Good afternoon everyone,
Hope people are well - I hope that the wet weather is getting itself out of the way before the season starts.
I have several updates below and also an action please take the time to read through and to fill out the forms.
Fixtures
As was communicated recently due to late information from clubs, changing information and also other play cricket issues the fixtures have taken longer than usual to be generated.
Changes will be implemented at the end of this year ahead of the 2023 season to try to stop this happening again.
But I am happy to announce that all fixtures are now finalised on Play Cricket https://essexcl.play-cricket.com/Matches?tab=Fixture
We have to organise around 1,600 fixtures - and this means that unfortunately not every single fixture is 100% as clubs would like. There are 7 fixtures in particular where we know there is an issue around pitch clashes that need club assistance to help sort.
Those fixtures are
Div 13 21/5 Leigh on Sea 3rd XI v Westcliff 4th XI
Div 16 21/5 Leigh on Sea 4th XI v Standford Le Hope 4th XI
Div 13 25/6 Southend on Sea 3rd XI v Hutton 4th XI
Div 16 25/6 Southend 4th XI v Wickford 4th XI
Div 12 16/7 Hornchurch 4th XI v Westcliff 3rd XI
Div 12 27/8 Hadleigh 3rd XI v Gidea Park 3rd XI
Div 16 27/8 Hadleigh 4th XI v Westcliff 5th XI
Please can the clubs impacted above please check fixtures and contact oppositions to attempt to sort out arrangements.
Please take the time to look through your club fixtures - if there are issues then please chat to Fixture Sec Sandeep spathak32@gmail.com
Ball contacts
Cricket balls will once again be couriered to club contacts this year, or can be picked up directly from Morrants (we will announce when the balls will be ready to be picked up)
Please can ALL clubs fill out this form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScq_AAfzAbDZDD1REa4S4djv5K37nFWFqqaDil5XmtFz9NgTw/viewform
Safe Hands/ Clubmark
All clubs should have received contact from the ECB about Clubmark reaccreditation - the ECB are currently saying this needs to be done by June. And includes also being Safe Hands compliant.
These are painful but very necessary actions to be taken - so please try to get ahead of this if you can.
Funding
Clubs are reminded that funding is currently available from the ECB from the County Grants Scheme, there is also the chance to receive funding if you have been impacted by flooding.
Check out details here https://www.ecb.co.uk/be-involved/club-support/club-funding or chat to the guys from the County.
Umpires
We have a distinct lack of umpires in the panel at the moment. This is something that appears to be impacting several leagues around the county and further afield. We are currently in a position where we fear that some 1st XI matches may not be able to be covered by panel umpires.
If there are any qualified officials who may be able to help on odd occasions - or indeed who would like to join the panel full time, please contact Gary Marshall garyw.marshall@talktalk.net
Club Contacts
As the start of the 2022 season nears, we need your club to complete our online form to submit the details of your club officials for other clubs to use on our club contacts section of the website.
To that end please submit our form at the earliest possible convenience: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWatSpkguhote8_7yHGGWO7WwFFoCKCgxEDhdDnW-PvH4VsQ/viewform
Please action the above if your club has not done already.
Pre season meeting
We are going to have a pre-season meeting - this will happen IN PERSON on Sunday 10th April - exact date and time to be confirmed.
Please make a note in your diaries.
Teas
A reminder of what was agreed at the AGM - 1st and 2nd XIs will have organised teas provided by home clubs - this is not negotiable - and clubs would only be exempt if there was a complete lack of facilities to provide the tea.
For all other XIs clubs do not have to provide an organised tea.
However home clubs can organise one if they want to. In these situations communication between clubs is vital.
Thanks for your time.
Any questions or comments please let me know.
Regards
Thomas Clarke
HFEL Chairman
07763607076
tpc1981@hotmail.com