowler and four byes against the keeper.

 Equipment in play.

You can now be caught/run out/stumped off a fielder's/wicket-keeper's helmet. It can also be caught if it lodges/is stuck in a helmet worn by a member of the fielding side.

Running out the non-striker (Law 41.16).

This has changed and is now in line with the ICC international cricket playing condition. See the video below. I don't like it but the message is clear. The non-striker should stay in his crease until the bowler releases the ball.

Bat size

I have a gauge for measuring the legality of bats, all set out in Appendix B of the new Laws. Don't worry, there is a moratorium on this in recreational cricket until 2020!

I commend to you this 5 minute video. Please take the trouble to watch it. Click on the arrow in the screen. By all means watch the longer video (about 18 minutes). Click on where it says. However, much of this deals with the new Law 42, Players' Conduct, and various levels of offence and sanctions. I hope that this is merely interesting theory as far as Mount CC is concerned.

During the winter I have attended several seminars and workshops, as well as assisting Richard Harrison with courses on the new Laws at the Leigh pavilion. Our Vice-Captain, Dave Summers, came to one of these.

As always, if you have any questions or require clarification, please get in touch with myself or the skipper.

Welcome to the beginning of a new and exciting season in the history of the club! During the close season there has been a lot of work done already to prepare for the summer, least of all those who have turned out for pre-season fitness on Sundays and who will be toned and ready for the first game on Sunday 29th April (the Nick Clough Tri-series).

As you will recall, 2017 proved to be a difficult season for Sunday cricket in general, and Mount CC and other clubs in the district struggled to fulfil their fixtures due to reduced player availability. This is a trend that echoes the wider decline in participation that has been seen across cricket.

During the off season, Mount CC has been working together with Westcliff-on-sea CC (WOSCC) to address this issue with the joint aims of preserving Sunday cricket and offering players of both clubs a wider range of playing options. For the 2018 season, the clubs have entered into a reciprocal arrangement which will see Mount CC players being able to turn out for WOSCC on Saturdays and WOSCC players looking to play Sunday cricket appearing for Mount. The clubs have agreed that any player from either club will pay a match fee only and have waived the need for subscription/membership fees for any “guest” players.

Given that both clubs enjoy a long and close history it's the best partner for Mount to have, with many players over the years having played for both sides. I believe that this initiative will benefit both clubs, enhance this relationship and support cricket in the area. I think it's an exciting opportunity both for us and WOSCC.

To make this work it will take effort by both clubs to embrace it and make the most of the facilities of both clubs.

Fixture lists will be circulated shortly, and player availabilities will be sought well in advance of fixtures. For Mount CC players wishing to find out more, please contact Bill or me. Let's hope this initiative is the start of more cricket and more players for both clubs.

Let's start the season with a positive show of intent by giving Bill your availabilities for the first 3 games, having a great tournament against Old Westcliffians and WOSCC and showing them what a great place the ACG is to play at!!

I trust you are all well and looking forward to the season which is just 12 days away now! Lots to do and lots to update you on – so rather than hit you with a raft of mails here’s the skippers update.

Availabilities

We have had a good response from our playing members for the first 3 games of the season but are still a player or 2 short at this stage. If you are available and would like to play, please let me know and let’s get off to a good start.

Those first 3 games are as follows:

29th April – Nick Clough Cup (Tri-series tournament) 12 noon start at Alleyn Court – The tri-series will as always feature a rolling BBQ and refreshments will be available.

6th May – Old Westcliffians – 2pm start at Chalkwell Park – Please note the change to the advertised start time – the bar at WOSCC in Chalkwell Park will be open throughout the day and a BBQ will be fired up after play!

13th May – Canewdon – 1pm start at Alleyn Court – a 2 innings T20 format should provide an interesting day!

As always, players, family, friends, guests and supporters as always welcome.

Somerset Tour 2018 – Your attention please

If you would like to join the tour this summer and have not let David Thomas know thus far, please do so asap. Alternatively, get in touch with myself or President Jackson. For those that are planning to tour and who have advised DT, pleased confirm to myself and/or Jacko as this will allow us to assist DT with his planning. DT reports that numbers are down this year and if the picture does not improve, this year’s tour may even have to be cancelled. This would be a terrible shame as not only is the tour a long standing feature of our season, it is also a fantastic week for players and families alike.

T20 Outing

We are proposing a change of venue for our popular T20 outing this year with a trip to The Oval to take in Surrey vs Essex Thursday 12th July. Tickets range from £31 to £35 for adults (subject to group size) with under 16s £5. Please let me know if you would like to come along.

Pre-season Training/Clean Up

Pre-season training will go ahead on Sunday 22nd starting at 11am. Immediately, following that, (around 12.30) we will be sprucing up the place ahead of the season and cleaning chairs , repairing scoreboards and generally making sure we are good to go for our first game. Volunteers will of course be most welcome and refreshments will be provided – details tbc but Chef Montellier was making positive noises about his cooking skills at last night’s committee meeting! Your assistance would be very much appreciated and it should be a fun afternoon and a chance to get together ahead of the season.

Nets

Hopefully, with the weather forecast improving we may be able to start nets outside at AC shortly – I will keep you posted. In the meantime, nets with WOSCC at Westcliff High School for Boys continue on Thursdays from 6.45pm.

That’s all for me for now – stay tuned for more information as the season draws nearer and if you have any questions, comments or ideas, please let me know.

Happy Friday all,

As many of you are aware, Mount CC operates a WhatsApp group which has proved to be very popular communication medium. It is particularly useful during the season for playing members and it has been an invaluable tool for tourists to keep in touch on the last two Somerset tours.

WhatsApp is an instant messaging app that you can download to your smartphone or tablet. It's a very quick and easy way to communicate with the wider group.

If you are not currently a member of the WhatsApp group and would like to join, please download the app, send me your mobile phone number and I will add you.

I hope you are all well and had an enjoyable Easter. The season opener is just 24 days away and I would be grateful if you could let me know your availability for our first 3 fixtures ASAP.

The games are: 29th April - Nick Clough Cup - 12 noon - Home 6th May - Old Westcliffians - 11.30 - Chalkwell Park 13th May - Canewdon - 1pm - Home.

We are also planning a day of season prep at AC to get the place ready. We are looking for volunteers to come along and help clean chairs, repair the scoreboard, we may even assemble a Mount shed if we can find one. Generally to get ourselves ready for the season and make the pre-game routine a little easier. The bbq may well be fired up and I'm sure there will be refreshments available! This will either be on the weekend of 14th/15th or 21st/22nd April subject to availability/weather etc. Let me know if you would like to help out.

Finally, a couple of opportunities to hone those skills and work off those Easter eggs - nets at WHSB tonight from 6.45pm and the popular pre-season training returns on Sunday morning - 10.30am at the AC sports hall. Please let me know if you are planning to come along.