Alvechurch & Hopwood Cricket Club

Lockdown is no good for cricket but it certainly gives our groundsman plenty time to get the pitch looking tip top, and all done in blissful isolation!
Here's looking forward to playing on this when the season returns! #UpTheChurch

A message from the AHCC Committee Chair on our planning and response to COVID-19 and the impact on recreational cricket:
"The impact of COVID-19 to the nation is yet to be understood. The impact to businesses, jobs and families, we can’t yet determine, but as a cricket club, we must plan for the future.
"The committee held an emergency virtual meeting on Monday night following the ECB’s announcement last week. Events continue to unfold and between us setting up the meeting a...nd now the measures taken by central government have been more severe by the day.
"In the meeting we started from the position that there will be no cricket during 2020 and have made plans accordingly. If we do have cricket that will be a bonus.
"What have we already done? We have cancelled all the social functions in the club house. The clubhouse has been put to bed. All the bar equipment has been deep cleaned. All electrics have been turned off apart from the essentials, and we will turn the heating off once the weather gets warmer.
"What are other clubs doing? We don’t know but we plan to find out. We will be reaching out to other local cricket clubs (and the league) to understand how they are coping, what they are planning and for the sharing of ideas, resources and equipment.
"What is the current situation for AHCC? We are very fortunate that over the last few years the club has been making a small profit and with the support of our sponsors, the income from events, social hires, and from the match days and membership, we are in good financial health.
"This year there will be no VE Day Picnic in the Park (deferred), there are no social events, no after match beers, no BBQs. The club has a number of annual, monthly and one-off costs and as a committee, we have looked at all our outgoings and budgeted spends and made decisions about each one, whether to cancel, defer or continue with them.
"If the whole of the 2020 season is written off, we estimate that we will consume up to half our cash reserves in the bank.
"What can you do? Keep the club afloat! Your subs are probably the only income we will have this year. Please help us to be a club in 2021 by continuing to support us with your monthly subscriptions. And for those of you who pay in a lump sum, if you are able, please do pay your 2020 subs.
"What we will do? We will continue to monitor the situation as advised by the Government, ECB and our leagues. We will review all our decisions based on that advice. We are looking at some incentives for those people who continue to support us. We will write to you again in the next few weeks.
"The Committee does not have a monopoly on ideas. We would love to hear your suggestions for fundraising events or sponsorship.
"Please be safe, stay fit, stay at home.
"For and on behalf of the committee at Alvechurch & Hopwood Cricket Club"
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Unsuprisingly the ECB has recommended that recreational cricket be suspended and the leagues have agreed. Disappointing but completely understandable. We will be back!
https://www.ecb.co.uk/…/ecb-statement-o n-the-recreational-g…
#UpTheChurch

Bromsgrove School have advised that their sports hall is closed with immediate effect until the 19th April. Unfortunately this coincides with our remaining nets.so there will be no more indoor practice. #StaySafe #StayInformed #UpTheChurch

Well we might just about have recovered from yesterday's epic game - thanks to everyone that came down to watch at the clubhouse, the atmosphere was fantastic! In all the excitement, its easy to forget we also had three club games on Saturday, all of them interesting, but none of them quite as nail-biting.
Our First XI were up against Astwood Bank 3rds at home, and were put into the field by their visitors, a decision they regretted as our bowling attack limited them to 185-...9, James "Beechy" Beech with 4-36 and Curt "Beachy" Beach with 2-20 the pick of the bowlers. In reply, the team were able to chase that down in just 41.5 overs, a 51* for Beachy the best performance with the bat. Played gents.
The Twos were in the reverse fixture at Hanbury, and winning the toss, put Astwood Bank 4s into bat. They reached 224-5 from their 45, our esteemed Chairman Mark Woollatt's miserly 2-14 off nine the best of the bowling figures. Sadly, our guys couldn't muster enough with the bat, all out for 165, Cam Jones' 35 and a decent wag from the tail proving too little on the day. Onto next weekend!
The Threes faced a similarly tough challenge against league leaders Elmley Castle. Winning the toss and electing to field, Elmley put on an impressive 235-6 off their 40, with Reuben Kite and Dan Patterson showing the more experienced bowlers how it was done with 2-47 and 2-25 respectively. In reply we could muster only 129-9, Rich Adams batting gamely as all around him fell with 31*. Still - an improvement on our performance against the league's strongest side last time out. Big games ahead as we try to secure second spot in the division.
Sunday's fixture was postponed - for some reason or another...
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CHAMPIONS! Well done England - safe to say we enjoyed that down at Alvechurch! #CWC2019 England Cricket

Looking forward to some of this at the weekend boys and girls!

