@BBCRADIOKENTBBC RADIO KENT#kentcricket GOLDEN! Arafat gone first ball! LBW Tredwell 0. Odd, odd innings this from Surrey. Sure there'll be a post mortem carried out
@BBCRADIOKENTBBC RADIO KENT#kentcricket LBW!! Large lady warming the vocal chords. Linley LBW Tredwell 0. 84-9. Surrey is tatters. Went back to a sharp spinning ball
@BBCRADIOKENTBBC RADIO KENT#kentcricket ALL OVER! Denly takes great catch on ropes to remove Dernbach. Surrey 104all out. Kent win by 265 runs! Great win! #getin
Apologies for absence over the last few months from Charlton Life. I've been totally caught up in the launch of the Kent Reform Group, an attempt to rescue KCCC from the crisis in which it is currently embroiled and which has an unhappy parallel with the position CAFC was in this time last year.
It would be nice to think we had a a Slater and Jiminez combination ready to ride to Kent's rescue. But I don't think we have , so we will have to do it ourselves.
The Kent Reform Group manifesto and the names of the reform canddiates for the committee elections were press released on Thursday and got coverage in The Times and elsewhere.
Another old Charlton name, Peter Burrowes, is assisting with the launch of the Group and the full text of the press release and the 'programme for reform' can be found below: KENT MEMBERS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO CONTEST COMMITTEE ELECTIONS AND LAUNCH PROGRAMME FOR REFORM
Kent CCC has announced it is budgeting to lose another £400,000 this year. A lack of transparency has left members in the dark over the future of further progress on the ground redevelopment and unclear on the extent of the club's indebtedness - or how that debt will be serviced. The problems off-the-field have been reflected on it : Kent are already out of both one-day competitions and at risk of finishing bottom of the county championship.
A group of Kent CCC members, alarmed by the club's financial losses and under-performance on the field, have today announced the names of two candidates who will be seeking a mandate for wide-ranging reforms at forthcoming elections for the Kent general committee.
The two 'reform candidates' are stalwart Kent members Graham Holland and Nigel Williamson Central to the platform on which they are standing is a demand for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the club.
After detailed consultation with other Kent members, Mr Holland and Mr Williamson have issued a preliminary ''programme for reform''. In addition to a commitment to greater openness and accountability to members, the two candidates and their supporters propose a series of positive measures which address the club's commercial operations, communications strategy and on-field performance.
Elections are due in early 2012 and support for the 'reform candidates' has already been expressed by a large swathe of Kent members, dissatisfied that in the last three years the club has been relegated twice from division one of the county championship and sustained operating losses of more than £2 million
Yet there has not been a contested election for the Kent committee since 2008. Over the last three years, those who must bear collective responsibility for the decisions which have reduced the club so low have been returned unopposed and remain in office.
Graham Holland said: ''I am saddened to see the club which I have supported since 1957 plumb the depths to which it has sunk currently. I have experienced the triumphs of Championships and one-day finals at Lord’s, as well as feeling the pain of defeats and relegations over the years. But, in over fifty years, I have never known such despondency, nor what I see as the widening gap between the committee and its members, as I do today.’
Kent CCC has announced it is budgeting to lose another £400,000 this year. A lack of transparency has left members in the dark over the future of further progress on the ground redevelopment and unclear on the extent of the club's indebtedness - or how that debt will be serviced. The problems off-the-field have been reflected on it : Kent are already out of both one-day competitions and at risk of finishing bottom of the county championship.
Nigel Williamson added: '' Elections are the lifeblood of democracy. By standing, we hope to enable a debate about the way forward and to offer members a decisive break with the errors of the past. This is an enormous opportunity for KCCC to open the windows, let in the air and make a fresh start, based on the principles of accountability and transparency.''
GRAHAM HOLLAND is a senior civil servant based in Whitehall, who saw his first match at Blackheath in 1957 (as a very young schoolboy!) and has supported Kent through thick and thin ever since, first becoming a Member in 1970. Prior to his current employment, he gained valuable marketing experience at the Central Office of Information, and financial knowledge whilst working at TSB. In addition to membership of MCC, he is a former elected Member of the London Borough of Bexley where he represented his constituents for twenty-four years, becoming Mayor in 1990-91. He is a Freeman of the City of London, and continues to sit on various local and national strategic committees.
