Cricket for all is the aim at Priory Park - just as soon as it’s allowed!
Cricket teams across the West Sussex Gazette area are raring to go for the new season – and are desperately hoping it is something like normal.
The new Sussex Cricket League season is due to begin on Saturday, May 8 – lockdown restrictions permitting.
And after a hugely disrupted summer in 2020, players are itching to get back into the cut and thrust of weekly league fixtures.
At Chichester Priory Park CC, chairman Tim Gregory said everyone was hugely looking forward to the season.
He said: “We are hoping that we will get permission to play a full season after cricket demonstrated last year what an important and safe role it can play in providing outdoor recreation and social interaction in a competitive team sport environment.
“Despite the tragic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the club remains in a strong financial position and has continued to extend and expand its offering to cricketers of all abilities.
“We are introducing, for the first time, a Saturday fifth XI which will play in Division 12 West and will be run by me and club legend Andrew ‘Boss’ Barnes. This team is designed to accommodate a combination of women and girls who want to try hardball cricket in a competitive league environment alongside a nice blend of youth and experience.
“While the fifth XI is part of a continuing plan to expand women’s cricket we will also be continuing the development of our women’s softball team that had an excellent debut season in the Women’s August Cup last year.
“We are actively recruiting to grow our women and girls’ section and plan to offer very high-quality coaching sessions for all levels of ability and to create the opportunity to ‘try out’ the game. In addition, we will be working with our alliance partner Goodwood Cricket Club to provide another women’s cricket softball festival on July 1, as we did so successfully in 2018 and 2019.”
Chi Priory Park CC’s junior section continues to thrive under the leadership of James Mayne and Sean Dobbs and they expect to offer more opportunities to as many young players as possible.
Gregory said: “All being well,
Sean will be offering his very popular cricket camps and we will also be offering more one on one coaching for any of our youngsters who are ambitious to improve, with the help of exfirst XI captain Matt Geffen and other senior players.
“Sean will also have his first full season as first XI captain, while Peter Lamb, another club stalwart, will captain the 2nd XI team. Peter has been keeping us busy running exhausting but fun strength and conditioning sessions on Zoom as part of our pre-season build-up so we hope to start the year fit and raring to go!”
Gregory said the club’s biggest challenge centred on facilities.
“Our alliance with Goodwood CC has been a great success and the clubs are combining to improve facilities with the introduction of new stateof-the-art hybrid pitches and net facilities. We are working with the council on a plan to improve the much maligned ‘White Pavilion’ in Priory Park and we would be thrilled if the plans we have worked so hard on over the past few years finally come to fruition.”
If anyone is interested in finding out more about the club or joining at any level of ability, email chairman@cppcc.com