Just the one game this weekend thanks to some dreadful weather on Saturday, our Sunday XI facing off against Coombs Wood 2nds at Alvechurch in a swapped fixture. Losing the toss, the Sunday boys were put into the field, but made the opposition regret that decision with a dominant display with the ball in hand.
All the bowlers were amongst the wickets, with skipper James Beech taking 3-17, Milan Vashi 2-4 and Ciaran Flynn 2-11, with Pete Shore also picking up a wicket and a cl...ever run out as Coombs Wood were bowled for just 70.
With the bat the boys were able to chase that total down in 20 overs for the loss of four wickets, Jim Pilkington top scoring with 25* having also had a good game with the gloves. Well played gents!
Next weekend (weather permitting) First XI face Bewdley at home, 2nd XI are away against Cleobury Mortimer. Threes play Kenilworth Wardens at Hopwood and the Sunday XI have another home fixture, this time against Weoley Hill. Fingers crossed for some sunshine!
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Thanks to all the volunteers and the weather gods, it is packed at the club...picnic in the park after party

Hi All, Picnic in the park is a week or so away. we need staff for the bars during the day. Please do let us know if you havent aleady if you are able to assist. We mainly need people between 4 and 11. Cheers, Woolly

A mixed bag of results this past weekend, with some excellent individual performances.
The Ones had an away fixture against Harborne, and electing to field limited them to 213-9 with another strong bowling performance from Dan Wolstencroft with 4-64 off 13 overs. In reply the guys couldn't quite reach that total, but battled well for a losing draw, reaching 191-6 with an important 68 from Jonah.
The Twos were at home against Martley and having been put into bat, reached 137... all out, with skipper Jordan's 29 the top score. Despite the low total some excellent bowling saw Martley skittled for just 55 in 34 overs. Sahib's 5-12 and Jenko's 3-4 the best of the figures.
The Threes were away at Elmley Castle and having lost the toss were put into bat. The top order struggled but thanks to a wag from the tail and Mr X.Tras top scoring as the team were all out for 120. Despite some decent bowling Elmley were able to eventually overhaul that total with the loss of just one wicket.
Our Sunday XI played a strong Redditch side at Alvechurch, and having won the toss and elected to bat, struggled against some good bowling. Despite a fantastic 109 from James Beech, the guys were limited to 162 all out off 33 overs. In reply, despite the best efforts of the team, Redditch reached that total in 26 overs for the loss of just one wicket, including an unbeaten 118 by their skipper.
Next weekend sees another full set of fixtures. The Ones are at home against Five Ways Old Edwardians at Alvechurch while the Twos are away against Burghill, Tillington and Weobley. Our Threes are at home against The Lenches and our Sunday XI travel just down the road to play Old Westheathians at Five Ways.
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The first weekend of the season with all three Saturday teams in action brought some good results, although sadly our Sunday side were unable to fulfil the fixture against Walmley.
The Ones were at home against the Stourport-on-Severn second XI, and were put into bat by the visitors under changeable skies. With a number of players contributing runs, including top scorer Dave Fleming with 44, Alvechurch reached 175 all out off the penultimate ball of their 50 overs. In reply,... Stourport could only manage 105 runs from their rain-shortened allotment of 47 overs, but held on with their final pair to secure a losing draw. This despite the best efforts of Dan Wolstencroft, who bowled a demon spell of 14 overs, 7-41 with two maidens.
The Twos travelled away to Birlingham on the edge of the Cotswolds, winning the toss and electing to field. Birlingham reached only 134-8 from their 45, a total that the twos were able to reach in 42 overs for the loss of seven wickets. More details when Jord posts the full scores!
The Threes had their first game of the season at Hopwood, and faced Bretforton 2nds, the team they had defeated on the last day of the 2018 season. Winning the toss, the Threes put the visitors into bat, and thanks to some impressive bowling, including 3-11 and a great run out for Steve Lines, skittled them out for 73. In reply the guys made somewhat difficult work of it but overhauled that total on a low-scoring Hopwood pitch in 30 overs. Special mention to Andy Duggins for his single ball over to secure the last wicket and heave for six to score the winning runs on a day when boundaries were hard to come by.
Points for all the teams, let's do the same next week!
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Great win for the Alvechurch All Stars today at Stourbridge CC. Three wins from three for the ladies - great performance! #UpTheChurch

Hopwood looking stunning this morning. Graham, Andy and Boots have done a fantastic job getting her ready for the first game of the season on Saturday.
Unfortunately we were at the ground today to arrange for the Council to pick up this fly tipped garden waste. Shameful behaviour!

It was a low scoring weekend of fixtures, but included wins for both of Ones and Twos.
The Ones were away to Astwood Bank Threes, and on an unforgiving early season surface were put into bat. After a promising start the middle order struggled and found themselves all out for 96. Deejay's 25 the best of the scores. With the outfield making scoring difficult, this proved a defendable score, with some great bowling skittling the home team out for just 74 off 35 overs. James Bee...ch's 5-4 (that's no typo) off ten overs featured eight maidens. Great bowling Beechy!
The Twos played the reverse fixture at home, and having put Astwood Fours into bat, restricted them hugely to just 83-9 off their 45 overs. Mike Gilmour's 4-14 was the best of the bowling figures. The Twos chased that total down in just over 17 overs, with Gilly also impressing with the bat, with 47. A dominant win.
The Sunday XI had a tough first game friendly against a strong Shipston-on-Stour side, and although the side reached only 96 runs, there was some impressive lower order batting from Jamie Rachman (27) and Dan Newby (31) against good quality bowling. The opposition didn't struggle to reach that total, despite our bowler's best efforts. Still, on to next weekend!
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