2020 Review 2020
The global pandemic resulting from the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis curtailed recreational cricket in 2020. Eventually it returned and our first match was played on 12th July. And a re-worked Shepherd Neame Essex League fixture list and divisions meant that league cricket could start on 18th July. But matches were played under very different circumstances - social distancing, regular hand sanitising, no teas, and dressing rooms/clubhouses were closed. Despite the restrictions, a good number of our playing members made themselves available and we were able to field four Saturday SNEL XIs. And we were able to squeeze in a total of 75 league, friendly and tour matches during the 11-week season.
It was announced in July that Shepherd Neame would terminate their sponsorship of the ECB Accredited Essex League at the end of 2020 having generously supported the league for two decades. And it was also announced that from January 2021, Hamro Plc would be the new sponsor of the league - to be known as the Hamro Foundation Essex league.
Indoor Champions
The club continued to display its skills in the six-a-side indoor game, as were we crowned Essex Indoor Champions 2020 after victory over Harlow CC in the Semi-Final and then Upminster CC in the county Final. But in the Regional Finals of the ECB National Indoor Trophy, we were soundly beaten by Broadstairs CC and thus just failed to progress to Lord's where we lifted the national title in 2016. In the meantime, our Under 16s played magnificently against some strong opposition to be crowned SEPCG Champions 2020.
Essex Indoor Champions 2020 (February)
Under 16s SECPG Champions (February)
Our Bowlers
It was good to see our younger bowlers stealing the limelight in the list of leading wicket-takers - all playing at a higher level than they had previously encountered and showing much future promise.
Tyler Robertson 25 wickets @ an average of 20.53
Sammy Fairweather 21 @ 20.67
Charlotte Waters 20 @25.65
Henry Overy 22 @22.91
Andrew Williams registered the season's best bowling figures (5 for 26 in the 2nd XI's SNEL match against Leigh-on-Sea CC on 5th September), and a number of other bowlers picked up 4-wickets-in-an-innings with the best return being by Tilly Barnett with her superb 4 for 7 for the Under 13s in the 5-wickets win over Orsett CC on 18th August.
Our Batsmen
With concentration being hard to maintain due to the hand-sanitising requirement after every 6 overs, some of our batsmen performed extremely well in the circumstances. The leading run-scorers were:
Gus Philpot 1,099 runs @ an average of 54.95
Jack Plane 542 @ 38.71
Rob Healy 511 @ 22.27
Alex Blake 465 @ 24.47
Adam Dudmish 404 @ 36.67
Century Makers
Four classy centuries were recorded - Gus Philpot (121* and 100), Jack Plane (111) and Adam Dudmish (110). And to crown a successful season, Gus Philpot became our Youngest Batsman to Score a Century in a Senior Match - at 13 years 57 days - in the match against Mayfield CC on 20th September: well batted. And 5 other scores were recorded in the 90s so unfortunately didn't quite make the century enclosure - Brian Edwards (98), Adam Dudmish (95), Zak Wilson (94*), Marc Baker (92), and Jack Plane (91).
The 99 Club
Until this season, 5 batsmen had been agonisingly dismissed on 99 in the club's history - David Webb (1981), Martin Guilbert (2007), Joe Joyce (2013), Charlie Lewis (2013) and Danny Joyce (2018). Then on the 5th September, for the 2nd XI against Leigh-on-Sea CC, opener Saiful Islam joined this elite 99 Club when he too was dismissed on 99. Hard luck all.
The Youth Tour
It really was a phenomenal organisational effort to arrange yet another youth tour in the most difficult of circumstances - our 16th since the very first one (to Sussex) in 1977. Of course, the coronavirus restrictions were observed and we are grateful to our hosts Ashmanhaugh & Barton Wanderers CC, Acle CC, Bradfield CC and Lowestoft CC for kindly entertaining us.
Youth Tour Squad
Naturally our players and supporters were disappointed not to have been able to enjoy a complete season of fixtures in its 60th Anniversary. Let us hope that cricket can return to normal in 2021.
1960-2020
* * *