It’s that time of year again the first match of the new 2010 Season! There are a number of things you all need to know, these are: -

Training will be at Abingdon School this Monday 19^th April 2010 from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. We will then have a Players meeting at the Club to start at 8:30pm please do your best to attend those who cant make it to training please be at the club by 8:30pm for the players meeting.

ITS YOUR MEETING SO PLEASE BE THERE!

We need the following to be able to commence playing this season

Caterer – to do the teas for the season, we will be paying £60 for one tea and £100 for two teas done on home games – if we cannot find a caterer then we will ALL have to take our turn doing the teas!

Press and PR – we need someone to collate all our press cuttings and communicate with the Press this season (See David Ward)

Umpires – we need volunteers to umpire this season on certain games

Ground Duty – we will be working in teams of three for each team at home this season; please do not let down your team mates and show up on time for your ground duty

from Oxford Mail website

Abingdon Vale say they have pulled off a major coup by signing Oxford all-rounder Graham Charlesworth.

The 45-year-old has joined the MP Sports Cherwell League Division 2 side as a player, but will also be involved in coaching, especially with the juniors.

Charlesworth, who coaches Oxford University and played for the city club for the past eight seasons, stressed spending more time with his family was key to the move.

Vale’s cricket chairman, Dave Ward, said: “I think if you asked Oxford, they would be very disappointed to be losing someone like Charlie.

“From our point of view, it is an absolute coup.

“We are pleased he has made a family decision. He is someone we have been talking to for a couple of years.”

In light of recent allegations around the league, Ward also wanted to stress that Charle-sworth is not being paid.

Charlesworth said: “I love Home Counties cricket. I think it is one of the best leagues I have played in.

“This is more of a family decision to be honest. We live in Abingdon and now the kids are just getting interested in cricket.”

Charlesworth is looking forward to coaching his sons Luke, who is about to turn seven, and nine-year-old Ben, among Vale’s youngsters on Saturday mornings.

He said: “I have passion for playing cricket at a high level. I still feel I could be playing there [Home Counties], but with our kids at the age they are, it is time to be less selfish.

“Abingdon are a nice friendly club with a good social aspect.

“I’m doing cricket at a good level in my job and this is just a bit of relaxation at the weekend.

“It is pretty informal. I am just going to get a bunch of young kids together and see where we go.

“It is a chance to play some fun cricket.

“Over the winter I have worked with the county age group seamers. It will be nice for me to see them in action around the Cherwell League.

“I have learnt so much and want to pass on that knowledge.

“On the playing side, we’ll have a lot of fun. Winning the league would be great, but we are going to have fun.

“It would be great if we have 15-year-olds playing for us who go on to play for Oxford, Oxfordshire or further afield.

Ward added: “The vision with Abingdon is that we are a feeder club.”

Charlesworth has also set up Oxford Cricket Academy alongside Ward, and will be coaching six to 15-year-olds at different venues around Oxfordshire.

“My passion is getting young kids playing cricket,” said Charlesworth, who will particularly focus on developing under tens.

Ward said: “We are trying to identify good ball players. It may be that we find kids who have not played cricket before, but have a great throw for example.”

Abingdon Vale Cricket Club have agreed a new kit deal which will be in place for the next three seasons. The kit is Surridge equipment and is supplied through Academy Sports of Cheltenham. The kit is available to buy from an online shop, for which a link is here. Both playing and training kit is available in the club colours.

The kit will be delivered to Ben Lanham once a week free of charge (and he will distribute accordingly) or you can have it posted to your address and pay the mailing costs. The approximate turn around is ten days.

Club members are also entitled to a 25% RRP discount on other Surridge equipment from Academy sports – more details to follow (items currently not on website)

Many thanks to our shirt sponsors Withy King, gardengames.co.uk and also to Simon at Academy Sports.

If you have any questions please contact Ben Lanham

Other items such as caps and equipment will be added to the site over the coming week. The new Surridge range has only just been made available.

Also, if you are ordering there are two delivery options. You need to select option 2 – collection at no cost (if you want the kit to be delivered free of charge to Ben (for him to distribute)) or option 1 to pay fedex delivery costs and have it delivered to you.

