We are a village club with the aim of ‘providing cricket for all’. To help achieve this purpose, the club offer a whole range of cricket for all standards. We have a playing base of approximately 60 and offer youth cricket (under 11,13 and 15s and for 2009 softball cricket for ages 7-11), two evening league sides, a Saturday team that compete in the Dorset leagues and a friendly side that mainly play on Sundays. We are always interested in new players, umpires and supporters of all ages, so please feel free to visit our ground, our website, contact us, or read the excellent ‘The Martinstown Cricketer’ club newsletter (Click here for the latest newsletter: http://martinstown.play-cricket.com/UploadedFiles/Content/253827/pdf/the_martinstown_cricketer_-_october_2008__8163.pdf) to find out more about Martinstown Cricket Club. We are a very social cricket club, often found back at the Brewers Arms enjoying their hospitality after games, but throughout the season we do run social events including BBQs (again, at the fantastic Brewers Arms), darts nights, quiz nights so please keep you eyes open for future events.
Martinstown Cricket Club was reformed in 1988 by a dedicated and fantastic group of individuals that we owe a huge amount of thanks. These people, led by John O’Brien have created one of the most beautiful cricket playing venues at Ashton (opened in 2000) that we are all immensely proud of.
We are very much a village based club and support (and in cases supported by) a range of organisations. Every August, in partnership with The Oddfellows, we raise around £5,000 for Cancer Research by running a fete at Ashton while our ground is regularly used by other community organisations. We recently entered a football team in 'The Poppy Appeal knockout cup', this event raised over £1,700 for this worth cause click here for further information There is more than just cricket at Martinstown Cricket Club.
The 2008 season was a landmark year for the club: the evening league first team finished in their highest ever league position of second in division one, while also reaching the knock out cup final, the second team was launched and was a great success and while our excellent fixture secretary, Mike Clarke, saw the friendly side playing more games than ever before, in fact the club had over 100 fixtures in 2008. The highlight of the season however was the Saturday side who won Dorset Funeral Plan Division Five without losing a game, remaining undefeated since July 2007.
 2008 also has seen numerous improvements to our glorious ground at Ashton that required vast sums of money. Improvements included the creation of a natural square, new water supply, net improvements and spectator viewing improvements.
Fundraising for these projects is still ongoing as the club need to raise over £12,000. We are not an ECB focus club so the majority of the money required for this project has come through the issuing of bonds, fundraising, a West Dorset grant and the generosity of such organisations as Natwest Bank and South West Scaffold. Without this backing, this would not have been possible, so many thanks on behalf of the club. We are always interested in sponsors and ways to raise money.
However we are still in need of items:
-Sprinkler system
-Fence posts/netting
-Roller (for the new wicket)
-Ground works for store/carpark
-Hedging plants
-Electric fence, rabbit proof the wicket
-Top soil
-Cylinder mower, ten blades
If you can donate this, or know someone who can, please call John O'Brien on 01305 889 345.
We are always interested in new players, scorers, coaches, umpires and supporters; please contact the website administrator
(therealmcc@hotmail.co.uk) or call John O'Brien (01305 889 345).
Finally, spectators will always receive a warm welcome at our ground, one of the best cricketing venues in Dorset.
LATEST CRICKET CLUB NEWS
Dear Cricketers, Parents and Supporters,
I am pleased to report that the Cricket Club has had its end of season celebration, held this year at the Brewers Arms. John and Jackie did us proud with a great spread of food, enjoyed by all.
After the eating came the prize giving. As usual, our Club Captain, John O’Brien, conducted the proceedings, congratulating all teams on a very successful season. The President’s wife, Mrs. Geraldine Canniford, presented the awards.
The Best Batsman award went to Stuart Fry, who had averaged 51.13 during 18 innings.
Jim Godding, probably the best bowler the Club has had since 1988, presented the Best Bowler award. He commented that this went to a young fast bowler who also succeeded in frightening the batsmen by his height and speed! This is, of course, Chris Read who took 80 wickets during the season.
The All Rounder award goes to a player who has been exceptional with batting, bowling and performance in the field. This year it went to Ed Nichols, who has become an outstanding wicket keeper, as well as having spent the greatest amount of time at the crease this year batting.
Lee House, captain of the Saturday League side, presented the Young Player of the Year award. This is for a contribution towards not only playing well, but towards the Club. This year, the award went to a keen young man, who scored 662 runs, took 14 wickets and made 12 catches. He has also helped at the fete and with laying the new wicket. Connor Ross was awarded the Young Player of the Year.
Lee also paid tribute to the man who has been bringing along these youngsters to such a high standard, Jon Nichols.
The Club President, Brian Canniford, then presented a new Award, The Spirit of Cricket Award. This recognises players who continue to play in the true spirit of the game. Lee House was considered to be a very worthy recipient of this award.
The final award of the night was Clubman of the Year, decided by the Club Captain, who presented it to Nick Quintrell for all the work he does for the Club.
With all this youth receiving awards, some of the older members were wondering whether it was time to introduce an “Old Player of the Year” gong!
John went on to thank all those who had worked for the Club during the past year, those who had assisted in all sorts of ways with the new project for the grass wicket and borehole, fundraisers, tea ladies, Rachel Bailey for keeping immaculate score books and collecting fees , Mike Clarke for fixtures and the Brewers Arms for their hospitality.
He concluded that he considered the MCC to be the epitomy of cricket played with the right spirit and “with a heart”.
Pat Bailey (Secretary)
Secretary’s comment – this Club includes a fine band of young people, a pleasure to spend time with, and don’t let anyone tell you that the youngsters today are no good. They are brilliant!
Finally a reminder to keep in touch through the Club website at http://martinstown.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp , register for updates and join in the forum discussions. There is also a Facebook site I couldn't possibly recommend, at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2387254441
Jon Nichols
01305 889565
07813 863009
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With the kind permission of John and Jackie at the Brewers Arms, the club will again be holding a Bank Holiday BBQ there on Whit Sunday May 24th starting from 7 p.m.. If previous years are anything to go by, the evening will be both successful and good fun.
This year, as part of the evening, the club's fundraising group also intend to hold a small Auction of goods and promises in aid of club funds.
I am contacting all members at this stage to ask for suggestions and donations of items/promises for the auction. The sort of thing we need is very wide ranging, with tickets to events/days out, golf days, cricket/football kit/memorabilia, restaurant/pub meals, bottles of drink, vouchers for haircuts/beauty treatments etc as well as items (new of course) of (almost) any description with rugs & DVD players just two ideas. These are just a few examples and the list of possibilities is endless.
I am asking if there is something you could donate, if you have a contact/friend/employer etc who may be able to come up with something or if you have suggestions as to things we may be able to obtain. Please put your thinking caps on and all contributions, however small, will be gratefully received.
This will be a new venture for the club and hopefully, with everyones support, if will be a success.
Please let me have you ideas and promises.
Regards
Mike Clarke
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