BEDOUINS AGM 2016

HELD 1st NOVEMBER 2016 2000HRS

Chairman, Brian Susman

In attendance: Adrian Susman, Andy Hill, Richard Spratley, Austin Gregory, John Branch, John Howells, Lee Bywater, Neil Smith, Richard Ferguson, Mike George, Tony Hancock.

BS opened the meeting thanking everyone for attending.

APOLOGIES

Apologies received from V Currie, J Hill, J Stanier and P Lippitt

FIXTURES

BS went through the 2016 fixture list gathering a general consensus as to whether the fixtures would be renewed in 2017.

BS, in full agreement with those in attendance, suggested the following fixtures for 2017:

Wednesday Fixtures

Kinlet (A)

Oldswinford (H/A)

Chancers (H)

Beacon (H/A)

Open GI (H or A)

Enville (H)

A Gregory XI (H)

Belbroughton (H/A)

Sunday Fixtures

Fossils (H)

Oldbury Old Boys (H)

Halifax SSP (H)

Kinlet (H)

JB informed the meeting that Enville CC will no longer be entering a team into the mid-week league. As a result, Bedouins should have greater flexibility and availability for Wednesday evening fixtures in 2017.

Treasurer’s Report

A copy of the Treasurer’s report was distributed to those present. Club funds are currently healthy, showing a small loss for the year of £159.25. Total balance at present is £2414.66

TH confirmed that subscriptions were collected from all regular players.

TH stated that the net sessions made a total loss of £100.

The Treasurer’s report will also be available at the Duck Supper.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

TH indicated that as the club was financially healthy, subscriptions should be maintained at the current rate of £40 per year. All in attendance agreed.

OFFICERS

All current Officers are happy to continue in their roles.

Chairman BS: proposed by A Hill, seconded by L Bywater

Captain JB: proposed by J Howells, seconded A Hill

Secretary LB: proposed by B Susman, seconded J Branch

Treasurer TH: proposed by J Branch, seconded L Bywater

A Susman happy to continue in his role as ‘Head of Communications’ but requested some assistance with team selection on match days for last minute availability.

RS agreed to be a match day contact point.

JH suggested that AS/RS make use of the Enville CC Facebook page should the Bedouins need reinforcements at short notice.

DUCK SUPPER

LB confirmed that the annual Duck Supper would take place on 25^th November 2016, meeting at 1915hrs ready to sit at 2000hrs.

LB will contact the remaining Bedouins yet to clarify their attendance and gather remaining menu choices.

LB also requested clarification of the number of ladies attending the supper. LB will book a table for five.

LB to contact D Thomas for menu choices.

NETS

RS fully endorsed the continuance of winter nets, revealing a campaign T-Shirt.

BS asked if the club would like to continue with nets as they made a loss last year of £100.

BS revealed that nine Bedouins had responded to the ‘Bedouin Referendum’ e-mail in support of continuance of the nets sessions.

LB suggested arranging net sessions on a different evening, such as a Wednesday, to boost attendance.

LB, MG and NS all confirmed that this would make attending nets much easier.

No objections raised to the switch to a Wednesday night.

BS asked MG if he was happy to contact King Edwards to check availability for a Wednesday and try to book the same time slot as last year. MG agreed.

NEXT AGM

The next Bedouins AGM will be held on Tuesday 7th November 2017.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Enville CC

JB informed the meeting that Trevor Spears has been appointed the new Chairman of Enville CC.

Cricket Teas

‘Bedouins Referendum’ e-mails were unsuccessful in recruiting a firm offer to provide the Bedouins post-match buffet. AS informed the meeting that Nicki would consider continuing but would require some assistance in transporting the food to the ground.

BS offered his assistance.

JB, AH and LB were all able to offer assistance with preparing Sunday fixtures teas if requested to do so.

New Recruits

BS informed the meeting that eight Bedouins had responded to the ‘Bedouins Referendum’ e-mail with prospective new recruits.

Club Shirts/Hats

BS confirmed with AS/TH that the Bedouins still have significant stock of new Bedouins shirts and caps. BS/TH confirmed that significant investment had been made from club funds and were hopeful that some of our new recruits and existing members would take the opportunity to display the club colours.

Defibrillator

BS wanted to re-affirm the work that had been followed through by D Thomas in securing a defibrillator for use at the Enville CC ground. This was following a Bedouins suggestion and offer of funding following last year’s AGM.

MG and LB attended defibrillator training held at Enville CC. This was provided by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Cricket Balls

JB will continue to supply the cricket balls via Enville.

AS/LB stated that we still hold a small stock of cricket balls.

RS again raised the subject of pink cricket balls for trial in low light. JB/BS suggested that RS purchase a couple to try out. RS will be able to recoup the cost from club funds.