NIGEL WILLIAMSON is 57 years old and has been supporting Kent since he saw Colin Cowdrey score a flawless century at Dartford in 1962. He was press officer to the leader of the Labour Party during the 1987 election and is the former news editor of The Times, where he also had a twice weekly column. He is the author of numerous books and works as a freelance media consultant to a number of high profile clients in the music industry. He was the architect of last year's 40th Anniversary dinner, held by Kent CCC to celebrate the 1970 championship victory.
The club is in desperate need of investment. We believe the following measures will help to create a more modern and progressive organisation capable of attracting new sponsors, benefactors and members. We accept that the club has limited staff resources and recognise that the administration/ marketing salaries budget was cut by £143,000 ( 30 per cent) last year. Where appropriate, the club should therefore seek to utilise the vast expertise and experience of the wider membership to assist in restoring KCCC to where we all want it to be.
* The setting up of an advisory committee of Kent-supporting media professionals to assist and guide hard-pressed KCCC staff in our communications strategy and the public presentation of the club.
* A total revamp of the club's under-par website to create a shop-window capable of attracting new supporters and sponsors and of which the club can be proud. The re-establishing of a supporters forum on the official KCCC site, along the model of those operated by our neighbours Sussex CCC and Essex CCC.
* Improved accountability, greater transparency and better communication with members, including publication of committee minutes.
* Greater interactivity between the club and its members and supporters via such initiatives as a design competition and a poll the next time KCCC orders a 'brand refresh'.
* The commissioning of a detailed independent report to be conducted by someone outside the club on the reasons for the under-performance on the field over the last two years. A respected former player would be ideal for this task, which would involve confidentially interviewing playing and coaching staff.
* An overhaul of the club's under-performing commercial operation and the introduction of a range of new money-raising initiatives, from the micro (sponsorship of players kit/ debentured seats etc) to the macro (a major sponsorship campaign aimed at businesses in the populous metropolitan part of the county, largely untapped by the club at present).
* A dynamic new membership drive. Among other groups, this should target the hundreds of local cricket clubs in the county and we should seek to work closely with our regional football clubs, such as Gillingham, Crystal Palace and Charlton. The link-up between Northamptonshire CCC and MK Dons FC is an example of how this can work.
* A revamp of the membership categories to offer greater choice and flexibility - now made possible by the rule changes adopted at the 2011 AGM. In particular, those opting out of T20 should be welcomed as full members rather than their current 'ticket package holder' designation.
* The creation of a premium membership category, offering VIP viewing facilities, tea and coffee, newspapers, scorecards etc at an enhanced subscription rate and quite separate from our corporate packages. Visitors to Grace Road this season will have seen how well such an arrangement works with Leicestershire's 'David Gower Club'. The 'Cowdrey Club' might be a suitable name for a Kentish equivalent.
* Pro-active pursuit of the possibility of returning county cricket to grounds such as Folkestone and Maidstone, and positive support for the Beckenham redevelopment.
* Support for the establishing of ball-by-ball internet radio commentary on Kent's LVCC matches on the Gloucestershire Cricket Radio model, financially and administratively independent of KCCC, but endorsed and supported by the club.
* The greater involvement of former players at all levels, but particularly on the cricket committee and in working with the current squad. (Colin Cowdrey said in his autobiography: "In Kent, we are fortunate to have a number of distinguished cricket names, old players, to learn from, always prepared to provide a wise or helping hand").
* Accept the reduction in the T20 qualifying round from 16 to 10 games for 2012. Instead of campaigning against the ECB's decision, concentrate on vigorous promotion of floodlit CB40 matches (e.g. ''You love T20? Twice as much cricket for half the money…'')
* Make attendance at four day cricket more attractive by offering imaginative packages along the lines of "kids for free" during the school holidays.
