TRIO HAILED FOR SUPPORT
Churchtown Cricket Club are set to commend three of the finest supporters of village cricket.
Fans of the club Mr & Mrs Carder and Keith Knowles, who all live in Churchtown, have followed the team around the region, through thick and thin, sunshine and even sub-zero temperatures.
They have this month been named the inaugural Honorary Life Presidents of Churchtown Cricket Club and will be added to the clubs online Hall of Fame.
The loyal trio travel to Southport & District outposts across the vast and varying terrains of Merseyside and Lancashire supported the club and providing drinks, first aid and vocal support.
Club captain Eddie Bancroft, “They are fantastic supporters, they are with us home and away. They bring down drinks and always see the day through
regardless of the weather. We have progressed through the divisions and I’m sure they’ve had to endure some dire cricket at time, but they’ve stuck with us.”
“They may be pensioners, but they have wonderful and infectious enthusiasm for the game and particularly the club.
Due to the lack of facilities we rarely attract a big crowd, so sometimes Ferryside Lane can be a soul destroying place. Thankfully their loyal support and
presence on the boundary always gives us a lift.”
The role of the Honorary Life Presidents is to uphold the ethos of the Churchtown Cricket Club and to champion the clubs standing as a fair and honest playing cricket club and to uphold the true spirit of sportsmanship.
The club have elected Mr & Mrs Carder and Mr Knowles as recognition of their outstanding services to Southport & District Cricket. As members of the club for over twenty years they have made a significant contribution to the clubs development and well being.”
The new club presidents will be presented with a certificate at Ferryside Lane in the coming weeks.
Contradiction of the week
Portland Wine CC
Match Report vs Ashworth
Portland slam opponents for batting out for a draw
‘Ashworth's reply was negative and obviously a draw was all they were after which makes you feel sorry for their players who do try. It'll be a long season for them.’
Match Report vs Bretherton
Then two weeks later, do exactly the same after Bretherton hit 183
‘Still a gettable target with Portland's never say die attitude. When a win was out the question, Baker and Marshall shut up shop and prevented Bretherton from the win.’
Thanks to Portland Wine CC for that piece of Cricket Comedy Gold. For today’s quiz please unravel the following saying KETTLE * POT * BLACK*
Tales from the Ferryside #2
DELIA IN CRICKET TEA 'CHEAT' STORM
What has Carl Foster got in common with Delia Smith? The answer: both have lied about the preparation of cricket teas.
Whilst Foster has been known to claim making sandwiches when his mother has clearly played the leading role, Delia went one step further recently when she ‘cheated’ to give Suffolk cricketers a mid game treat.
The Norwich City owner and the queen of British cookery Delia has confessing to cheating in the preparation of lavishly praised teas for her husband's village cricket team.
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Those tasty sandwiches that the teams enjoyed so much in the clubhouse were not made in the country's most celebrated kitchen, she has revealed, but were in fact bought from Marks & Spencer!
Miss Smith came clean as she formally opened a new pavilion at Battisford and District Cricket Club near Stowmarket, Suffolk, of which her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones, was a founder member in 1973. It was during her husband's playing days in the 1970s and 1980s that Miss Smith cheated when it was her turn on the rota
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To gasps of surprise from former and current players, she confessed: "I would make the teas every now and then - but when I was really busy, I would get some sandwiches from Marks & Spencer."
The news came as something of a blow to many of the cricketers who had played for or against Battisford and who would, invariably, return home to tell their wives of the scrumptious tea they had just had, prepared by Delia Smith's very own hand.
One former player said yesterday: "The club was renowned as having fantastic teas because Delia often did them. But now it looks like she took a short cut."
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Tales from the Ferryside #1
Frost bitten fingers gingerly stopping the ball, ski hats in the slips and an overwhelming desire to be somewhere else on a Saturday afternoon - cast your minds back 12 months to the opening day of the cricket season.
Even the harshest ‘victory’ shot in a warm and welcoming wine bar could not reach deep down enough to raise the temperature of our cockles.
Fast forward a year and the sun is displaying itself proudly in the Marshside sky, without distraction from any mischievous clouds. It was almost as if a cricket fan had infiltrated the met office and the written the forecast himself. This is why we play this wonderful game!
Weather is always a huge factor in cricket, more so than any other I’ve played. When the temperatures sore and the outfield remain dry, then I couldn’t find a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
When the heaven open, however you almost question your sanity as others shop, eat, drink and enjoy their weekend - you meanwhile find yourself stranded and soaked through at a bleak cricketing outpost. A car of wet through cricketers isn’t pleasant, particularly when they’ve spent a day on and off the field, in vain!
If Town are to mount any serious title challenge this season, then weather will be as bigger factor as any. Last season the club suffered seven washed out fixtures, most of which were more than winnable fixtures. Other clubs continue to play in rain, an option which Churchtown should never consider.
Here is hoping to a glorious summer of cricket!
