A June Preview – from the Chairman of Cricket
The season is well underway now and it’s time to take a breath and look forward to events in June. T20 is definitely the theme with the White Hart Cup kicking off on the 7th June, more Dutch tourists, the VRA Club arriving on the 15th June and the WSICL Cup and Plate first rounds happening on Sundays later in the month. On the 23rdJune we also have our sponsors match versus the White Hart and the u19s even get underway on Tuesday the 27th at home to St Peters. All events to be supported as much as played in.
Tom Paine , with a helping hand from Kev Thorns is looking after the VRA match where the early signs are that ‘participation’ will be more important than ‘competitiveness’. A suitable Henfield XI is being assembled.
We are well versed in the needs of the White Hart Cup where we have new opposition in Streat and Westmeston to overcome, on 7th June, as well as a derby on the Common v Steyning on the 21st. Don’t go to Poynings on the 14th June though – they have dropped out of the comp for this year. Jeppers will be leading the HCC team effort.
Willy Culver will doubtless be plotting a few surprises for the White Hart game and HCC will again select on the basis of participation for that one. A HCC co ordinator will be confirmed nearer the date.
We have thrown ourselves at both the WSICL Cup and Plate competitions. The plate 1st round against Belgrave comes up first on Sunday the 18th June. Fez has been tasked with the leadership of the Plate squad, subject to an injury situation and it would be great if one of our teams can make the September finals day. Jacks cup team head to Balcombe the following Sunday. Squad selection and notification is in preparation but we hope the lure of short format cricket will encourage a few non-Sundays players to make an exception for these competitions.
More generally the availability situation remains very tight. We seem to have 7 – 10 unavailable every Saturday and the 3s are in for a rough looking time with Nige , Howard & Sammy all away for much of June and Fez not able to bowl for now. At the time of writing we literally have no one spare for the forthcoming Saturday and that means NO ONE. I shall be looking after the 3s in Nige’s absence, we will need all hands on deck for those who are around in June with the bulk of our older colts still side lined by exams.
Some good news and we have reached a county final. Our A squad won the SCF 6 a side qualifier on Sunday, a superb day for the club , well supported by the colts section and their parents. We will head to the County ground on the 17th September – now that’s something to look forward to.
That’s enough for now. June is T20 month lets hope for some long summer evenings on the Common watching some big hitting, brilliant fielding and tight bowling from HCC.
Richie Dale
Chairman of Cricket