Graham sounds an excellent candidate. Not sure about the other bloke :-)
Seriously, more power to your elbows. Things have gone radically wrong at Kent and, whilst some factors are down to the "financial climate" which no committee can influence, there do appear to have been some questionable decisions over the last few years.
If I was a cynic, which I 'm not at least not too often, I'd wonder whether revenge is a dish best served cold given Graham Johnson's controversial departure c1985.
Graham sounds an excellent candidate. Not sure about the other bloke :-)
Yes, the other bloke is obviously a headcase, as he has been following CAFC since 1966!
Graham incidentally is also a Charlton fan and has been following the team since the 1950s.
A couple of weeks ago, Graham and I went down to Cheltenham for a few days to watch Kent's championship game v Glos.
On day two of the match, we spent a very pleasant morning with Derek Ufton, in which we hardly discussed the cricket we were watching but got him reminiscing about Johnny Summers, Eddie Firmani, Stuart Leary et al.
I never tire of hearing Derek's stories about the 7-6 game v Huddersfield, in which he played the first 20 minutes and then was taken off to Woowich General with a dislocated shoulder. The result was that he holds the distinction of playing in a match in which 13 goals were scored, but only saw one of them !
Some good ideas in your reform programme, but unless I missed it I would want to see greater transparency over financial matters, which is at the heart of the problems. I think you need to make this a stand alone point.
I'm not accusing anyone of fraud (far from it) but Kent have made massive losses over the last few years which has impacted on the quality of players at the club, for example instead of hiring one or two experienced senior pros or acquiring a good fast bowler Kent have struggled and patched their side up with players barely out of the youth team. That is why Kent have under-performed on the pitch.
It seems to me that Kent have focused too heavily on the T20 side to the exclusion of other formats. Despite several poor seasons Kent have made the finals day in T20 twice and were only narrowly KO'd this year at the quater final stage. If the emphasis on T20 for the forseeable future will that mean that the FC side will continue to struggle? I'd be asking questions about the direction of funds for this format and whether the money should be better spent on signing an overseas player for the FC season.
Also, someone needs to be urgently contacting a few large employers in Kent to see if they could sponsor an overseas player or maybe a young player or two.
Is there a system as we have at Charlton (and other clubs) whereby individuals can sponsor the player's kit? If not why not introduce this?
Sponsorship of the match ball in T20 and other formats, has anyone thought of that?
I appreciate that some of these ideas might be unworkable or already in place.
Comments
FANTASTIC !!!!!!
I blame the pitch....
It would be nice to think we had a a Slater and Jiminez combination ready to ride to Kent's rescue. But I don't think we have , so we will have to do it ourselves.
The Kent Reform Group manifesto and the names of the reform canddiates for the committee elections were press released on Thursday and got coverage in The Times and elsewhere.
Another old Charlton name, Peter Burrowes, is assisting with the launch of the Group and the full text of the press release and the 'programme for reform' can be found below:
KENT MEMBERS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO CONTEST COMMITTEE ELECTIONS AND LAUNCH PROGRAMME FOR REFORM
Kent CCC has announced it is budgeting to lose another £400,000 this year. A lack of transparency has left members in the dark over the future of further progress on the ground redevelopment and unclear on the extent of the club's indebtedness - or how that debt will be serviced. The problems off-the-field have been reflected on it : Kent are already out of both one-day competitions and at risk of finishing bottom of the county championship.
A group of Kent CCC members, alarmed by the club's financial losses and under-performance on the field, have today announced the names of two candidates who will be seeking a mandate for wide-ranging reforms at forthcoming elections for the Kent general committee.
The two 'reform candidates' are stalwart Kent members Graham Holland and Nigel Williamson Central to the platform on which they are standing is a demand for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the club.
After detailed consultation with other Kent members, Mr Holland and Mr Williamson have issued a preliminary ''programme for reform''. In addition to a commitment to greater openness and accountability to members, the two candidates and their supporters propose a series of positive measures which address the club's commercial operations, communications strategy and on-field performance.
