The Player Lists for the 2010 Fantasy Cricket will be available soon. Please note that it is £5 to enter and all proceeds will go towards the club. Last season we had 23 entrants so let's aim for even more this year. Friends and Family of players are actively encouraged to participate! Come on let's not let Youngy win again!

Please could all members do their utmost to support the club in bringing in as much finance as possible? Particularly, all members should be aware of our 200 club (application forms available from any committee member), and also sponsorship opportunities. This year we really need to increase our non-playing revenue.
Speak to me if you have any questions or ideas.

biddy

Please find the fixtures for the forthcoming season on the relevant pages of the Website.

This year sees the 1s kick off their campaign against local rivals Writtle and the 2s make the unenviable trek down to Eastwood.... again!!

Good luck to both teams!!

Happy New Year to all. Please check back regularly for information on the club and any upcoming events.

The Mighty Waltham!!! - A great season for all.
- Firstly congrats to Colm and the Second XI with their promotion to Division Three. Fantastic!!!
Whilst the First XI did not get promoted, they deserve sincere plaudits for some very close games, and even with three games to go were still in with a promotion chance.

Biddy and Colm have very well articulated their respective teams performances and the individuals successes of many players throughout the season.

My first season as Chairman has not been without tribulation but I genuinely feel that on the field it has been a success, and as both skips have said looks good for the future - we are now operating a 'squad system' which if Ferguson can succeed with - so can Baxter and Coyle!!!

The spirit in the club has always been good and I have seen more people on the tractor this summer than just Tills!!! Well done to all of you who have helped on the ground which remains one of the best in Essex village cricket. But we need to do more in the winter !!!

The 'youth' have responded well and its good to see the Coyle's regularly in the runs (and that's not just when James has had ten pints and a curry!!), Waqas & Faharn taking wickets and scoring runs in the First team, and also Ben, Baby Cow and Neil giving strong contributions together with Shaun and Matt showing promise. Let's not forget the 'aged' (apologies chaps!!) Arnie, Clarky, Tills have been solid as always, and Pazzer - a great influence on the youth, and it was good to see Jeffers in the wickets too.

As always - Ian Taylor - 'Tills' - Thanks for the support as Vice Chairman but also for the work you do on the ground - planning, ordering, buying, time and doing those jobs that 'just' get done and no one sees them!! All - you owe a lot to Tills for the cricket ground at the club.

Thanks also to Youngy for counting those coffers very diligently !! and to Dan for keeping the admin going and keeping me straight at meetings.

Also a big thanks to Arnie for keeping the stock in the bar in order!! And thanks to Joe/Joel/Colm/Dan/Mikey and of course Gurns etc for keeping him busy!!

Finally I would like to thank the support we receive from the villagers who turn up to support us - particularly Mick - who grazes on the Cow meadow bench at Cow corner! - Has your new car arrived yet Mick??!!

I hope that we can all remain together as a club throughout the winter - a few events will be organised - please support them as we need the cash! - your support for various working parties is also key to ensure the jobs get done - anyone got any spare paint??!!!

Well done all - see you soon

Daddy Cow

I have to say that the highlight of my season was the regularity of availability that I was lucky enough to encounter. Having the luxury of leaving out quality players most weeks is one that neither past nor future 2nd XI captains will surely never be afforded like I was this year. To those that were left out, Thank you for your understanding, and superb attitude (and performance) when brought back into the side.

Having been involved with the now sadly demised colts set-up over the last 5 years, it gives me (and I’m sure Paul, Linda, Colin, Joel, Dave and Julie) immense pleasure and pride in seeing the performances produced by the young players that have “graduated the academy”. To see David Platt score his maiden League ton, Neil Davidson maturing (finally) into the fine all round performer that we always knew he could be, Ben Milburn starting to score runs regularly, Matt Ruffell and Shaun Quilter knocking on the door for regular selection is a fantastic thing for the club as a whole, and the 2s in particular. Credit also to the Coyle brothers for breaking into the 1s and performing at such a young age.

To win 11 games from 18, promotion and all that goes with it allows all of us now rest easy over the winter months, knowing that come next May, the whole lot starts again, and we should be looking to compete strongly in Division 3.

