2023 Spring Newsletter
Season 2023 Is Here!!
‘We have talent throughout this club to win silverware’ Says Navin Patel 1st Team Captain.
Spring Newsletter
After months of indoor nets and dreaming about sunny dry warm days season 2023 is now gathering pace. In just a few shorts days Nomad members will be out in the middle playing competitive cricket as Cups, Leagues and friendlies get underway. It seems there is a brilliant vibe around the Spen Cama Memorial Ground which was recently captured as 50 members descended on Fulking for the ‘Ground Day’ and Interclub Matches on the 8th April. Many thanks to Nathan Poole who organised an enjoyable and productive event. £350 was taken over the bar!.
In this edition we shall catch up with Chairman, Mr Hird, with his thoughts along with our four League Captains to get the low down. Our Junior Section is covered by Rosalind’s update. Dan Birrell talks about rollers and Jersey Cricket. We take a look at a new Bar product with Phil and talk about our Charity Partners. Cobo opens with a look at the opening salvo to our season.
First Delivery!
It seems to have been a long time coming! Whilst there has been some nice weather this winter the real rubbish has been long and punishing. I am sure the March wet stuff will be touched upon elsewhere in the bulletin. Hopefully our region can now go into an elongated stretch of fine dry conditions. As we saw last season a dry summer gives our sport a lot more certainty.
We can now look forward to a wealth of opportunities all the way to those exciting end of season friendlies and perhaps a Hove visit in September. As always it will shoot past in a blink of an eye, so my advice is to make the most of every moment.
The Curtain Opens
Saturday 15th April.
Our Twos have a massive chance to play at a wonderful ground against one of the premier Kent Clubs. They travel to the Nevill Tunbridge Wells 12.30 start to compete in a preseason friendly. As James says ‘ it’s a bit of a hike but it’s a huge opportunity!’ Stop Press ‘Match beaten by the weather!’
Saturday 23rd April
It’s a SCMG special with both our 1s and 2s gracing the South and North Square. Navin and his squad take on Haywards Heath from 12.30 while James oversees a fixture against West Chiltington 12.30 start. Today represents the last friendly opportunities which should make for an interesting and exciting afternoon.
Sunday 24th April 1.30 pm
Our Sunday team open their campaign with a home game against Cuckfield. Get involved!
Saturday 29th and 30th April. Big Weekend!!!
Ones travel to the picturesque village location of Bolney on the Saturday to compete in round 2 of the Sussex T20 Cup 2pm start. While the Twos play in the same competition at home against Ansty 2pm start. Although T20 is all the fun of the fair we will want to make sure there are no banana skins on the day.
Three’s, under the expert guidance of Faisal start their Division 6 league campaign at Sidney West against St Andrews of Burgess Hill 1pm. This represents a tough opportunity for the squad to assess what will be a competitive season ahead.
On the Sunday we come to a real highlight of the season where we take on the 1st round of ECB Cup. A chance to progress to National prominence. We welcome to Bromley to the SCMG for a 1pm start. As Navin revealed ‘we hope to have a very strong team out for this one!
Some great stuff to get stuck into I am sure you will agree!
I am really looking forward to following you Nomads around the County and beyond. Bringing updates, pics, interviews and gossip as we progress through the season. I am personally very excited at the news that Nomads favourite, Jonty Jenner, is returning to the club. He will offer a real additional buzz around the ground and some explosive jest to our batting line up. Jonty welcome back to the SCMG look forward to watching you play!
Just a couple of things to advise. First of all I fallen in love with golf and hope to compete in some weekend comps at Mid Sussex GC. In addition, I have several health-related issues which sometimes slows me down a bit. If I go radio silence at times hopefully you will understand.
All the best and good luck to you all.
Cobo Press Officer.
It’s the Chairman We are Fit and raring to play cricket!
Well, the season is finally upon us, and I would like to report we are all fit and raring to play cricket and we definitely are!! The pent-up energy is ready to be released, if only the weather would accept that it is now the cricket season rather than the monsoon season!
Our ground preparations have been severely hampered by these conditions and we can’t wait to get the roller on the square and outfield, hopefully next week. ( If you have any spare time, please call Dan Birrell or Ian Plummer if you can help). The squares have a really good grass covering on and will play well this season. ( Fingers crossed)
Our pre-season work went very well last weekend and many thanks to the 40-50 of you who turned up during the day. Special mention to Nathan Poole who galvanised the team during day, interspersed with a bit of cricket on the artificial and a BBQ afterwards.
The Pavilion is looking in great shape and Phil Brown and his team are looking forward to giving you a warm welcome, especially if you buy a bottle of the Nomad white wine, courtesy of Court Garden Vineyard based in Ditchling.