Elections are due in early 2012 and support for the 'reform candidates' has already been expressed by a large swathe of Kent members, dissatisfied that in the last three years the club has been relegated twice from division one of the county championship and sustained operating losses of more than £2 million
Yet there has not been a contested election for the Kent committee since 2008. Over the last three years, those who must bear collective responsibility for the decisions which have reduced the club so low have been returned unopposed and remain in office.
Graham Holland said: ''I am saddened to see the club which I have supported since 1957 plumb the depths to which it has sunk currently. I have experienced the triumphs of Championships and one-day finals at Lord’s, as well as feeling the pain of defeats and relegations over the years. But, in over fifty years, I have never known such despondency, nor what I see as the widening gap between the committee and its members, as I do today.’
Kent CCC has announced it is budgeting to lose another £400,000 this year. A lack of transparency has left members in the dark over the future of further progress on the ground redevelopment and unclear on the extent of the club's indebtedness - or how that debt will be serviced. The problems off-the-field have been reflected on it : Kent are already out of both one-day competitions and at risk of finishing bottom of the county championship.
Nigel Williamson added: '' Elections are the lifeblood of democracy. By standing, we hope to enable a debate about the way forward and to offer members a decisive break with the errors of the past. This is an enormous opportunity for KCCC to open the windows, let in the air and make a fresh start, based on the principles of accountability and transparency.''
GRAHAM HOLLAND is a senior civil servant based in Whitehall, who saw his first match at Blackheath in 1957 (as a very young schoolboy!) and has supported Kent through thick and thin ever since, first becoming a Member in 1970. Prior to his current employment, he gained valuable marketing experience at the Central Office of Information, and financial knowledge whilst working at TSB. In addition to membership of MCC, he is a former elected Member of the London Borough of Bexley where he represented his constituents for twenty-four years, becoming Mayor in 1990-91. He is a Freeman of the City of London, and continues to sit on various local and national strategic committees.
NIGEL WILLIAMSON is 57 years old and has been supporting Kent since he saw Colin Cowdrey score a flawless century at Dartford in 1962. He was press officer to the leader of the Labour Party during the 1987 election and is the former news editor of The Times, where he also had a twice weekly column. He is the author of numerous books and works as a freelance media consultant to a number of high profile clients in the music industry. He was the architect of last year's 40th Anniversary dinner, held by Kent CCC to celebrate the 1970 championship victory.
KENT COUNTY CRICKET CLUB : A PROGRAMME FOR REFORM
The club is in desperate need of investment. We believe the following measures will help to create a more modern and progressive organisation capable of attracting new sponsors, benefactors and members. We accept that the club has limited staff resources and recognise that the administration/ marketing salaries budget was cut by £143,000 ( 30 per cent) last year. Where appropriate, the club should therefore seek to utilise the vast expertise and experience of the wider membership to assist in restoring KCCC to where we all want it to be.
* The setting up of an advisory committee of Kent-supporting media professionals to assist and guide hard-pressed KCCC staff in our communications strategy and the public presentation of the club.
* A total revamp of the club's under-par website to create a shop-window capable of attracting new supporters and sponsors and of which the club can be proud. The re-establishing of a supporters forum on the official KCCC site, along the model of those operated by our neighbours Sussex CCC and Essex CCC.
* Improved accountability, greater transparency and better communication with members, including publication of committee minutes.
* Greater interactivity between the club and its members and supporters via such initiatives as a design competition and a poll the next time KCCC orders a 'brand refresh'.
* The commissioning of a detailed independent report to be conducted by someone outside the club on the reasons for the under-performance on the field over the last two years. A respected former player would be ideal for this task, which would involve confidentially interviewing playing and coaching staff.
* An overhaul of the club's under-performing commercial operation and the introduction of a range of new money-raising initiatives, from the micro (sponsorship of players kit/ debentured seats etc) to the macro (a major sponsorship campaign aimed at businesses in the populous metropolitan part of the county, largely untapped by the club at present).
