Belhus Cricket Club Girls News
Womens League Cricket coming to Belhus?
Belhus women's and girls section have received a tentative invitation to join a women's evening cricket league next season. Matches are 20-overs per side and are played on Friday evenings. The club hopes to have more information avaialble at its AGM, which will be held on 17th October 2008.
Belhus CC at Lady Taverners Presentation
Belhus Cricket Club were invited to Essex County Cricket Club's Chelmsford headquarters on Thursday (18th September 2008) to receive a full kit bag of equipment, including protective helmets. The presentation took place in front of the pavilion during the tea break of the second day's play of the Liverpool Victoria County Championship division two fixture between Essex and Warwickshire.
Representing Belhus CC at the presentation were Lisa Cansdale, together with husband Cliff and her son Michael. The club is now looking to recruit more players for the 2009 outdoor playing season, having received an invitation to join a twenty-20 style league operating on Friday evenings. "We have some work to do" admits Lisa, and says "We have the kit thanks to a generous donation from the Lady Taverners, to whom we are most grateful, but we really need access to coaching, practice and above all a suitable ground on which to play our home games. There is a shortage of good cricket pitches in our area, which is a shame really".
Any female, of any age, looking to join Belhus Cricket Club, should contact Julia Squires on 01708 857728 in the first instance.
Belhus CC Granted Planning Permission for Permanent Outdoor Nets
Belhus Cricket Club is pleased to announce that it has received planning permission from Thurrock Council to erect permanent outdoor cricket nets at the North Stifford ground. Our plans were submitted earlier this year by Jim Robertson, who said: "'It's great news for the club and for this area of the borough. It is still early days in terms of the facility actually being put in place, but it is a big stepping stone towards this long term dream becoming a reality. These nets, if and when installed, should be the best in the area by far". The next stage is for funding to be secured. Jim continued: "We priced the job some eighteen months ago, and we were looking at the net structure and surfaces being in the region of £15,000 with the security fencing being another £6,000". The club is already earmarking certain external funding towards the project and additional funding partners will now be required to help make the much needed community facility into a reality. Belhus youth chairman Cliff Cansdale admitted: "With so few facilities available to hire locally, we are asking parents to take their children to places like Ilford and Chelmsford for coaching, or even to school halls outside the local area. To have such a facility in our own backyard will benefit not only the club as a whole, but equip individual players with the skills they need to compete adequately with well-coached players from outside the area. I am certain the benefits, especially in terms of the development of the large number of local children interested in cricket, will be enormous".
More playing opportunities for Belhus juniors revealed
Belhus Cricket Club, has, for the first time, elected a Saturday fourth eleven captain and is organising a pre-arranged list of fixtures as the club aims to provide even more regular cricket for its members during the 2007 season. A programme of approximately 12 fixtures is being arranged by Fixture Secretary Fred Taylor during a period of the season when it is felt that availability will be at its highest. The team will be captained by Cliff Cansdale with Paul Whitlock as vice-captain. Cliff Cansdale said: "This presents a good opportunity for a greater number of junior members to learn more about the game in a fun environment without the pressure of league cricket. I am sure it will be thoroughly enjoyable for adults too and I am sure we have a good fixture list with similar strength teams".
Amy becomes youngest female player to play for club first eleven
Thirteen year old Amy Squires became the youngest ever female player to play for the club's senior first eleven when, on Saturday 30th September, she took the field for the home fixture with Billericay St. John's at North Stifford. Like an ever-increasing number of girls at Belhus CC, Amy is gaining considerable experience at the club, having been a member of the youth tour party to Sussex in August 2006 and is now attending regular coaching at the Ilford Cricket School, which is managed by Joe Hussain, the father of former Essex and England captain Nasser Hussain.
Sarah takes her first wicket on tour at Seaford CC
Sarah Webb took her first wicket for the club on Friday 18th August (2006), which was the final day of the Sussex Youth Tour at the Salts Recreation Ground, home of Seaford Cricket Club. More details to follow soon. Later, Sarah was drawn as the winner of the Sussex CCC leisure polo shirt donated by the Newbery bat company based at the County club's Hove headquarters and received the garment at the Ilford Cricket School on 5th October.
