Mark Surridge has highlighted “green shoots” of recovery at Halstead Cricket Club - and hopes his side can have a more successful 2013.
The Star Stile chairman was speaking at the club’s recent AGM, reflecting on a summer in which his side were relegated from the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League.
He acknowledged it had been a difficult campaign but said it was no surprise, given the loss of nine first-teamers for different reasons.However, he believes brighter times could be on the horizon, largely thanks to the progress of the club’s promising youngsters.
“We’re seeing the benefits of enjoying a really good colts section,” said Surridge, who confirmed that former Tonbridge and Felsted School player Charlie Douglas-Hughes would replace Tom Philp as first-team skipper for next season’s Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship campaign.
“Youngsters like Sam Walter, Matthew Webb, Callum Hansey and the three Morris brothers, Adam, Joe and Ben, are now coming through the ranks to play in our Saturday sides.
“Another emerging talent is Tristan Blackledge, who made two impressive 50s for the club and captured 12 wickets in league matches with his zippy seam bowling. He’s a genuine pace bowler in the making.”
Awards were handed out during the meeting and the prize for the most
promising young player of the season went to 15-year-old Webb.
His rapid progress through the club’s successful colts section to the senior sides has been attended by a host of good scores, amassing more than 360 runs.
“This season saw him come of age as a batsman, where he developed a more mature and patient approach to his batting, culminating with a superb maiden century for the second team against Kelvedon in August.
“He has demonstrated his ample potential as an opening batsman of the future.”
Surridge was also delighted with the progress of Catherine Dalton, who flourished under the watchful eye of coach Ian Pont.
“Catherine is an outstanding young player - an excellent fielder and a useful opening bowler, who deservedly won her place in the England Ladies Academy side that toured South Africa.
“She batted 13 times for the second team, scoring 318 runs at an average of nearly 30, with 50s against Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds.“The latter included a dramatic match-winning boundary off the last ball of the match.”
The award for club member of the year went to Callum Hansey.
Surridge said: “He put in hours and hours of patient commitment to the club - way over and above what one would reasonably expect, whether as team secretary, press officer, website manager, taxi driver, scorer, publicity officer, or bar assistant.”
Surridge congratulated the hard work of Sandra Hume in securing for the club its important Clubmark re-accreditation.
The recognises the standing and status of the thriving colts section and ensures further funding.
Trevor Cooper, Neil Morris (as secretary), Dave Webber and Hansey were all elected on to the committee, with Tim Rayner stepping down.