Good evening Nomads and welcome to Mid-Season here at the SCMG. We have enjoyed some excellent match day weather thus far which has allowed us to go grab a lot of important victories.  Victories at key moments have led us to a rather exciting back end to 2024.  Indeed, with two months remaining we are fighting on no less than EIGHT fronts (see below).  If successful, this may well turn into the best ever season in our illustrious history. Most of our membership are involved!

In No Particular Order.

• Sussex Premier League 1^st Ongoing last match 7^th September 2024

After our Landmark away victory at Three Bridges last week the Nomads enjoy a 19 point cushion at the Premier League summit. There are just seven more League games to go culminating with Cuckfield away on 7^th September.  Bottom of the league Worthing visit the SCMG on Saturday 27^th 11.30 start.  This represents a huge opportunity to put further day light between us and our two rivals Bridges and Cuckfield.  Who are at Bognor and Hastings this weekend.  Obviously, we will need to be right on it to defeat a struggling Worthing outfit who are fighting for their Premier League lives. As the cliche goes a wounded animal is at its most dangerous.

• Vitality Club T20 2024 Nationals. Finals Day 22^nd September Derbyshire CCC

Our reward for smashing Middleton in that wonderful occasion at Hove last September is inclusion into the 32 team 2024 T20 National Finals KO. It’s a massive chance for the club to show case our potential on a national level and pit ourselves against the very best in the country. Indeed, the final would be an amazing day out at Derby’s wonderful home facility.  But first it’s the regionals on Sunday 4^th August 2024 at Amersham CC near Watford.

We go to Amersham and play Wimborne at 1 pm while the Hosts Amersham and Burridge battle out at 10am.  The two winners will meet in a final later that day to determine who progresses to the South Finals Day at Basingstoke on 25^th August 2024.

I am sure that Nav will already be thinking who he might pick for such an occasion. But my message is to get your name on his mind. Let’s have high availability for this exciting competition and give our 1^st Team skipper a real selection headache!

• Sussex T20 Cup 1^st Team  Finals Day at Hove v Three Bridges  15^th September 2024 6pm

 Nav and the 1^st team have been outstanding at T20 Cricket for somewhile now and have stood up to some potentially severe away tests along the way.  Last Sunday, we saw them overpower a Bolney team in Mid Sussex which has given us proud passage back to Hove on 15^th September.  Our foes that day will be a Three Bridges team that will need no introduction who will be very determined to turn over the Nomads.

It will be another hugely exciting day out for the whole club where we can come together and turn Hove into the SCMG for a few hours.

• Sussex T20 Plate  4^th Team  Semi Final Ifield at Home 18/8/2024  am 

 

                             

Sussex T20 finals day could have a Nomads double bubble about it if Mal’s visualisation comes true. Our 4s Captain has said more than once that she can visualise her team playing at Hove and will be extremely gutted if they aren’t.  But first ‘go ahead’ club Ifield and their talented 3s stand in the way.  Its gonna be one hell of a titanic battle going on that Sunday morning and it’s a game you wont want to miss.

We win and it’s a Hove one two !!!  

• U13s ECB National Cup Regionals Day Monday 29^th July at Teddington CC.  A beautiful day awaits! 

OMG our U13s will be competing in their most important Nomads match of their young careers in the best 2024 weather thus far. Its going to be wall to wall sunshine and temps readily going up to 27 degrees.  WOW !!

After a wonderful ECB campaign our very talented U13s led by Managers Ralph and Rupert will be representing the club and County at wonderful Teddington CC. They will play Oakfield Parkonians from Essex at 10.30 am for the right to play either Richmond or Stony in the final later in the day.

I am backing our boys all the way and will be there to cheer them on.  If we were to prevail it will be a hugely proud day not only for the lads, but also the Club and the whole Sussex cricket family.

There is a long way to go the final of this competition, but we win out at Teddington we move on!   

GO U13s!  But Bring Hats Water and Sun Cream.

• Division 9 Promotion Race is Still on. Fours have gotta go some.

It’s a testimony to how well our 4^th team have been operating in the 1^st 11 weeks of season 2024 that they are still in the hunt.  With 6 wins to their name, they currently sit in 4^th place with 227 points.  After a wonderful win against top of the league St James it’s given them fresh impetus and belief. However, they will need to go again on Saturday and take another win against St Andrews in Burgess Hill.  A victory will give them further hope of something miraculous, but the squad will know that a loss could end the dream.

Let’s Go 4s I will be cheering you on!

 

It’s not all about winning Trophies Cups and promotion when we talk about battles. Here at the Nomads, we are also fighting two exciting but bitter relegation battles that need attention. Don’t forget we are the Nomads and ‘that’ word doesn’t come easy.

• Twos Need 4^th from Bottom in Div 2 to Avoid Tricky Play Off Mid September

Our talented and experienced Twos are operating in the competitive environment of 1^st team Town Cricket where most of the opponent’s harbour ambitions of joining Nav and our 1^st team in the Premier League.  After 11 matches our Twos under James and Oliver have been doing us proud and currently sitting with three wins and 3^rd from bottom.

Unfortunately, Div 2 allows for a relegation playoff against the Div 3 runners up two weeks after the end of the regular season on a neutral ground.  The lads have a massive chance to narrow the gap to 4^th from bottom Burgess Hill at St Johns on Saturday. A win will put us back in the hunt to not needing that play off.  A loss sadly will put the club favourites for that play off or worse.

Big Day Coming Up for the Twos.   

• Threes Need Wins in Division 6

After 11 weeks it hasn’t really worked out for our experienced and talented 3^rd team in Division 6. Skipper Faz had high hopes for a promotion campaign but in reality, it’s been a tale of near misses and giving away too many gifts.  Leading to just 3 victories and 3^rd from bottom.

However, with seven matches to go its not all over by any means and hopes from the camp remain very high.  Faz is a very positive Captain who wants his team to play with flair and confidence.  Perhaps it’s going to take one huge step forward to unlock the potential that this squad surely has.  Hopefully they can really kick start their season when St Andrews travel to Fulking on Saturday.

 

Well, there you have it.  Preston Nomads are already at the 2024 Business End. What with all the regular stuff going on (Juniors Leagues, Festivals and Freindles) it going to get very busy around here.

Please keep availability high, keep yourselves fit, train well and above all hungry to play at the highest level possible here at the SCMG.

Together and only together we can make history!   

LET’S GO NOMADS!  

Cobo  25/7/2024