Wellington Cricket Club held one of its best ever Dinner and Awards Events on the evening of Saturday 22^nd September when 108 people gathered at the Cleve Hotel for a three course meal of exceptional quality, presentation of Awards for the season just ended and time to reflect on efforts made in 2018 with a look ahead to 2019 allowed for too writes David Derrick…

After opening comments from Club Chairman Mark Salter, Dinner was preceded by Club and 1^st XI Captain Arron Campbell saying Grace and then a sumptuous meal was enjoyed and in good time too.

Once all had been cleared away those present listened to one of the most important statements of the year, the Chairman’s Address, as Mark Salter firstly welcomed all to the event, said thank yous as were required and latterly presented his review of the 2018 season.

He welcomed Members, Friends, the Club President, Vice Presidents, Sponsors and Guests to the Cleve Hotel and noted another excellent attendance for this event that is the jewel in the crown of the Club’s social calendar.

Once more attending the event were representatives of Wellington AFC and Wellington RFC as the links between the Clubs were reaffirmed in both strong and long term ways with the attendance of WAFC’s Vice Chairman Graham Aspin and his wife Ann and WRFC’s newly elected President Matt Colman and his wife Steph; Matt is Secretary of WCC’s Past Players Association and was a distinguished player with both bat and ball for the Red and Blacks for many years from the mid-1980s up to and including the mid-2000s.

In what had been a very dynamic year both on and off the field of play it was noted that much effort had been expended and much had been gained.

The groundworks schedule was affected by snow and ice in the early Spring which saw that it was a race to be ready for the first weekend in May, but this achieved as required and then came the long term heat of the hottest summer for many a year and its own set of challenges; Des and Andy Campbell were most adaptable to these climatic requirements and all that was required for match play was delivered.

2018 saw the Club have to undergo ECB Club Mark Re-accreditation; this is the award that shows that the Club works in and to best standards in areas such as welfare and equality and offers as comprehensive a playing offer as it can; work to achieve this was wide ranging and saw many people make a contribution – thanks went to the Planning and Development Team consisting of Simon Spalding, Ivor Mitchell and David Derrick for pulling all strands together and making a compelling submission.

Provision of training. practice and playing opportunities for Ladies and the very youngest players were offered in 2018 through the Active8 and All Stars strands as the Club worked well with Somerset Cricket Board; the Planning and Development Team along with Megan Beale and Nicole Sparks saw that cricket for Ladies is now very much part of the Club’s playing operations and All Stars Coordinator Marc Holloway along with a team of enthusiastic coaches and helpers delivered an eight week programme of fun and colour for the youngest in the Club.

Sponsorship was looked after in 2018 by Club President Duncan Short and some of those within this portfolio were present on the evening and their continuing support and benevolence was recognised as being a great part of what allows the Club to develop itself both on and off the field of play.

The continuing contribution of the Past Players Association, who hold up to three events a year at the Club and once more made a cash donation; this time for training equipment, is held in high regard.

Having a Clubhouse of the quality that the Club has access to needs an excellent management team to get the best out of it and the Ladies Committee that looks after clubhouse and event management and provides service worked hard once more in 2018 with a number of private events to cater for as well as Club events too and this was achieved by Amanda Moysey, Ali Campbell, Trudy Brooks, Sharon Frost and Lorna Desave; increasing after match footfall and Club event attendances with certain area of the membership is of paramount importance in 2019 it was noted. Shellie Jarman completed another season as 1^st XI Scorer and now performs this role without pen and paper having adopted a totally electronic way of working.

A strong General Committee was on hand in 2018 as David Derrick once more delivered effective administration for the Club in a number of ways, Marc Holloway had once more provided financial management and guidance at a time when the Club is growing and has more to finance if it is to keep pace with its aspirations and wishes and Ivor Mitchell continued doing his diligent best in respect of Sports Federation business at a time of great potential for change in the town’s sporting facility offering.

In his 44^th year with the Club Simon Spalding, as Vice Chairman, was always on hand to advise and offer wise counsel whenever called on to do so and oversaw the delivery of another winter’s worth of coaching for the area’s young people.

The Junior Section made a noticeable contribution to Club life in 2018 with Mark Salter overseeing its function in the playing season before it been passing to Tony Hutchings once more… Thanks go to all Team Managers, Coaches, Parent Helpers and Players who made this a successful and enjoyable season.

On the playing side the report one year earlier had been that the 1^st XI’s five year stay in the West of England Premier League’s Somerset Division was over having ended in the last place and it would be playing in the Premier Division of the Somerset League in 2018; it was wonderful, therefore, to report that an immediate return to the previous level had been achieved through finishing third. Arron Campbell had been keen to take the role on and that he had been asked to do so had reaped immediate dividends as he led a young, vibrant and keen side who lost just four times in league games in 2018 with the better playing record of the three promoted sides when results between them are taken as a quantity. The team will rise to the challenge that WEPL cricket will once more provide in 2019 and looks forward to having a fully fit vice-captain in Luke Desave being available. Where competitive T20 cricket was concerned a quarter final appearance in the Somerset Cricket Board’s Intermediate Cup was achieved. The Board’s Major Cup and National Club T20 competition will be on the menu in 2019.

The 2^nd XI, playing in Division Four of the Somerset League, had a tough season with availability and continuity of selection seeing that some forty players played for the team and this had a major knock on effect in that only one win was recorded. The efforts of skipper Rob Moysey were picked out for special commendation as he played with a level of injury for a lot of the season and continued to put the team first. Ryan Adams, as vice-captain, would play for whoever he was asked to and he featured in all three Saturday sides at some point of the season.

The 3^rd XI, in Division Seven South of the Somerset League for a third season, were solid in finishing fifth and served the role of introducing junior section players to senior action once more. Des Campbell once more combined his groundman’s role with that of been team captain – a meritable effort that saw him put in long hours. In Richard Henwood there was a most capable vice-captain who took up the reins whenever he needed to and did the job asked of him well.

The Sunday XI, playing in Division A of the Taunton and District Sunday League and non-league games too, had a fine season with just one loss in any form of the game; it regained its League title, so seeing that it has won this title three times, the most of any team in the near ten years that it has been on offer. Macaulay Campbell was a newly elected captain at the start of the season and he did well using a core of senior players and successfully built around that – once more all ability levels, ages and skills came together on a Sunday and it was a good social experience as well as a playing one as the Club once more showed that Sunday cricket remains popular at a time when other Clubs struggle in this respect. It was pleasing that one of the youth section’s recent success stories, Oli Beale, took on the role of vice-captain and took charge, at the age of 16, of the team’s final game of the season and did well.

The Midweek XI, under Jack Beal with Oli Beale as vice-captain, only played two games of a scheduled seven game package; raising sides for all afternoon games and even those after work proved to be tough for some parties in 2018 and is perhaps a sign of the times… Social T20 games home and away with Ashbrittle CC were enjoyed by all who took part and were won as well. A review of where non-league cricket is at in general will provide a way forward for 2019, but be assured that such will still feature on the Club’s schedule.

A successful junior section season saw the Under 11s, under the management of Tom Knell, win the Taunton and District Youth League’s Western Section Division B, the Under 13s, with Andy Weymouth in charge, finish joint third in the same section as just mentioned at the older age level given and the Under 15s, overseen by Mark Salter, had an enjoyable season and provided players who made their mark in the senior section.