Good news: for our first game we're up against Beckenham 4th XI at the Foxgrove, which will easily be the best league pitch I've played on! (Ground-sharing issues mean we're using the spare week, apparently.)
Bad news: It clashes with the final game of the season against Rochdale. Here's hoping we've got autos secured by then...
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Also, my Sunday friendly team has already started netting. I got a lot of very strange looks when I took my kit into work on Wednesday.
Can't wait for the season to begin though!
I've heard that OCs offer a somewhat unique "play for the Club, get a free kidney" scheme. It's certainly a different way to attract new Members.
Say hello from me to Simon P if he's still playing for your Sunday team.
Great question. I think probably in a couple of weeks (last week of Jan?), but maybe a week either side depending on when Avery Hill get their arse in gear.
Good news: for our first game we're up against Beckenham 4th XI at the Foxgrove, which will easily be the best league pitch I've played on! (Ground-sharing issues mean we're using the spare week, apparently.)
Bad news: It clashes with the final game of the season against Rochdale. Here's hoping we've got autos secured by then...
-------------------
Also, my Sunday friendly team has already started netting. I got a lot of very strange looks when I took my kit into work on Wednesday.
Can't wait for the season to begin though!
I've heard that OCs offer a somewhat unique "play for the Club, get a free kidney" scheme. It's certainly a different way to attract new Members.
Say hello from me to Simon P if he's still playing for your Sunday team.
Well, I'm just outlining the sort of commitment I expect from my team, too!
Will pass on your regards to Paj, who was our skipper last year as it goes. Pretty sure he'll be returning this year, and hopefully Waggoners can figure out a fixture against Bexley in a spare week if possible.
Well done Cloudy - ICC Associate Player of the Year
Calum MacLeod’s imperious 157 not against Afghanistan at Bulawayo at the CWCQ and his match-winning 140 not out against England were two of international cricket’s most impressive batting displays of the year. The ICC Voting Academy clearly agreed with MacLeod receiving the second highest number of votes across all the individual awards.
Interesting email update from the league received this morning to all clubs, perhaps a reference to the Hartley rumour, as follows; ...”the KCL Management Committee have been advised this week of a club who are having major issues with playing personnel ahead of the new season. As a result of this, the club has called an EGM, and the league will await the outcome of this meeting. This could lead to a resignation of a club, or relegation of teams, and subsequently this will lead to a change in the divisional structure of potentially both 1st XI and 2nd XI divisions. At present, the full impact has not been finalized, however, it is likely to lead to teams being switched divisions, and an avoidable re-working of the fixture schedule for season 2019.”
Interesting email update from the league received this morning to all clubs, perhaps a reference to the Hartley rumour, as follows; ...”the KCL Management Committee have been advised this week of a club who are having major issues with playing personnel ahead of the new season. As a result of this, the club has called an EGM, and the league will await the outcome of this meeting. This could lead to a resignation of a club, or relegation of teams, and subsequently this will lead to a change in the divisional structure of potentially both 1st XI and 2nd XI divisions. At present, the full impact has not been finalized, however, it is likely to lead to teams being switched divisions, and an avoidable re-working of the fixture schedule for season 2019.”
I haven't heard anything but would be shocked to find out that it's Hartley - although they have lost most of their first team over the last couple of seasons with their top 4 batsmen from their KPL title winning side of 2016 (Hockley, Stickels, Thompson and Selvey-Clinton - Hockley and Thompson making massive contributions with the ball too) all gone. Perhaps, if it is Hartley, relegation of their top two sides, in the Club's opinion, is the only way going forward?
"Due to the withdrawal of Hartley from the Premier League there have been major changes to the 2019 fixture list."
Sad state of affairs. Unfortunately, their success has been built around players who have now moved on to either playing a better standard of cricket or just for the money. They will also struggle to keep hold onto a few of their best youngsters who will want (and need to if they are part of the Kent pathway) to play at the best level they are capable of doing.
"Due to the withdrawal of Hartley from the Premier League there have been major changes to the 2019 fixture list."