Golf Day

BS confirmed that he would approach J Davidson about arranging the Bedouins Golf day 2017.

All agreed that Sapey was the chosen venue.

BS stated that Sapey has been put up for sale but is still hopeful we can use the course.

LB informed the meeting that last year, following winter tees, the same deal continued to be offered into the summer months on a Monday.

BS would e-mail J Davidson about arranging on a suitable day.

Social Night

BS requested suggestions for 2017.

Several options were discussed by the membership, however enthusiasm for the event and a volunteer to make arrangements were not forthcoming.

BS suggested the Bedouins Social Night be postponed for 2017. All agreed.

No other business raised, BS closed the meeting at 2115hrs.

Minutes L Bywater

It is with great personal sadness that I must pass on news of the death of Rob Lock. Rob played for the Bedouins around 2011, and brought with him a great knowledge of the game. Not only that, he was a good bloke to have a round, as was his father who often came to games with him. During his time with us he suffered with a bad back, bad knees and ankles and this restricted the number of appearances he made for us. But those who played with him will always remember the way he threw himself around in the field, oblivious to further possible injury.

There was also the time Rob was fielding on the boundary. The ball went to him, he picked it up and shaped to throw it into the wicketkeeper but somehow managed to throw the ball back over the boundary rope. He actually injured his shoulder in so doing, but still managed to see the funny side of it. A classic Bedouins moment, and I’m sure if he could see this now, he’d have another good chuckle. That’s just how he was.

In his youth (we played together in the Oldbury Wells school team) he was a pretty nippy bowler and a good bat and I think he had trials with Warwickshire and may even have played at youth level. He was restricted to bowling off-breaks for the Bedouins, but still showed some classy strokes with the bat, which led me to christen him ‘The Flashing Blade’.

Rob eventually decided to go and live in Spain, and I know he had happy times out there. He had an apartment with a rather nice view of the sea I believe. There were a few pictures and comments on Facebook and we kept in touch via email as he continued to follow the Bedouins from afar.

It’s believed that Rob died of a heart attack on Thursday 8th September. He was found by his son who was out there with him. I’m sure all Bedouins would offer their condolences to Rob’s family.

Rob is pictured above, hitting the runs that won us the game against the Halifax boys in 2011. This is how I will always remember him. The Flashing Blade.

The more observant of those that turned out for the Bedouins (or the OWOBs come to that) may have noticed a figure lurking around the boundary rope during last Sunday’s game with Oldbury Wells Old Boys. That lithe body was Mike George who was stalking and taking photos of the action. He has been kind enough to share some of those pictures with us and they can be found here.

Take a look, it’s worth it and okay, we lost, but it was a great day and one which will hopefully be repeated next season.

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of John Howells wife Jane. Her funeral will be held on Thursday 14th April at the Methodist Church, Potters Cross, Kinver at 10.00am. This will be followed with a service at the Stourbridge Crematorium and a reception at the Fox Inn Stourton.

I’m sure all Bedouins send their sympathy and kind thoughts to John Howells at this difficult time.

Thursday 31st March saw several of the Bedouin fraternity gather for the annual golf day, this time held at Sapey golf course and thanks and congratulations to John Davidson for not only organising the golf but the fantastic weather to go with it.

The first group teed-off on the Par 3 course (above) at 10.00am in glorious sunshine and it was Andy Schofield who scooped the prize after the 9 holes. A superb brunch followed at midday with the usual excellent fry-up before the first group of players were away on the 18 hole course around 12.45pm. There were the usual fun and games on the first tee to see who could get the ball away cleanly for their first drive. Some did, some didn’t. No names…

The sun continued to shine all afternoon and the course looked fantastic, particularly the Par 3 11th hole pictured top of page (did I tell you I parred that hole). There were the usual moments of hilarity – at one point I managed to hit the same tree, dead centre, on three consecutive shots, with the ball heading back behind me each time. Quality golf.

Left to right: John Davidson, Clive Betts, Mike Williams

Left to right: Mike George, Ian Armstrong, Adrian Susman, Richard Ferguson

Left to right: Lee Bywater, Paul Lippitt, Jon Stanier Snr, Jon Stanier Jnr.

Left to right: Phil Barnsley, Neill Smith, John Branch, Andy Schofield

Eventually all players made it back to the club house to gather for the prize giving. Four players finished with 32 Stableford points (all bandits if you ask me) but best front 9 went to John Davidson (recount please!); best back 9 John Stanier; John Branch was given the runners-up prize and the overall winner was Phil Barnsley (pictured below). All winners walked away with a bottle of wine. A great day and all for the princely sum of £20, what a great deal.

