Chairman Mark Taylor outlined at the club’s AGM what a fantastic year 2016 had been for the club both on and off the field.
On the field this was largely driven by the Premier XI winning the national NatWest Club T20 title; reaching the final of the Royal London National Club Championship; winning the Carter Cup for the sixth time; winning the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League (EAPL) for the fifth season in a row (and by 108 points). Swardeston had also won the Active Norfolk team of the year award, the All Out Cricket Magazine club of the year award and been joint winners of the Dipple and Conway Norfolk Cricket Alliance (NCA) club of the year award.
Unfortunately both the First XI and A XI had both been relegated from their respective divisions in the NCA although Swardeston/CEYMS had maintained their status in Division Five. The Sunday XI had done well, said Mark, whilst playing a lot of youngsters.
The youth section had continued to develop with the Under 13s and Under 15s both winning the Norfolk section of their respective ECB competitions and the Under 9s were runners-up in the Under 9 NCA competition. Mark congratulated all the youth players who had achieved county honours during the year.
Under Katie Treutler’s leadership the women and girls section had really prospered with more than 30 members regularly involved. They would enter the indoor league again and also the summer league, making eight games in total.
He thanked main club sponsors Leathes Prior and also Swardeston-based Production Bureau who had come on board during the 2016 season.
He finished by paying tribute to all at the club who had made the year such a success off the field. The annual presentation dinner and the stag dinner has been very successful and the effort shown by committee and club members organising the home fixture in the semi-final of the Royal London National Club Championship against Weybridge had been fantastic. A large crowd had been very well looked after.
Premier XI captain Mark Thomas told the meeting that it had been a fantastic season and the contribution of a lot of the team’s younger players had especially pleased him. Mark said the catalyst for the season’s success had been the arrival of Joe Gatting at Swardeston. Mark was delighted to tell the meeting that Joe had signed for another two years.
Mark thanked vice-captain George Walker who led the team to victory in the Carter Cup this season after a long wait. George was stepping down from vice-captaincy duty with Joe taking his place, but would remain on the selection committee.
SWARDESTON CRICKET CLUB OFFICERS ELECTED FOR 2017
President Mrs R Thomas
Chairman Mark Taylor
Vice – Chairman Norman Bygrave
Secretary Lee Beadman
Treasurer Tony Bailey
Club Captain Peter Thomas
Premier XI Captain Mark Thomas
Premier XI Vice – Captain Joe Gatting
1st XI Captain Ben Hogg
A XI Captain Matt Hogg
Swardeston/CEYMS Manager Peter Thomas
Sunday XI Captain Daniel Martin
Fixture Secretary Peter Thomas
Sponsorship Secretary Stuart Bartram
Director of Coaching David Thomas
Welfare Officer Lee Beadman
Women and Girls Manager Katie Treutler
Communications Manager Lionel Levinson
Grants Manager Kevin Denmark
Club Committee Officers above (apart from Premier XI vice-captain) plus: Kevin Cooper, Ian Tufts, Peter Lambert, Steven Gray
Selection Committee Peter Thomas, Mark Thomas, Joe Gatting, George Walker, Peter Lambert, Ben Hogg, Matt Hogg
Youth Cricket Manager Peter Thomas
Under 15s Manager tbc
Under 13s Manager tbc
Under 11s Manager tbc
Under 9s Manager tbc
Groundsman Pat Hall
Scorers Norman Bygrave, Nigel Goddard
VICE PRESIDENTS FOR 2017
B Addy
A Anderson
C Barnett
D Bassingthwaighte
J Betts
T Boon
M Bowles
C Brighton
R Chapple
P Cook
A Duffield
S Green
I Hagon
M Hill
P Hill
A Jay
E Kelly
G Knights
T Jones
P Lincoln
G Loades
I Newton
S Oxley
W Panks
P Parfitt
S Ranasingghe
REH Read
A Rist
Mrs V Rist
G Rogers
N Rudd
M Ruffell
G Sarsby
S Shearing
K Skipper
P Sturman
Mrs S Sturman
G Tufts
P Tufts
J Tythcott
WJ Walker
W Wharton