Abingdon Vale CC have been drawn at home to  Beaconsfield in the 1st Round of the ECB National Club’s Knockout Cup.  This is a repeat of the 2007 fixture which AVCC won by 6 wickets.

The date of the game is Sunday 16th May, with a 1pm start

The cold weather that has hit Abingdon so far this winter has certainly affected the club

Please see the photo below – reproduced by kind permission of http://www.abingdonblog.co.uk/

Once the snow melts – we will need to do some ground work to gwt the ground up to scratch for the new season

From our roving reporter (Ady White) – some photos of the dutch dinner from last night!

[View with PicLens]

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The Dutch tour starts next week (the 20th July) – and will start offwith a 20/20 match on the Monday evening – additionally, there will be a fundraising BBQ on the 18th July – see the flyer.

The tour itinerary will be as follows:

• Monday 20th – July Dutch tourists arrive in Abingdon approx midday. Meet hosts, drop off bags then back to the club for 20/20 match v AVCC and BBQ.

• Tuesday 21st v Cumnor (a). 2pm start.

• Wednesday 22nd – Day off – day trip to Oxford by boat. Sightseeing/historic pub crawl/ games in the Parks. Tour Dinner 8pm at Upper Reaches – 3 course meal, £25 pp.

• Thursday 23rd v AVCC Invitational XI at Hales Meadow (all day game), 11am start.

• Friday 24th v Kingston Bagpuize (a). 2pm start.

• Saturday 25th – Day off – either watch 1st XI v Great Tew, 3rd XI v Twyford II, or Northants v Aussies (County Ground, Northants). Beers of the World in the evening.

• Sunday 26th v Hosts XI at Hales Meadow, 45 overs per side, 2pm start.

• Monday 27th – Dutch tourists return to Leiden.

A copy of the itinerary can be downloaded using this link: Dutch Tour Itinerary, and also, please have a look at at information about the BBQ on the 18th July.

Note to anyone getting the nets out or putting them away at the club:

You *must* keep some tension on the cable when pulling the cable out or winding it away! Do NOT let the cable run loose when winding it up, and do not let the winch run free when pulling it out – you need to pull the cable down the length of the pitch as you slowly control the speed of the winch as you let the cable out.

If you do not keep tension in the cable, you run a strong risk of jamming the cable in the winch (by it looping off the reel in some fashion) – trying to subsequently force the winch/cable will make an even bigger mess! It’ll also result in a long, greasy process of trying to fix it, which I will personally supervise if anyone stuffs it up by not following the instructions!

If anyone has questions, please ask someone who knows what to do before using it!

The committee are concerned that a number of senior players have not yet paid subscriptions. Subscription rates for the year are:

• Senior – £80
• Over 18 in full time education – £40
• Under 18 – £35

Please note that anyone who has not paid subscriptions by 1 June will not be considered for selection after that date. Subscriptions will also rise to £100 after 1 June.

If you have not already paid, please arrange for payment to be sent to Garry Cook ASAP. Alternatively, give your payment to any of the captains who will pass the payment on.

• Think you know the best players at the club ?
• Want to pit your skills against other club members ?
• Does it matter if you play in the 1st, 2nd’s, 3′s or 4′s ?
• Fancy a flutter with a better chance than the bookies ?

….Then Abingdon Vale CC Fantasy Cricket league is for you ! (& partners, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, neighbours, friends etc.)

How to Enter: Select your 11 players (upto 60 points) on the Entry Form (Excel format), pick your unique team name & send completed forms to Alpesh Mistry.

Enter the unique player reference number into the form and all details will update automatically, save form and email back to me. Points awarded for all games (Sat, Sun, mid week etc)

Cost of entry: only £10 (Inflation busting deal ) – Money will be collected shortly at the ground / Sat game etc. Updates will be sent out fortnightly (subject to getting information on time)

4 Prizes – 1st, 2nd, 3rd & last place.  (prize fund will be 50% of total pot) e.g 30 people = 1st = £100, 2nd = £30, 3rd = £10 & last place £10

Let’s get as many people joining !!! The more people the bigger the prize!!! I will also leave forms at the club to fill in for those without t’internet and will be collecting cash over the next few weeks – All family members and friends