Avoncroft Cricket Club 11, Annual Report 2022
Season Overview
2022 was a landmark year for Avoncroft Cricket Club with the club celebrating it’s 75[th] anniversary, having originally been set up as a social pursuit by members of Avoncroft College in 1947. Events took place throughout the season including a Chairman’s XI vs President’s CXI T20 game, featuring stars old and new from the club’s recent history and a six-a-side festival involving senior and junior players, plus a number of social members.
On the field, the 1[st] XI produced their strongest season for many years. Perhaps driven on by their 75[th] anniversary commemorative shirts, the 1sts finished just 18 points off promotion in Division 3, with the season going right down to the wire with promotion still possible until the last ball of the season. The second XI consolidated their position with a mid-table finish in Division 9, although a late season surge thanks to maturing performances from the club’s up and coming youngsters hints at good things to come.
The club’s biggest success came from their 3[rd] XI who, having on reformed in 2021, romped to the Division 10 (East) title losing only 1 game all season. Again, it was the mix of youth and experience that did the trick and saw the 3rds achieve promotion into Division 9 for 2023.
Our flourishing junior section continued to expand in 2022, with 8 junior sides from U8s to U15s plus 60 boys and girls joining the All Stars programme meaning that we were again incredibly grateful to the time and effort put in by our junior coaches and helpers to keep the show on the road.
Off the pitch, the club said a massive thanks to Chairman Chris Townsend, who stepped down from his leadership role and welcomed Mark Whitehead into the hot seat. Having given an incredible service to the club in various roles over 30+ years, members were pleased to hear that Chris was maintaining his role as assistant groundsman, meaning his support and sage advice would still be seen around at the John Sutcliffe Memorial Ground.
1 st XI Review
2022 saw a significant upturn in fortunes for the 1[st] XI who ,after narrowly avoiding relegation in 2021, almost clinched an unexpected promotion after a series of batting displays never before seen at Avoncroft.
Over the course of the season, the 1sts failed only once to post 300 runs in an innings at what became a fortress of a home ground with four batters in particular having historic seasons. Dan Elliott narrowly missed out on becoming the first Croft batter in our 75 year history to reach 1000 league runs for the season, finishing with 966 runs at an average of 74. New signing Will Baker would have reached the same landmark if he’d joined earlier than the midpoint of the season, but his record of 835 runs at 93 possibly marks the most impressive individual set of results in the club’s history. Not to be outdone, Duncan Roke (590 runs at 74) and captain Josh Cound (786 runs) could also lay claims to individual stats that would have led the side in any normal year!
No review of the season would be complete without a special mention for Al Brunt who posted the 2[nd] highest individual score in the club’s history, smashing 200 not out against a Redditch side that finished 2[nd] in the league. Whilst the bowling was not so monumental, leg-spinner Alex Richardson ran away with the plaudits thanks to his 40 wicket season, the most by a Croft spinner in 15 years.
2 nd XI Review
The 2[nd] XI maintained their recent record of mid-table finishes, with 7 wins and 9 losses resulting in a 7[th] place finish, but just 11 points off the table half of the table.
By comparison to the 1sts, runs didn’t flow quite so freely in the 2[nd] XI, but there were still several impressive performances with Chris Pitt scoring 325 runs at 81, and veterans Jon Brunt, Mark Whitehead and Jon Bird all averaging over 30.
The bowling honours were a much more youthful affair, with 14 year old Ben Huxley posting an incredible season with 34 second team wickets. He was followed in the bowling ranks by Ben Athey and Matt Croal, with the top 3 wickets takers all under 16 years of age.
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3 rd XI Review
Even the most optimistic of Croft members would have struggled to predict the success of the club’s 3[rd] XI in 2022. In only their second season back in existence, the 3rds won 12 games and lost only 1 over the course of the season to be crowned Division 10 (East) champions.
Jason Patel took the captaincy reins for the first time, and his leadership skills were evident from the start as he gelled his group of older stalwarts and young bucks to 4 early season wins before suffering their only defeat of the league season to Halesowen by 14 runs. His side jumped right back on the horse after that, going unbeaten for the rest of the season to finish 28 points ahead of nearest rivals Old Halesonians and take the title.