On the playing front we look forward to meeting Josh Clarkson, our overseas player from New Zealand who arrives later this month. Josh is an all-rounder, with a burgeoning reputation. His MOM performance in NZ’s domestic 50 over competition with 111 not out and 3 wickets sees him in good form for his season with us. Jonty Jenner will be returning to Nomads after many years away and has been busily playing cricket in NZ in the winter as well as playing for Jersey. We also welcome Zach Lion-Cachet and and Sam Topping to the club, both are very talented and are looking forward to playing at Nomads.
Our teas will again be sponsored by Hayward and Green, and their chosen charity is Kangaroos who provide year-round clubs and trips for people with learning disabilities. Many thanks to both Jeremy and Simon Green for their continued support.
I would like to thank in advance all of the Trustees, Captains, Coaches, Junior managers, and volunteers for the hard work that has already been undertaken and for the continuing endeavours during the season. If you want to join our band of volunteers, please give me a call.
Best wishes to all of our teams, play well and play it the Nomads way.
Paul Hird
Chairman
Navin Patel 1st Team Captain
Nav says ‘I think we are in a very good position, and I am very excited by the upcoming season. We have recruited well over the winter which hopefully will flow through to the Twos, Threes and Fours. The ones are looking for silverware while the other teams will be aiming for promotion’.
‘We are looking to aid availability throughout the club and win games of cricket across the board’
Nav hinted at our new Overseas player soon to be coming to the SCMG. A young Kiwi who has been all the rage back at home with his white ball batting skills. Please watch out for further news on this via our media channels.
As to the ECB Cup he suggested ‘ it’s a competition that seems to pass us by every season but we really want to go deep in 2023. We are excited to welcome Bromley to Fulking on 30th April and will be fielding a very strong team. Hopefully we can start that campaign with a win!
It can be revealed that Nav started the season in sensational form with the bat. In the interclub match on 8th April, he hit 28 runs in just 10 balls. Let’s hope there is a lot more of that over the coming weeks!
James M Twos Captain
I am sure all the club will send congratulations to James and Sarah when their little one arrives in mid May. As he says ‘I will have to juggle cricket and fatherhood!
As to the League campaign ‘the 1st team get first pick, but we seem to have a strong squad of players. Some of our youngsters have had a good taste of 2s cricket which hopefully will stand them in good stead this season. We will be looking to have a solid core of contributors to the campaign’.
In terms of the T20 Cup our Twos are in the same comp as the 1st team. On that he said ‘ it would be remarkable if we were to win it but it will be a great experience for our players to play against 1st teams as we progress’
The twos get underway with a friendly at Tunbridge Wells on 15th April. He suggested ‘ It’s a bit of a trek but we see this as a massive opportunity to play on a lovely ground and against top quality opposition. We hope that our players have a great day!’
James, good luck with everything!!!
Fas K Threes Captain ‘Back to back promotion is the target’
It’s very exciting times for the 3s as the league campaign approaches. We have had new players joining us this year and the excitement among everyone is the same.
I think we are more than capable of getting back to back promotion and that’s what my aim is this year too.
With the old and new players joining nomads this year we are shaping up to look like a very strong side.
Stephen Oliver Fours Captain ‘4th Team key part of the club’
Good to see the lighter days returning and the threat of warmer weather. Once again, I am leading the 4th team in the league and looking to bring competitive (and winning cricket) to the mixture of youth and experience that we put on the pitch each week.
I believe the 4th team is a key part of the club so that our youth players can experience a different kind of competition from the typical school and age group game. For the part of the team with “experience” it is a competitive and social way to spend some time doing what we enjoy, as well as being role models for younger players in how to “play” the game. Are we sharp enough to think about getting in the right place to take the catch, bowl an over or 5 and run a quick single. Can we all contribute to make the team perform better than the sum of its individual parts. It is fantastic to see former 4th team players now playing national, county and premiership cricket.
We have had excellent training sessions during the winter and these are now moving outdoors. Nathan (with others) puts in thought and effort to these sessions and they are excellent. My own fielding has doubtless improved, although “fast” running remains a challenge! Sign up on Pitchero.
I am looking forward to seeing faces old and new – so pay your subs and sign up to a winning season.
It’s the Slam and West League for our Sunday Womens Team
Perhaps the most exciting 2022 addition to the Nomads family was the introduction of our Women’s Team who played league cricket on Sunday afternoons. Our team were a winning machine who always played with grace and a huge smile.
They are back for 2023 and are gearing up for the Slam. The 1st game is on 30th April 2023 against Hailsham 1pm start in a T20 format.
We shall certainly catch up with our squad and bring you news of their progress.
Dan B jets back from Windhoek with a wealth of Memories.