* A dynamic new membership drive. Among other groups, this should target the hundreds of local cricket clubs in the county and we should seek to work closely with our regional football clubs, such as Gillingham, Crystal Palace and Charlton. The link-up between Northamptonshire CCC and MK Dons FC is an example of how this can work.
* A revamp of the membership categories to offer greater choice and flexibility - now made possible by the rule changes adopted at the 2011 AGM. In particular, those opting out of T20 should be welcomed as full members rather than their current 'ticket package holder' designation.
* The creation of a premium membership category, offering VIP viewing facilities, tea and coffee, newspapers, scorecards etc at an enhanced subscription rate and quite separate from our corporate packages. Visitors to Grace Road this season will have seen how well such an arrangement works with Leicestershire's 'David Gower Club'. The 'Cowdrey Club' might be a suitable name for a Kentish equivalent.
* Pro-active pursuit of the possibility of returning county cricket to grounds such as Folkestone and Maidstone, and positive support for the Beckenham redevelopment.
* Support for the establishing of ball-by-ball internet radio commentary on Kent's LVCC matches on the Gloucestershire Cricket Radio model, financially and administratively independent of KCCC, but endorsed and supported by the club.
* The greater involvement of former players at all levels, but particularly on the cricket committee and in working with the current squad. (Colin Cowdrey said in his autobiography: "In Kent, we are fortunate to have a number of distinguished cricket names, old players, to learn from, always prepared to provide a wise or helping hand").
* Accept the reduction in the T20 qualifying round from 16 to 10 games for 2012. Instead of campaigning against the ECB's decision, concentrate on vigorous promotion of floodlit CB40 matches (e.g. ''You love T20? Twice as much cricket for half the money…'')
* Make attendance at four day cricket more attractive by offering imaginative packages along the lines of "kids for free" during the school holidays.
Graham sounds an excellent candidate. Not sure about the other bloke :-)
Seriously, more power to your elbows. Things have gone radically wrong at Kent and, whilst some factors are down to the "financial climate" which no committee can influence, there do appear to have been some questionable decisions over the last few years.
If I was a cynic, which I 'm not at least not too often, I'd wonder whether revenge is a dish best served cold given Graham Johnson's controversial departure c1985.
Graham incidentally is also a Charlton fan and has been following the team since the 1950s.
A couple of weeks ago, Graham and I went down to Cheltenham for a few days to watch Kent's championship game v Glos.
On day two of the match, we spent a very pleasant morning with Derek Ufton, in which we hardly discussed the cricket we were watching but got him reminiscing about Johnny Summers, Eddie Firmani, Stuart Leary et al.
I never tire of hearing Derek's stories about the 7-6 game v Huddersfield, in which he played the first 20 minutes and then was taken off to Woowich General with a dislocated shoulder. The result was that he holds the distinction of playing in a match in which 13 goals were scored, but only saw one of them !
NW
Some good ideas in your reform programme, but unless I missed it I would want to see greater transparency over financial matters, which is at the heart of the problems. I think you need to make this a stand alone point.
I'm not accusing anyone of fraud (far from it) but Kent have made massive losses over the last few years which has impacted on the quality of players at the club, for example instead of hiring one or two experienced senior pros or acquiring a good fast bowler Kent have struggled and patched their side up with players barely out of the youth team. That is why Kent have under-performed on the pitch.
It seems to me that Kent have focused too heavily on the T20 side to the exclusion of other formats. Despite several poor seasons Kent have made the finals day in T20 twice and were only narrowly KO'd this year at the quater final stage. If the emphasis on T20 for the forseeable future will that mean that the FC side will continue to struggle? I'd be asking questions about the direction of funds for this format and whether the money should be better spent on signing an overseas player for the FC season.
Also, someone needs to be urgently contacting a few large employers in Kent to see if they could sponsor an overseas player or maybe a young player or two.
Is there a system as we have at Charlton (and other clubs) whereby individuals can sponsor the player's kit? If not why not introduce this?
Sponsorship of the match ball in T20 and other formats, has anyone thought of that?
I appreciate that some of these ideas might be unworkable or already in place.
Great stuff again !
Stevo & Tredders should be nominated for honours in the New Year list.