I have little doubt that it was our bowling and fielding that got us to our final position. Dan Fell’s 40odd wickets were obviously a major part, but no-less important than the contributions from the other bowlers (and we have a few). Mike Williams was, in my opinion the best bowler in the division, LLOYD got the unbelievable figures of 12-6-9-3 against Fyfield on a Waltham road, both myself and Rob Young got close to the 20 wicket mark, and Neil bowled well, often without just reward. When you add Dave Parry and Shaun Quilter into this attack, it is perhaps no surprise that we collected as many bowling bonus points as we did.

Batting wise I think that we were steady, unspectacular, and often capable of more. Ian Taylor was reliable as ever, Ben got a few runs, LLOYD came good at the end with a couple of 50s, Mark Hudson returned with a few good contributions, Platty got his ton, Dan two 50s and Pat Howeson made a successful return to cricket showing a new, mature approach to batting, allowing his natural talent to flourish. Obviously having Frank in the team for 2 weeks towards the end of the season helped the team a bit, but I would have to say that the star of the show (if there was one) was “hat-trick-hero” Mark Gurney. Injured early in the campaign, the 1st team’s leading bowler showed us all how it should be done, making batting look easy, scoring a ton and three 50s, and topping the averages. Just a shame that he only played 8 games.

A few final words of thanks: to Pazza, who fitted into the character of our side brilliantly in what was a tough season for him coming back from a broken ankle, to Biddy for his support and advice all the way through the season, to Tilly and Mikey for helping me out on the field when I needed advice or a sounding board, to the Chairman for his little pep talks, and lastly to all the players: without you there is no team.

My players of the season:
Batsman- Mark Gurney
Bowler- Dan Fell
Cheers

Colm

Well, another season has gone by, and in many ways a strange one at that.

Little Waltham 1st XI finished half-way up (or half-way down) the T Rippon Division 1, a league that was made up up of cricket teams of very similar quality. Only Galleywood and Broomfield were not in with a chance of promotion with only three weeks to play.

I certainly felt that there was no stand-out tema at all. Congratulations to OC's and Great Totham who were promoted but I cannot see many games being won in the Premier next year for either team unless they both strenghen.

As for Little Waltham, it was a season of change and for me some frustration. Frustration in as much that we managed to field a very talented side on most weekends mixing young players with some older heads. Yet we were very inconsistant. On paper I feel we have perhaps the most talented group of players amongst the teams we played against, but too often our batting was too cavelier and our bowling failed to bowl teams out when in a good position to do so. We lost games due to both, that we really were in positions to win (Chignal away and OC's at home were examples.

However it was a real pleasure to welcome a number of new players to Little Waltham and to all of you playing in your first season with us I hope that you enjoyed your cricket. For me that is the most important aspect and one that I strive to encourage and try to facilitate. At some stage during the season everyone played their parts in some excellent performances.

For me the single most pleasing part of the season was last saturday, chasing 310 to win at home against Chignal. Being positive at tea was one thing but seeing our first four batsman bat like they did on Saturday was fantastic. They took the game on and batted beautifully, but the best thing for me was that they were all teenagers. We are lucky to have such talant at our club. So well done Dave Coyle, Farhan Mahmood, James Coyle and Waqas Mahmood for making my season. This bodes well for our clubs future, and with other younger players performing well between the two sides, it is great that people my age can rest their weary bodies knowing that the club we all love is healthy in terms of players.

I would like to also thank everyone who has worked on the ground this year, it is looking great. Also a word for the groundsman. The wicket is without doubt the best in our league and a credit to the club.

So after too much rambling just a few "awards" from me.

Player of the Season: Dave Coyle. A tough one, but for two centuries and a number of fifties David has shown what a talented batsmen he is.

Bowler; Joe Howeson, who bowled with more control this year and his wickets and economy improved.

Special mentions go to Farhan who bowled with real qulity at times without luck, and his batting is again great to watch. Waqas, whose batting has come on again. Also to Sohaib who has the ability of winning games with either his batting or bowling. To Phil Arnold who was always "Mr Reliable" with his bowling. Lastly to Bilal and Afzal who played without complaint in virtually all our games giving 100% in everything.

Click on the link to check out our buy.at shop. Just buy what you normally would over the internet and earn the club money- its easy!!!!!

As a small village cricket club, LWCC are always on the lookout for more players. If you or someone you know is interested in either a regular or just occasional game of cricket during the summer months then do not hesitate in contacting us.

At present, we are particularly seeking the following:

Colts of all ages (boys and girls)