Our Head Groundsman, Dan Birrell, has recently flown back from Africa after a pulsating World Cup bid with his native Jersey. The squad had been on an epic 18-month adventure taking in the Middle East, Uganda, St Helier and Windhoek. He revealed ‘ we were competing for ODI status and a 2023 World Cup place after winning previous rounds. It would have been massive for the Jersey boys to have progressed. However, we were a little disappointed not to got over the line in the end’. Bowman extended warm appreciation and congratulation on behalf of the whole club to Jersey for the massive strides they have made.
On the property ‘we are under pressure with the grounds here at Fulking owing to the wet conditions throughout March and April. We really do need an elongated stretch of dry sunny weather so that we can get the machines out here. I want to say a massive thanks Ian Plummer (Grounds Manager) who has made a brilliant job of cutting the north square, he has helped massively in getting us this far. But There is a lot of work to be done!’
As to on the pitch he suggested ‘we have got some excellent new players coming in so we should be strong. Hopefully we can string a few early season wins together and kick on from there!’
It can be revealed that Dan’s team won the Interclub Comp on the 9th April.
News from our thriving Juniors Section
Now that the indoor Winter training has come to an end, Nomad’s 180 juniors will start the 2023 season in earnest with outdoor training ahead of their respective first league and cup matches in May.
This year our new head of junior cricket, Kash Ibrahim, will be leading the junior’s programmes. So in his words….
‘I am very delighted to take on the role for Junior Cricket Director for Nomads.
I am really looking forward to working with all the manager, coaches and our very talented juniors.
We are kicking off the season with our U15/U14 going to Bradfield College in Reading for Cricket festival. This will be an amazing experience playing against some fantastic players.
I am also looking forward to seeing more juniors playing in our Mens/women team.’
Kash is assisted by Mal Short in the running of the girl’s teams.
The outdoor nets start at Nomads with the U14 & U15s on Wednesday the 19th of April. All the other age groups from U8-U18s start on Friday 21st April.
Once again on Fridays the bar will be open and run by Phil Brown, assisted by Maggie and Jan will be providing food.
This year there will be four cricket camps, the first of the year runs from Monday 10th- Wed 12th April. Please contact Nav Patel on pncccricketcamp@gmaol.com or Kash Ibrahim, kashifibrahim@hotmail.com for further information.
We also have several social events running throughout the year for everyone. So look out for the dates on Pitchero and on the posters around the club and bar.
Junior Committee.
Huw,Cahil, Rosalind Eaton, Ralph Scrase &
Kash Ibrahim, Director of Junior Cricket
Nomads White, our exciting new Wine Label Bar Manager Phil Brown explains.
‘We are very proud to be one of the 1st Cricket Clubs in the Country to launch their own wine label. It’s called the Nomads White and its produced by our friends at Court Garden Winery in Ditchling so it hasn’t got to travel very far’ He added ‘we have been working with Court Garden for some while on this project and we are ready to go!’ ‘We hope it will fly off the shelves!’
The wine is now on sale in the club house for £16 a bottle and by the glass. It’s a hugely exciting addition to our Bar Activity.
As Phil explained ‘we try to cater for everyone with an exciting range of sweets, crisps nuts and chocolate along with hot pastries which will be available most days. We will continue with our famous four bottles of beer for a tenner campaign which we think represents very good value for money’ Adding ‘ we had record sales during 2022 and we hope to better that this season!.
Bowman says ‘our Bar is very unique as when you look there is an overriding feast for the eyes with a colourful assortment of packages, bottles and cans. It makes you want to delve in and purchase all sorts of wonderful goodies, Huge congrats to Phil and the Team for producing an amazing and profitable product for our club. You should be proud!’
Kangaroos Fun Disability Clubs (Mid Sussex) and Hayward Green, Our Tea Partners.
Preston Nomads CC will continue to produce their renowned Cricket teas every week of the season right in the heart of the club house. Jan Smith and her team will be looking after us all. As per 2022 Hayward and Green have kindly sponsored our tea for the up coming season. We hope that our Members and opposing teams will get right behind our 2023 Charity Partners Kangaroos Fun Disability Clubs. An organisation which helps Children with learning disabilities with after school activities and a Saturday play scheme. They are currently helping over 300 families in Sussex and beyond.
This is a fantastic story for the club which hopefully will generate and lot of interest and indeed financial income for Kangaroos!
We hope you enjoyed the 2023 Spring Newsletter (many thanks to all contributors) where the overriding message is of new players here at the SCMG and trying to get a wealth of positive results in the ledger. There is work to do at Fulking both on and off the pitch but together we have the opportunity make 2023 truly memorable.
Good Luck to all connections.
Cobo 15/04/2023.