Looking back 2017
A great season for the Green for the 1st XI good for the 2nd XI but hard work for the Sunday side. This was reflected upon at the Dinner & Dance on Saturday 7th held at Birch Grove Golf Club.
Sunday XI were first up for awards, it had been very hard work playing against strong opposition, we struggled early season for availability and we were limited by the number of youngsters we could play due to the strength of the opposition. Batsman and Performance of the season went to Stephen Nunn, most runs scored, not least helped by the winning performance of 151 v Wivenhoe. Bowling wasn’t much fun Alex Hammond, Jake Harris performed well but they were pipped by Richard Nunn.
Saturday 2’s had an average season finishing strongly, and a number of youngsters putting in consistently good performances. The batting award went to 14 year old Tom Lee, Tom showed increasing promise during the season regularly beating his senior personal best, in the penultimate game he scored 92 against Kelvedon. With over 200 runs for the season Tom claimed the batting award. Bowling was stronger with Jens Wair, Callum McDonald Richard Polley & Troy Collins all in contention, but they were beaten by Tony Lee, Tom’s Dad, making it a family affair. There were a number of good performances to consider but in winning a tight game at Witham, Jens Wair clinched the award with 3 wickets, superb fielding and 37no.
What a season for the 1’s runners up in Div 5, making the front running all season only to fall foul of the weather to be thwarted for the title. So many good performances throughout the season, batting, bowling fielding and keeping, the best performance was judged to be in the first game, a match winning knock of 79 by Joe Young getting the side at win at Nowton. Several 100’s were scored but the award to the best batsman went to someone who got 2 x90’s as well as 1 x 100, and got the innings off to a positive start in many games. – James Parker. It was difficult to separate Matt Parker and Mark Goodall where the bowling award was concerned, in the end Mark just shaded it, but in any other season either could have won it.
Clubman of the Year went to Sam Collins, Sam’s leadership as Chairman of the Youth section has been a huge asset to the club, he masterminded an Open morning in April which saw over 80 youngsters take part in various activities on the heath. The youth section under Sam has seen over 30 new youth players join totalling the youth section to 50! The three Kwik Cricket teams won 50% of their games, the U11, U13’S & U15s won 25% of their games in tough leagues. It’s always a promising time when you see the youth play in senior teams and this year 7 of our U15 team played for an adult team this season.
The club is very reliant on all committee members, but particular thanks this year to Kathryn Spicer for her work on Child Welfare and Clubmark accreditation, Matt Parker for his hard work involving Play Cricket administration and running the Bar, and not least El Presidente for keeping Sundays special and being a driving force off the field (and on when the need arose) for the 1’s in their promotion push.
Players of Year:
Youth player of the year
New award of KC player of the year - James Woodcock.
Youth player of the Year – Troy Collins
Been with EAG since 2011 when played for our KC team. He made his debut for the hardball U11 team when just 8 years old – and took 2 wickets for 9 runs in the game. Since then he has played 50 hardball matches for EAG taking over 60 wickets and is now a regular bowler in the men’s teams.
Despite being thought of as a bowler he has also scored over 250 runs this year for EAG including 3 50’s for the U15 team, giving him an average of 47.
He’s terrible at organising himself but has done a great job of organising and motivating the rest of the team and lead the U15 with distinction this year. Our youth player of the year is Troy Collins.
Sunday 1st XI
It is a big ask for EAG to play in division 1 of the North Essex league. We compete against large clubs fielding top class overseas players.
It is a big ask to be Captain of the Sunday team. EAG have fielded 30 different players in the 14 fixtures, sometimes cajoling the old and the young to come and play at short notice. It is a big ask to be Captain and to motivate a team that often finds themselves at the wrong end of a one-sided encounter.
But despite the challenges the ever smiling, positive and bouncy Alex Hammond has been there leading front the front. He even took some wickets – 15 in all. Without any doubt Alex Hammond is the Sunday 1st XI player of the season.
Saturday 2nd XI
Our 2nd XI player of the season is one of our most experienced players. After a quiet 2016 he returned to the fray in style in 2017 taking 13 wickets, with the team’s best economy rate and was also top scorer for the 2nd XI with the bat. All the more amazing if you consider that he regularly stepped aside to allow younger players to play for the 2nd XI. His form was so good in fact that he was called up to the Saturday first XI, that lasted just one game.
And talking of younger players, our award winner has been an exemplary leader, nurturing our youth players and integrating them into the adult teams. Our winner is Richard Polley.
Saturday 1st XI
As we have heard the 1st XI had a brilliant season – and it went down to the wire. What you need in those tight situations, a real squeeky bum time, is a cool, level head to keep everyone focussed on the job. And someone who can keep El Presidente calm. That is quite a challenge.
EAG had just the ticket in Keith Hammond. Brilliant on the pitch (3 tons, 3 50’s, over 700 runs, 14 wickets), and just as good away from the square with a relaxed yet focussed approached to every part of the game. Keith is a Captain that everyone in the team wants to play for. A deserved winner of the 1st XI player of the season.