Where did you get this? We've not had a communication. It's ridiculous that so many players have left, though, unless they were truly mercenary (very possible). How can you really "outgrow" Kent Prem, unless it's the professional game? @Addick Addict - how many former Hartley players are there now in the county game?
Also, I can foresee the top two or possibly three divisions of the KCL becoming more of a "closed shop" in time, given the necessity for young, talented players to be playing at the best level they can - especially if on Kent's books.
When we inevitably restart our colts section, any decent players are going to have to move to play a good level of cricket, so we won't have a proper pathway at our own club level to the first team, which will only be damaging in the long run if our 1s players leave.
(Thankfully though, this season we have an absolute gun batsman returning, who if on form will single-handedly win us games, but this is very short term thinking)
"Due to the withdrawal of Hartley from the Premier League there have been major changes to the 2019 fixture list."
Where did you get this? We've not had a communication. It's ridiculous that so many players have left, though, unless they were truly mercenary (very possible). How can you really "outgrow" Kent Prem, unless it's the professional game? @Addick Addict - how many former Hartley players are there now in the county game?
I can't reveal my sources, but it came to me in an "official" email.
It is becoming difficult to understand how these clubs work - Blackheath 3's dropped down three divisions because they wanted to become more competitive (despite finishing mid-table in Div 5); Sibton park don't run a first team (in Div 3) but do run a second team (which includes the half of their first team that didn't up and leave..); now Hartley drop out of the Prem division as most of their (good) players seem to have left, despite promotion. Couldn't they have played the season in the Prem, taken the money and got relegated? Doesn;t make sense to me!
You are right @PaddyP17, with reduced numbers of kids coming though to play the game at adult level, a lot more clubs are struggling than it looks. My own club have lost their best two junior players in the last ten years without them making a single first team appearance, and now play for one of the "big" teams. If that continues, then we question why should we bother with our junior teams...
It is unfortunate for Hartley but there is a tipping point - players who are paid to play, especially in the KPL, generally speaking, want to play in a side that are going to be competitive because, otherwise, the finger is pointed directly at them when the side fails. One can see a certain other club that is currently throwing money all over the place being in a similar position in seasons to come if and when the money stops.
Three seasons ago Hartley were KPL Champions but the following season were relegated and lost three of their best players as a result (incidentally I see Hockley scored over 1,000 League runs for Eastbourne at an average of 60 last season). Another two have now decided to move on so, effectively, they have lost all of their top five. They have a decent colts set up but not enough of them coming through to make them anywhere near competitive enough - the KPL is incredibly tough and when you see an established team like Beckenham being rolled for 18, it is not hard to envisage Hartley being all out for next to nothing week in week out.
So called "smaller" clubs do, inevitably, lose their stars to bigger clubs - not necessarily for the money, if any is paid at all, but for the opportunity to challenge themselves at the highest level - and I have been at clubs on both sides of the fence! However, most clubs have a different issue - how to keep players who can't get into the 1st team, or ones who don't think they are getting enough of an opportunity in that side to bat or bowl, happy. And some of those will move too. Club cricket can be extremely difficult to manage at times!
What happens now, then? Do Hartley re-form and come into the KRCL? Do they start again at the bottom of the KCL pyramid? Because this obviously impacts on their 3s/4s and such.
I'm a bit miffed as to how "relegation" works, with teams like Elthamians 1st XI coming into the KRCL Championship (second tier of this league). Strange indeed.
Also, if anyone wants to play for me this season (or just at my club in general), just let me know. There will be runs, wickets, banter, beers, that sort of thing. Yeah.
What happens now, then? Do Hartley re-form and come into the KRCL? Do they start again at the bottom of the KCL pyramid? Because this obviously impacts on their 3s/4s and such.
I'm a bit miffed as to how "relegation" works, with teams like Elthamians 1st XI coming into the KRCL Championship (second tier of this league). Strange indeed.
Also, if anyone wants to play for me this season (or just at my club in general), just let me know. There will be runs, wickets, banter, beers, that sort of thing. Yeah.
