Lewdown Cricket Club

Australian allrounder Simon Beshara has agreed to sign for this season. 28 year old Simon is a medium fast bowler and middle order bat who will hopefully bring that little extra firepower with bat and ball to help us towards promotion this season.
Simon, from Melbourne, plays his cricket for Ormond CC at the second highest club level in Victoria and is the third Aussie to represent Lewdown, following in the footsteps of fellow Victorians Jon Varcoe and Anthony Farrant.
As well as being a quality player, Simon is also his club coach and captain and as an Aus level 2 coach (ECB level 3 equivalent)will be bringing his coaching expertise to our Thursday night senior and Friday night junior training sessions.
Our committee are extremely pleased to have signed Simon and look forward to welcoming him to our club for what is a massive season, particularly in terms of team progression after coming so close to promotion last season.

To view these fixtures click on the fixtures tab. All junior fixtures will be uploaded shortly.

Ben Bradshaw
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

bradshawb@parliament.uk


5th March 2010

Dear Mr Bradshaw

The Threat to Cricket in Devon

Introduction

I am writing to you to raise our concern at the threat to sustained investment in cricket in Devon. This also applies to the game as a whole as a result of consultation currently being held by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport into sporting events which should be listed.

We thought you would be interested in learning more about the level of investment the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made in Devon in recent years and the impact this has had on participation, coaching and above all, facilities.

Progress in Recent Years

The opening of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje cricket centre in 2009 represented a considerable achievement for the Devon Cricket Board (DCB). Through partnership with Exeter University and other groups, the DCB were able to provide year round specialised indoor training facility for the first time in the county’s history. The £2.2m project was funded largely (£1.6m) through ECB and Sport England facility grants, but the DCB team were able to use this money to gain further funding from Exeter University, Sir Christopher Ondaatje, the Lord’s Taverners, the Devon County Cricket Club, as well as providing direct funding themselves.

ECB is rightly proud of its grass roots cricket which has generated impressive year on year increases in participation, focus clubs, volunteers and coaches. Participation has risen by 12% as measured by the County’s focus clubs, coaching roles by 16% and there has also been a rise in membership by 6%.

Approximately 5 years ago the situation in the county of Devon regarding cricket club facilities was poor. Club house and changing facilities were run down, playing surfaces were deteriorating and there were very few practice facilities. However, over the last four to five years this situation has greatly improved in no small part due to the number of ECB backed initiatives, such as NatWest Cricket Force, Chance to Shine, community club development fund, machinery fund and the trust grants and loan schemes from the charitable arm of the ECB, the England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT). This has provided clubs with major improvements to all aspects of the game, fine turf projects, non turf practice facilities, club houses and ground machinery.

In your constituency alone the ECB have invested £85,000 which has assisted Axminster Town CC, Budleigh Salterton CC, Clyst St George CC, Exmouth CC, Seaton CC, Sidmouth & Woddbury CC. In Devon they have invested £2,660,911

Since this investment the number of clubs that have achieved ClubMark accreditation has increased from 7 to 36 and the implementation of all aspects of child welfare policy, which comes with this accreditation, brings with it the safe environment in which children and families can enjoy the benefits that go with membership of a flourishing cricket club. The opportunities that cricket gives to children hits the government’s ‘every child matters’ agenda of staying safe, making a positive contribution, being healthy, enjoying and achieving an economic wellbeing.

Women & Girl’s cricket within Devon continues to expand, now offering senior club cricket in two county wide divisions. The advent of district girl’s cricket in 2009 and the increased numbers of girl’s teams entering the ADSA Kwik Cricket and Lady Taverners competitions increases the pressure on finance and time needed to sustain such an important and integral part of Devon Cricket.

Disability cricket, too, has burgeoned under the Cricket Board network and is now able fully to support Perry Sprung, a volunteer who has established a formal programme for disability cricket in the county. Until 2009 there had been no formal disability cricket in the county. Devon now boasts its own county disability side which competes in the Southern Counties hardball competition.
The increased support to coach education has had a massive impact across cricket. With more courses available clubs are providing coaches for local schools in Devon, making strong partnerships that benefits the local community. Our coaches are making a real difference to children; this includes those that are facing considerable challenges as well as the most able.

