Bluecaps in Brief: Go!

208 days, 208 days since the last Chertsey Cricket Club match we witnessed. It’s been a loooooong cold winter watching second-rate T20/T10 competitions and England giving us all kinds of jip away from home, so it'll be good to get back to business and get some propa recreational cricket in finally won't it.

So that's membo, tick, post-lockdown haircut (we're looking at you Snake), tick, training smashed, tick, you're good to go we think. The pre-season kicks off with a bevy of friendlies over the next few days for all sections and the U14s (an amalgamation of the U14s & U15s) have the honour of starting our 2021 season off with a friendly away to Windsor tomorrow night.

We've asked President Pullo to give you a pre-season gee up, and as ever he didn't disappoint, as well offering his predictions for the season ahead and teasing his first President’s Day, check him out here. 

There are some things we need to make you aware of though as things won't quite be as we left it last season. Firstly, the current ECB rules state no spectators will be allowed into any private club grounds to watch matches (like our main ground) until the next relaxation of the rules so spectating tribe you'll have to rely on us and our Comms elf squad to keep you up to date best we can with scores & results until that point on the socials - cast your gaze to our Twitter feed, and stories on Instagram & Facebook on match days to pick up any notable mentions on matches we're following and we’ll give you a results update here each week also.

To clarify the point though for Colts matches - only one parent per Colt can currently spectate at a match held at a private club ground. We incur a hefty fine if seen to be flouting any of the above rules which isn't too cool is it. We envisage things will ease as the season progresses and we pass lockdown roadmap dates, so please take this into account.

Now, you would have seen earlier in the week we sent you a little memo for the attention of the Colts parent tribe just to make sure you're all where you need to be in terms of your groups and notifications once you've completed your membership, so whether you have or are in the process of signing up make sure you stick your school year down on your membership form so we can direct you and keep the email handy as these WhatsApp groups are golden - its is how we'll keep in touch with you in more detail relevant to your group. Those who have signed up for their Colts membership have also started picking up their CCC caps or t-shirts too which come as part of their membership, and we must admit you all look very smart.

Don't forget when you sign your Colt up you'll also need to set up or renew a social membership too for yourself, which you can do here at www.chertseycc.org.uk/pages/membership

For those more adult-sized Colts (i.e. the rest of you) now's the time to have a last minute little look round your kit bag, do you need anything - famous blue cap missing perhaps? Or you may just have fomo and need a bit of added sun vs bonce protection, or just a good old way of supporting CCC - head over to our shop at www.chertseycc.org.uk/club-clothing to get sorted before the season starts proper - we can either leave it at the club for you or post it out for a nominal £2 fee.

You will also have seen us popping up all over the gaff in the week promoting our sponsorship opportunities, so if you are or you know someone who will be interested in these, share the posts, get the word out we're on the lookout and email the ladies Katy & Joanna at chertseycchire@outlook.com with any interest or pop over to www.chertseycc.org.uk/pages/sponsors for all the deets.

Fixture Card

Friday April 23rd

U14s v Windsor (A)

Saturday April 24th

1st XI v Woking & Horsell (H) 12pm start

2nd XI v Woking & Horsell (A) 12pm start

3rd XI v Walton (Hrec) 1pm start

Sunday April 25th

Sunday XI v Vishwa (H) 1pm start

Ladies v Ashford (A) 2pm start

U14s v Woking & Horsell (H)

U9s v Englefield Green (A)

U13s v Normandy (A)

Tuesday 27th April

U13 dev v Horsley & Send (A)

Wednesday 28th April

U10 dev v Ashstead (A)

Dates For Your Diary

30th April - CPL Auction Night - details to be announced next week

8th May - First weekend of the Seniors league season

30th May - CPL Round 1

27th June - CPL Round 2

11th July - Colts Day

18th July - President's Day

25th July - CPL Round 3

29th August - CPL Finals Day

Tailender

The fixtures for the Thursday night league that puts the (soon to be) Social in Social League have been announced with the competition commencing on May 13th after a year's lockdown-induced hiatus. The tournament will be a 9-sided affair, with the alumni including teachers Salesians, Vet Labs, Marist, the last season's winners Pirates, Dad's Army (who are they kidding), and the CCC young guns, the Academy. We did hear a rumour the Football Club were going to leave us to join some thing called The European Super League (anyone heard of it? We hear there were some spaces suddenly freed up) but they politely declined. Scared of the fan backlash probably. Notable additions to the league are the freshly-monickored Otters 11 (previously known as Woodford) and the Chertsey Ladies make their deyboo after signing up last season.

Right, we’ve done enough talking, now it’s over to you... The season starts here kids... strap yourself in.