Junior Clubnight Schedule 2006
The club has announced that our highly popular junior clubnight, for those of the U13 team and below, held at our main North Stifford ground, will continue each Friday evening up to and including 14th July 2006. Thereafter there are no practice sessions planned, but the clubhouse will be open on subsequent Fridays until further notice. For information on the U15 practices which are held on a Wednesday evening, please contact Mike Squires. The club is now planning its Winter coaching programme, commencing in October 2006, and announcements will be made on this website as soon as arrangements have been confirmed.
Youth Matches - Match Fees Reduced
With effect from Monday 26th June 2006, the club has decided that junior match fees in all junior/youth fixtures will be reduced to one pound.
Rebecca leads Belhus to victory
Hadleigh & Thundersley U11B 235-5
Belhus U11B 255-2
Rebecca Holyoak captained the new Belhus team to a fine 20-run victory over their Hadleigh counterparts on Sunday morning. Playing on the second pitch at the John Burrows ground only a short distance from where the two other under-eleven teams were playing from the same clubs, Hadleigh reached a testing 235 from a starting point of 200 in this eight a side pairs fixture. With batsmen losing eight runs for each dismissal in a four-over stay at the crease, Oliver Duxbury, Tom Cerson, Chris Tong and Callum Jenkinson emerged with a credit balance to their personal score with 4,3,6 and 4 respectively. For Belhus, the bowlers amongst the wickets were Craig Vickers, 1-10 from two overs, Daniel Rowan 1-8 from four overs including one maiden, Harry Turner 1-7 from two overs and Mason Ruck 1-12 also from two. Fine catches were taken by Rowan at mid-off and Ruck at mid-wicket, while Belhus wicketkeeper Ewan Day put in a good display behind the stumps. After the break, the first four Belhus batsmen were undefeated with seven year old Jamie Willett completely untroubled by the opening home attack. He finished with two runs while colleague Turner scored four runs. The second pairing of Day and Rowan laid the foundation for victory, no runs were scored off the bat but, crucially, no wickets were lost and the momentum was maintained. The third pairing of Rebecca Holyoak and Ashleigh Hall produced more activity for the scorers; Holyoak was caught and bowled first ball but recovered to score ten runs to emerge with a net credit score of two runs, while Hall was also dismissed once but also reached the boundary with a well-timed on-drive. The grand finale came for Belhus with a magnificent display from Vickers, to complete a fine all-round performance. The left-hander struck three boundaries to finish undefeated on 12 runs, while colleague Ruck played a good supporting role with 1 not out. Teams: Hadleigh and Thundersley: Cameron Heath, Oliver Duxbury, Ishan Patel, Tom Cerson, Chris Tong, Callum Jenkinson, Miles Graham and Miles Harvey. Belhus: Jamie Willett, Harry Turner, Ewan Day, Daniel Rowan, Rebecca Holyoak, Ashleigh Hall, Mason Ruck and Craig Vickers.
Girls selected to play for Belhus CC
Two Belhus girls have been chosen to represent the Belhus youth section on Sunday 28th May (2006). Rebecca Holyoak will be playing against South Weald CC while Amy Squires will be playing in the fixture with Canvey Island CC. This will be Rebecca's first game for Belhus CC this season while Amy makes her second appearance in a Belhus team.
U11 Teams Badly hit by Rain
The girls U11 coaching session on the outfield of Essex County Cricket Club scheduled for this evening (Monday 8th May 2006) has been cancelled due to a waterlogged ground. The Essex County Cricket Board have announced that the event will be re-arranged at a later date. Meanwhile, the Belhus U11 eight a side pairs fixture in the South Essex District Cricket Board league - their first fixture of the season scheduled for Sunday 7th May 2006 - was also cancelled because of the ground conditions caused by the bad weather. This fixture will also be arranged at a later date.
Praise for Belhus Volunteers
Volunteers from Belhus Cricket Club have been praised for assisting with a Thurrock Primary School's girls kwik cricket tournament which was staged by Thurrock Council's Sport and Leisure Department in association with William Edwards Sports College on Tuesday (2nd May 2006). Volunteers from Belhus CC were U15 team members Michael Fogg, Gavin Jefferies and Bradley Sheridan with Lisa Cansdale acting as scorer. The event was on by Stifford Clays Junior School, who now go on to represent Thurrock in the Essex Youth Games, to be held at Garons Leisure Park in Southend on Saturday 17th June (2006). Both Nicole Napier, sports and leisure officer from Thurrock Council and Cliff Cansdale, hon. youth chairman of Belhus CC have expressed their thanks for the volunteers for giving up their spare time to assist. "Bradley, Gavin and Michael are a credit to their parents and their school for their tremendous support they have given. Thurrock Council will be providing evidence of their community involvement for use towards their assessment for the GCSE in Physical Education", said Cliff Cansdale.