None of these fundamental grassroots projects could have been undertaken without the considerable capital investment from the ECB, and we are now able to draw on these enhanced facilities to improve performance year on year.

Listed Events – The Rationale and The Impact
The ECB’s ability to make such a significant investment in grass roots cricket in Devon has been, in a large part, due to the fact that the ECB has been able to negotiate a fair market price for cricket with broadcasters who have demonstrated a desire and commitment to cricket.

All broadcasters had the opportunity to bid for international and domestic cricket and sadly, despite the ECB’s best efforts, no terrestrial broadcaster has registered a bid.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is now consulting on the recommendations made by the Davies review into Free to Air television that the home Ashes series be listed as a ‘crown jewel’ and the list of protected highlights be abolished. This is a move that is a crippling blow for cricket – drastically reducing income and leading to the end of the popular highlight programme at 7pm that allowed all of the family to catch up on the cricket after a day at school or work. This decision is contrary to the evidence provided by all terrestrial broadcasters who gave evidence and has been rejected by four previous Government and Select Committee inquiries.

The potential damage of listing the Ashes is extremely serious for the health of our sport. Initial indications provided to ECB by external rights consultants have suggested a loss of income of at least £100m over a four year period. The Davies Report does not take this into consideration and the Secretary of State has said he will listen to the evidence of the impact this could have.

With losses of this magnitude the impact will be felt at all levels of the game from Team England down to grassroots cricket and it would be disastrous if a populist move, unsupported by financial impact studies or broadcasters, was to undermine the entire structure of the game.

In cricket, as in all sports, there is a close pathway between participation, community sport, and the various tiers of competitive sport leading through the Minor County and First Class County structure to the International arena. All depend on each other and the impact of these proposals would not only be felt at every level but would be a major impediment to achieving the aim of more people of all ages playing, watching and enjoying cricket.

Conclusion

Cricket in Devon with its clubs often the centre of community or village life has benefited hugely from the ECB investment. It is an investment programme we wish to develop in the next five years, but we fear we are facing incapacitating cuts in the cricket infrastructure should there be an ill considered decision in respect of the listing of events.

Please will you write to the Secretary of State to ask him to include in his final decision making what impact this would have on cricket in your constituency. One good outcome would be to return to the previous arrangement (which had been backed by four previous Government reviews) and put Cricket on the B list.

If you would like more information please do contact us.

Yours sincerely


Brenden Worth
Club Development Officer
For and on behalf of Lewdown CC

The first XI fixtures are now on the fixtures page.
First up are local rivals Whitchurch at home, this promises to a lively game after last seasons promotion bid was scuppered on the last day of the season by a Whitchurch teams negative tactics, Lewdown will be looking for instant revenge. Last game of the season will also be a bit fiery, Yelverton away, the scene of an 'interesing' game last year in which Yelverton won.
Other fixtures to be submitted soon.

Lewdown CC have been awarded £32,060.00 from Biffaward for reason of extending the current pavilion. Work starts soon on extending the current structure, allowing for umpire changing rooms, more changing facilities, storage and a much needed club room.

This will help the Club to become more self sustaining, with the introduction of more social and income generating events.

If you have any spare time please contact Tony Worth on 01566 783 313, who will gladly accept any volunteer input.

The works will be finished before the new season starts.

Our successful awards dinner was held last week, all winners are listed on the honours board.

It has been confirmed by the Tamar League that Lewdown 2nds are champions of Division A of the Tamar League.

This is only fitting as they won 2 games more than any other team. The Tamar League presentation is Friday 16th October at White Hart in Launceston. There will be a good turnout from Lewdown CC as the evening team won the Division A Cup.

For more details or to book tickets, contact Nick Hayden or Brenden

The club presentation lunch, to be held at the Eagle House, Launceston on Sun 27th Sep, is fast approaching so those that would like to come please let a committee member know ASAP, the cost of the 3 coarse meal is £12.50 seniors and £6.25 for under 11's with a choice of beef or turkey, start time is 12.30. Thanks and hope to see you all there.