I haven't seen anything official but have now heard on the grapevine that both their 1st and 2nd teams are being relegated to either the 4th or 5th Division of the KCL. As I say this isn't from an official source hence the two different Divisions quoted!
Sunday nets have been a bit sparse. There's a new guy who bowls decent (if quite slow) leg-spin and bats ok - in the 4s he'd add nicely to our all-star all-spinning attack. I've doubled down on the quicker off-breaks and it's coming out pretty well, all things told. That 30-wicket season looms closer and closer
It's probably up to Hartley themselves how far down they drop (see my Blackheath 3s comment above). It was different for OE's and Sibton Park as they got relegated for not having two sides. It's been all change this winter with five teams promoted from KRCL to KCL. I imagine that HSBC get Hartleys prem slot, and Hayes are now in Div 1. Other changes depend on the depth of the Hartley fall.
Official confirmation has now come through that Hartley's 1st and 2nd XIs will compete in the respective Div 5s of the KCL. Their 3rd and 4th X1s have resigned from the KRCL.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
Official confirmation has now come through that Hartley's 1st and 2nd XIs will compete in the respective Div 5s of the KCL. Their 3rd and 4th X1s have resigned from the KRCL.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
Wow! That's a massive failure for a club of their standing. Be good for Chislehurst to play on a good strip away from home for once though!
Good news for HSBC too, they deserved to go up last year! In Div 5, only four clubs remain from last season, as four have now been promoted and two relegated!
Official confirmation has now come through that Hartley's 1st and 2nd XIs will compete in the respective Div 5s of the KCL. Their 3rd and 4th X1s have resigned from the KRCL.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
I think Hartley might be somewhat of an outlier, though - their money man, it has been heavily rumoured, has disappeared - and the club's best players too as a result. Their rise to the top of the KCL and multitude of titles must have been bankrolled in some way, and that person has evidently walked away.
A cautionary tale for Minster if ever there was one.
Official confirmation has now come through that Hartley's 1st and 2nd XIs will compete in the respective Div 5s of the KCL. Their 3rd and 4th X1s have resigned from the KRCL.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
I think Hartley might be somewhat of an outlier, though - their money man, it has been heavily rumoured, has disappeared - and the club's best players too as a result. Their rise to the top of the KCL and multitude of titles must have been bankrolled in some way, and that person has evidently walked away.
A cautionary tale for Minster if ever there was one.
Indeed - I alluded to them earlier on. However, our good friend, the Kent League Cricketer, is far less subtle on the subject - and has succeeded in upsetting the current Minster Chairman (warning: please do not click on the link if you are likely to be offended by foul and abusive language):
Official confirmation has now come through that Hartley's 1st and 2nd XIs will compete in the respective Div 5s of the KCL. Their 3rd and 4th X1s have resigned from the KRCL.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
I think Hartley might be somewhat of an outlier, though - their money man, it has been heavily rumoured, has disappeared - and the club's best players too as a result. Their rise to the top of the KCL and multitude of titles must have been bankrolled in some way, and that person has evidently walked away.
A cautionary tale for Minster if ever there was one.
Indeed - I alluded to them earlier on. However, our good friend, the Kent League Cricketer, is far less subtle on the subject - and has succeeded in upsetting the current Minster Chairman (warning: please do not click on the link if you are likely to be offended by foul and abusive language):
Comments
Say hello from me to Simon P if he's still playing for your Sunday team.
Will pass on your regards to Paj, who was our skipper last year as it goes. Pretty sure he'll be returning this year, and hopefully Waggoners can figure out a fixture against Bexley in a spare week if possible.
Sunday - from 27th January to 31st March from 09:00 - 10:30
Wednesday - from 30th January to 3rd April from 20:30 - 22:00
University of Greenwich Avery Hill Campus, Southwood Site, Avery Hill Road, Eltham, London, SE9 2UG
- Season ticket for all sessions £60 (20 sessions)
- One day season ticket £40 (10 sessions)
- Per Session £5
Calum MacLeod’s imperious 157 not against Afghanistan at Bulawayo at the CWCQ and his match-winning 140 not out against England were two of international cricket’s most impressive batting displays of the year. The ICC Voting Academy clearly agreed with MacLeod receiving the second highest number of votes across all the individual awards.