Belhus Girls at Harold Wood
Belhus Junior members Amy, Ashley, Chloe, Libby and Rebecca enjoyed a cricket festival organised by the Essex Cricket Board at Harold Wood cricket club on Bank Holiday Monday (1st May 2006). The event was the annual "Super Fours" event, whereby players are split into four eight-a-side teams and three pairs (hardball) matches are arraged between the teams. Play was underway after a delayed start due to rain, but this did not dampen the girl's enthusiasm. Barbecue and refreshments were provided by Harold Wood CC. Belhus girls manager Lisa Cansdale said: "All the girls thoroughly enjoyed the festival and we thank Helen and Dave Letch for staging such a fine competition, together with the girls from the Essex U17 team who umpired throughout the afternoon".
Girls welcome at Belhus CC junior clubnight
All female junior members of Belhus Cricket Club are welcome to attend the junior clubnight - now on Fridays - which commences on Friday 5th May 2006 at 6.30pm then each Friday until July 2006. Whenever possible, the Belhus girls team manager Lisa Cansdale will be present, but welcomes - and needs - support from other parents of the girls. There is no charge for attending the junior clubnight. Belhus CC are looking to recruit more juniors to the girls section: if you would like to join us please contact Lisa Cansdale on 01375 396096. Details of girls fixtures, tournaments, trips and further coaching will be added to this website as soon as they are confirmed.
Thurrock U11 Girls Team in Essex Youth Games
The Thurrock U11 Girls Team will again be entering a team in the Essex Youth Games, which takes place at the Garons Leisure Centre, Southend on Saturday 17th June 2006. The organisation of the team is under the direction of Nicole Napier from Thurrock Council's Sports and Leisure department, but will be managed on the day by our own Lisa Cansdale, a level one England and Wales Cricket Board qualified coach. To assist the selection of a squad, Thurrock Council have arranged for a cricket tournament amongst eight local junior schools which will take place at William Edwards Sports College on Tuesday 2nd May 2006. The club have been asked to provide assistance with umpiring at this event and have requested the voluntary support of the Thurrock branch of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.
Free Club Caps for Belhus Child and Girl Members
The management committee of Belhus Cricket Club has agreed to offer (subject to availability) all child and girl members for the 2006 season a free club cap which will be fully embroidered with the club badge. We are sure that our Belhus juniors will join the seniors in wearing the Belhus club cap with pride.
Women's County Fixture
Belhus Cricket Club have had their plans dashed to host a County fixture between Essex and Norfolk at North Stifford on Saturday 17th June 2006. This would have been a good boost for the girls and womens section at Belhus CC, but unfortunately the North Stifford village fete committee have chosen the same day to hold their annual charity event. Club chairman Brian Edwards said: "Under the terms of our lease, we are obliged to surrender one Saturday per season so that our community can host its long-established and highly successful village fete. It is very unfortunate that there has been a clash of dates but we do expect to be able to host similar County representative fixtures in the future".
Belhus Girls website now open!
The Belhus Cricket Club's Girls Team now has it's own Website. Please visit it to see how the girls are doing.
Belhus awarded ClubSX Gold
Club SX is the Club Accreditation Scheme for Sports clubs in Essex. The scheme has proved extremely popular since its launch last year, and was set up to ensure that quality sports clubs receive the recognition they deserve.
The scheme can act as a stepping stone for those clubs already working towards their National Governing Body Club Accreditation. Clubs that already have this award can also apply for Club SX to further promote their club.
Belhus Achieve ClubMark accreditation
Following months of preparation and training, we learned on 6th June 2005 that we have been awarded with the England and Wales Cricket Board's "ClubMark" accreditation, which shows the club to be a "safe and effective, child-friendly club". David Leighton, National Manager for Cricket Clubs from the England and Wales Cricket Board said: "I congratulate Belhus Cricket Club on being one of a selected number of cricket clubs across England and Wales to achieve ClubMark accreditation. The principles behind achieving accreditation are important, and ensure that your club are now in a position to continue developing and delivering high quality community cricket to the current and future members of your club and specifically to young cricketers. The hard work your club has put in has been recognised by the England and Wales Cricket Board, your County Cricket Board, Sport England, and by partners locally. However, the hard work does not stop here. It is now the responsibility of all club members to uphold and continue the best practice you have put in place as part of the ClubMark process, and continue to thrive as a community cricket club. On behalf of the England and Wales Cricket Board, I would like to congratulate and thank you all once more for your commitment and dedication to community club cricket".