Our good friend, the doyen of Enville CC, David Thomas, is this year marking 50 years as secretary of Enville.  That club has rightly made a bit of a fuss of him, and of Dawn, at the club’s annual dinner in the pavilion.  Tribute was paid by another Enville stalwart, Jonathan Roe, and we reproduce here what he had to say on that occasion:

We are here tonight to celebrate the successes of Enville Cricket Club.

In 5 years’ time cricket will have been played on this ground for 200 years, my personal involvement goes back to around the winter of 1970 when Wilf Bullock invited me to nets at Edgecliffe.

There were various players Mike Morris, Aubrey Sproson, Dave Darlington, Bill Taylor, Peter Howe, The Farmer Brothers and Fred Hodges but I was introduced to an immaculately dressed individual white pumps not trainers that had been carefully meltonioned, cricket flannels with creases as straight as rail tracks a smart white shirt and a knitted slip over which just might give it away this was Mr Thomas or DT to Enville Cricket.

Even then I was mesmerised his turn out was immaculate “Bradman said if you aint a cricketer you can at least look like one”. Well I can assure DT was a good cricketer captaining the mid -week side, Vice-captain of the 1st X1 and then captain of the second X1, as well as a member of the famous Wrigley indoor league side.

He was an exponent of seam bowling and renowned for his line and length, i.e. not bowling both sides of the wicket and he bowled with a repeatable action that was as near perfect as any modern day coach might dream of. He was also a capable batsman.

David become Fixture Secretary in 1962 and General Secretary in 1966 and tonight marks the 50th club dinner that he has organised which is an achievement in itself.

Back to 1970 Enville had one youth side made up of local lads from Enville and Kinver, David threw himself in to Coaching and became an NCA coach. Throughout his time he has always supported youth cricket not only here at Enville but also in Secretarial post for The North Worcestershire Youth Competitions, the Norman Gifford and Peter Dudley Competitions. David planted a seed in 1970 which has now grown and the club has four competitive senior Saturday sides and plays age group cricket under 8s through to under 19 as well as Sunday and Mid-week X1s

His senior Cricket involvement outside of the club has seen him in office for the Worcestershire Cricket Association, Midlands Club Cricket conference, Worcestershire Border League and the Worcestershire County League were his tremendous attention to detail has set him apart from his peers.

David has worked particularly hard in successfully gaining grants for the club over this period for mowers, covers, sight screens and more recently the new changing rooms, equipment store and pavilion refurbishment that you can see tonight .

Remember a lot was done without A MOBILE PHONE text, e mail, twitter or face book and all the work was completed despite having a family and a full time job.

I use the word Village Cricket with affection and pride because this epitomises what cricket is all about, Daryl came from a village side to captain Worcestershire. Without these clubs we won’t have players at County or test level and the work that David has achieved is incredible.

In the last 20 years Enville have seen three 1st X1 captains that have come through their youth sections I am sure that Worcestershire’s Academy Coach and Daryl would settle for that in years to come. That is the strength of this club.

Village Cricket is fundamentally important in this location as it is in the rest of England but in Enville it creates the link between the Hall and the Village and David’s work as Chairman of the Athletic Social Club enables Enville to enjoy the experience of this beautiful setting and facility.

There was a time when it looked like Enville was a one man club and indeed as in a lot of clubs Cricket Boards have seen burn out to the detriment of some well-established sides. But in the words of Elliot Wilson David has surrounded himself with good people to enable this club to move forward and with the tremendous support of people like Frank Golding, John Branch, Paul Grainger, Sheila and Rob Miller, Fred Hodges and the members of this club this Enville story will continue to thrive well after the clubs 200th anniversary

Secretary, player, Scorer, Umpire, Groundsman, Coach, Cricket Supporter behind him his number one supporter Dawn who has been with him every step of this journey in making this club what it is today in cricket and putting Enville on the map.

Jonathan Roe

The eagerly awaited 2016 fixtures have been released. Bedouins will start their new campaign with two home fixtures in May against Kinlet and Oldswinford. The fixture with Alveley has been reinstated and we can all look forward to playing on their excellent ground in June. There will be another attempt to get the game with Oldbury Wells Old Boys on at the end of July, after last seasons unfortunate wash-out and hopefully we may soon have confirmation of a date for our trip up to Halifax in August for the tour match which always proves to be such good fun. Keep your eyes peeled here.

Finally, thanks to Mr Chairman who has again put in the hard miles to get all these fixtures sorted. It is harder than it looks! And with him being poorly as well. Get well soon…

News hot off the presses – Ross reports that he will miss the rest of nets and maybe the start of the season as he has managed to break his ankle. Ouch. There are reports (mainly from Ross himself) that the injury was due to a wine-related incident but there are no further details at this time. Whoever thought he was that refined? Anyway, I’m sure everybody will want to leave Ross a message to cheer him up, he’s already said he’s sure there will be a lot of sympathy out there for him. Cue Spratters…