The Cricketer Cup
It has been a quiet late-summer and autumn for the OMT Cricketer Cup Sub Committee and consequently I have relatively little to report.
For 2015, Ash Mehta and James Corbett have been reappointed captain and vice captain, David Pollock continues as Assistant Team Manager, and I am delighted that Tony Booth, the School’s cricket 1st X1 Assistant Manager, has accepted our invitation to join the Sub Committee. In particular, Tony is identifying potential School players of the required standard to play in The Cricketer Cup, and introducing them and their parents to us so that we may integrate them into our playing squad when they become eligible. This is a critical aspect in the ongoing process of building our new young side. In 2015 the talented 2014 School Captain Miraj Patel is joining our squad. Miraj is a fine all rounder, and his fast left arm over the wicket bowling with the new ball will add a new dimension to our attack, as well as his batting hopefully contributing runs from our top/middle order. I shall personally be contacting all our players in late 2014/early 2015 to outline and discuss with them our commitment, plans, and requirements, and in particular I shall be seeking an improvement in our physical and match fitness with all our players playing regularly from the start of the season at a high level of League or University Cricket.
Old Cranleighans won the 2014 Cricketer Cup for the first time, and in 2015 OMT are drawn to play away to 2014 ¼ finalists Old Cheltonians at their magnificent College Ground at Cheltenham, where Gloucestershire play a 10 day festival every season. This match is to be played on Sunday 14th June at 11.30 am. The winners of this match are drawn to play away to the winners of the 1st round tie between Stowe Templars and Repton Pilgrims on Sunday 28th June.
We have seen a significant decline in the number of OMT supporters attending our matches in the last couple of seasons. We have much missed you, and I appeal to all to make the relatively short journey to Cheltenham in 2015 to attend our 1st round match. We guarantee to make most welcome all OMT supporters, and nobody should feel excluded or unwelcome, however talented they may be, or have been, on the field of play. I understand that the Old Cheltonians are most hospitable hosts (off the field!!).
The Cricketer Cup AGM was held in November. A significant change to the competition’s format has been made by The Committee in that it considers that it can strengthen the playing standard of the Competition by adding a small number of new Schools whose standard and facilities merit inclusion. OMT supports this principle. Since this means that there will be more than 32 Schools competing, there will be a Bye round of a small number of matches, with effect from 2016, in which the new Schools will be drawn to play existing ones. It is intended that if possible the Bye round will be played in June after the university exams have been completed with following rounds and the final being played a little later than hitherto. The other issue to come out of the AGM is that the Committee is to redraft the Competition’s Rules and Playing Regulations, and put suggested changes to the 2015 AGM. Each year by rotation, 2 Schools are elected to serve on the Committee for 3 years and, from the 2015 AGM, OMT will be invited to serve. We shall do so, and aim to contribute positively and sagely to the running of the Competition.
Philip Newfield
Chairman, OMT Cricketer Cup Sub Committee and Team Manager