Phil Seers top scored across the season with 265 runs, but the majority of the lifting was done by Croft’s junior stars. 15 year old Joe Neeson led the batting with 240 runs at an average of 30, whilst 13 year olds Ben Athey and Callum Hooper also played telling contributions – Ben averaging over 20 whilst Callum posted his first senior 50 in a win over Pedmore. These 2 youngsters also led the way with the ball, with Callum leading the averages with 14 wickets at just 9 runs per wicket, with Ben not far behind (10 wickets at 13). Juniors Fin Morris and Pete Smith also excelled with the ball, giving their captain the youngest and most potent bowling line up in the league!
Treasurer’s Report 2022
2022 continued the club’s strong trend of financial stability over recent years, with the club posting another surplus despite continuing with a programme of investment in both facilities and ground equipment. The Accounts are attached to this report, however the key points in summary are as follows:
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The club made a surplus of £2,133, with income increasing to £35,396.
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The day-to-day general account shows the growing income from the club bar, which contributed over £9,281 in profit for the club. Fundraising increased off the back of the club’s 75[th] anniversary celebrations, with £7,600 being raised in addition to sales of £3,750 of the club’s anniversary shirts. This funding enabled the club to support the areas of investment set out below, as well as funding the fees related to an extension of the club’s lease for a further 13 years, helping to stabilise the club’s future.
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The club’s development account shows the main areas of investment in 2022, which included:
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£2,132 on electrical works
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£2,897 on internal and external furniture, funded by and England and Wales Cricket Board grant
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£900 on new carpets
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The club’s success with its day-to-day finances meant that a development account balance of nearly £8000 was set aside for further investment priorities in 2023.
AVONCROFTCRICKETCLUB- CLUBACCOUNTS INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THEYEAR ENDED31STDECEMBER 2022 TOTAL 2022 TOTAL 2021 2822 2822 INCOME Playing Committee 7.311 7.311 5.977 3.405 406 355 300 378 265 275 2.080 85 605 Junior Committee 5.1ts1 5.101 6.169 5.053 Social & Fundraising Committee 3.752 F.E3e 11.390 6.828 480 727 522 -BBQ 3.752 Ground & Pavilion Committee Z312 2.312 180 Bai Committee 5.2ei 9.281 8.747 TOTAL AVONCROFT CC INCOME 25.445 35.396 27.901 EXPENDITURE Main Committee 72B1 4.248 483 2.073 2.079 67 575 877 440 225 Playing Commillp• 2.644 1.693 1.526 787 567 69 527 370 Junlor Commltt•• 1.381 1.662 730 351 J51 220 Sool•l & Fundr•lslng Commlti 5.465 177 rfj Ground & P•vlllon Commltt•• 16.202 21.690 5.830 341 7fft6 5.848 804 367 Bar Commilt•• 69 TOTAL AVONCROFT CC EXPENDITURE 33.263 25.671 TOTAL AVONCROFT CC PROFIT I IL055J BEFORE INTERNAL TRANSFERS 2.133 -1.769 TRANSFER TO DEVELOPMENT AIC TOTAL AVONCROFT CC PROFIT IiL055J 2.133 -1.769
AVONCROFT CRICKET CLUB - CLUB ACCOUNTS MOVEMENT OF FUNDS FOR ThE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022 Bank Cash Total Oponlng balanco at 1st January 2022 Split beeen. Gènèral alc - Development 91¢ 2021 Chaquos bankod- Incomè 2021 Cheques presented I written back- Expenditure 2022 Cheques received but not yet banked- Income 2022 Chaquas sant but not yat bankod- Expandlturo Surplus I Icleff citl forthe year Closin balance at 31st December 2022 18,915 18,949 12,334 6,581 12,368 6,581 1,413 20,328 720 754 2,133 21,082 Split betsNeen: General alc Develo ment alc 12,441 7,886 754 13,195 7,886
AVONCROFT CRICKET CLUB - CLUB ACCOUNTS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT- MEMORANDUM FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2022 INCOME 2022 EXPENDITLIRE 2022 OPENING &4L4PICE Motleup of. - GeneralBalance 6,581 Grants EW cflcKei TTUSt Grant l312 2,B57 2.312 2897 Sponsorship & Donatirffls VP & Oonalions BwTnvIIÈ Tw51 A5¢a AR- Shirt sponsotsnip 200 Clu Bonus Bail Crouno Hire BBO PreSentS Evening OlheriRaMe. BBQ elcl 5,748 480 500 500 250 1,520 727 1.073 540 626 207 StAicrtors Fees- LeaSeeXteO CatpetS 1.608 2,132 300 Transf•rfrom G•n•ral Account 3UB-TOTAL BALANCE Matte up or - General 7,eB6 7.886
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