Belhus are in Training!
As usual, Belhus Cricket Club are providing ample opportunities for its members to be ready and firing on all cylinders for the 2006 season. Senior nets take place at Grays School, Hathaway Road, each Wednesday evening from 8th February at 9pm until 10pm. A further hourly session commences on Sunday 12th February at 12.30pm. Two nets are available for the midweek session, while all four nets are available to the club for the Sunday hiring. A small fee will be charged to cover the cost of the hall hire.
For opportunities for our junior members, please see the "Youth Team News" page of this website.
Girl Power fires Orsett
U14 Indoor Sixes - Week Eight
BELHUS 1 106-3
ORSETT 97 all out
A superb innings of 41 from Orsett's Laura Kavanagh brought her team to within nine runs of reaching an unlikely target set by an on-form Belhus team at Grays School on Friday evening. Kavanagh struck three fours and two sixes in a valiant effort to help Orsett recover from an almost impossible situation. After seven overs, Orsett had reached 38-2, with George Pavitt run out, without scoring, at the bowlers end after good work by Ben Palmer at mid-off. Pavitt's replacement, Glen Harris, was then bowled by Palmer which enabled the live-wire Belhus seamer to complete a wicket-maiden. However, Orsett managed to score 17 runs from the eighth over, 14 from the ninth and 13 from the tenth over to set up an exciting finish as 25 runs were required from the final two overs. Billy Winter stepped up to bowl the eleventh over, he then bowled Alex Hardly for one run and completed the over having conceded just seven runs as the brakes were finally applied. This left 18 runs still wanted from the final over bowled by Connor Day. Orsett found it difficult to score runs off the Belhus paceman as Day conceded just eight runs from the final over to finish with 0-18 from three tidy overs to wrap up the victory, albeit by the slender margin of just nine runs, with the excellent Kavanagh eventually being run-out in the frantic run-chase. Palmer finished with 2-20 from three overs and Winter 1-31, also from three. Earlier, Jason Peters made 26 before being caught and bowled by Palmer, while in the Belhus innings, Palmer scored 23, Winter totalled 20 and Laurie Hawkes scored an undefeated 18, a personal best for the indoor sixes. For Orsett, Pavitt finished with 2-25.
Belhus Girls meet England Team Player
Three female junior members of Belhus Cricket Club attended a two-day coaching clinic at Saffron Walden CC during last week's half-term holiday. Libby Cansdale, Lucy Paisley and Amy Squires received expert tuition from Charlotte Edwards (England Women's vice-captain) along with Helen and Dave Letch from the Essex Cricket Board. The Belhus junior members then lined up with the Essex and Huntingdonshire U13 girls squads for a photocall and presentation of certificates. Girls cricket practice continues each Thursday evening at the club's North Stifford ground on Thursday evenings at 6.30pm and at the Chafford Community Day at the Chafford Campus on Saturday 11th June from 10am until 12 noon. For further information on girls and womens cricket at Belhus CC, please contact Lisa Cansdale on 01375 396096.
'ClubNight' for Juniors
The North Stifford ground will be available to all junior members on Thursday evenings from 6.30pm each week when our popular "ClubNight" returns on Thursday 12th May. Ground facilities will be available to members for training purposes, subject of course to prevailing weather conditions. In order to develop our training facilities still further, a £1 contribution will be expected from all participating members each week. Junior members must not be left on the ground unaccompanied by a parent/guardian.
The club will encourage its qualified member coaches and senior members to assist with the development of its younger and less experienced members. However, parents and guardians of our junior members should note that our coaches are no different from anyone else in the community, ie, they are volunteers who have jobs and family commitments, therefore the club cannot guarantee the availability of any specific coaching resource at "ClubNight". The club welcomes the support of parents and guardians to take a pro-active role in the development of its young members and to encourage their juniors to enrol at the various coaching schemes organised by Essex County Cricket Club and the South Essex District Cricket Board.