Sounds like a messy night in Beckenham on the cards first up then mate!
@cantersaddick get yourself down mate!
Interesting email update from the league received this morning to all clubs, perhaps a reference to the Hartley rumour, as follows; ...”the KCL Management Committee have been advised this week of a club who are having major issues with playing personnel ahead of the new season. As a result of this, the club has called an EGM, and the league will await the outcome of this meeting. This could lead to a resignation of a club, or relegation of teams, and subsequently this will lead to a change in the divisional structure of potentially both 1st XI and 2nd XI divisions. At present, the full impact has not been finalized, however, it is likely to lead to teams being switched divisions, and an avoidable re-working of the fixture schedule for season 2019.”
@Addick Addict any ideas...?
Hahahahahahahahahaha.
"Due to the withdrawal of Hartley from the Premier League there have been major changes to the 2019 fixture list."
When we inevitably restart our colts section, any decent players are going to have to move to play a good level of cricket, so we won't have a proper pathway at our own club level to the first team, which will only be damaging in the long run if our 1s players leave.
(Thankfully though, this season we have an absolute gun batsman returning, who if on form will single-handedly win us games, but this is very short term thinking)
It is becoming difficult to understand how these clubs work - Blackheath 3's dropped down three divisions because they wanted to become more competitive (despite finishing mid-table in Div 5); Sibton park don't run a first team (in Div 3) but do run a second team (which includes the half of their first team that didn't up and leave..); now Hartley drop out of the Prem division as most of their (good) players seem to have left, despite promotion. Couldn't they have played the season in the Prem, taken the money and got relegated? Doesn;t make sense to me!
You are right @PaddyP17, with reduced numbers of kids coming though to play the game at adult level, a lot more clubs are struggling than it looks. My own club have lost their best two junior players in the last ten years without them making a single first team appearance, and now play for one of the "big" teams. If that continues, then we question why should we bother with our junior teams...
Three seasons ago Hartley were KPL Champions but the following season were relegated and lost three of their best players as a result (incidentally I see Hockley scored over 1,000 League runs for Eastbourne at an average of 60 last season). Another two have now decided to move on so, effectively, they have lost all of their top five. They have a decent colts set up but not enough of them coming through to make them anywhere near competitive enough - the KPL is incredibly tough and when you see an established team like Beckenham being rolled for 18, it is not hard to envisage Hartley being all out for next to nothing week in week out.
So called "smaller" clubs do, inevitably, lose their stars to bigger clubs - not necessarily for the money, if any is paid at all, but for the opportunity to challenge themselves at the highest level - and I have been at clubs on both sides of the fence! However, most clubs have a different issue - how to keep players who can't get into the 1st team, or ones who don't think they are getting enough of an opportunity in that side to bat or bowl, happy. And some of those will move too. Club cricket can be extremely difficult to manage at times!
What happens now, then? Do Hartley re-form and come into the KRCL? Do they start again at the bottom of the KCL pyramid? Because this obviously impacts on their 3s/4s and such.
I'm a bit miffed as to how "relegation" works, with teams like Elthamians 1st XI coming into the KRCL Championship (second tier of this league). Strange indeed.
Also, if anyone wants to play for me this season (or just at my club in general), just let me know. There will be runs, wickets, banter, beers, that sort of thing. Yeah.
The exodus of players must have been far more serious than I originally thought. Just two seasons ago Hartley had 5 teams in the KCL and KRCL and must have had, at that time, at least 65-70 players to pick from. So they must have lost more than half of their playing membership and this does not take into account any colts that are now old enough to play adult cricket.
For a club with their facilities (with two home pitches too) that really is a concern not just for them but for all of us.
A cautionary tale for Minster if ever there was one.
https://twitter.com/kclcricketer?lang=en
They've done more damage than good IMO and set a dangerous precedent for club cricket in the county.
Fuck 'em!
https://twitter.com/kclcricketer?lang=en