The Cricket Club

click Organisations for others

click Sports and Social Club for list of articles about the club

The Cricket Club is a section of The Sports and Social Club of Lacey Green and Loosley Row.

click 1903 Cricket Club Concert for details

click 1931 Cricket 2nd 11 Win Cup for article and photo

Hallmark June 1982

Our cricket season got off to a bad start with us being unable to field a 2nd Xl for the first game. This was due to a large percentage of our players having prior commitments playing football and rugby. The Same problem arose in the 1st round of the Whitbred Village K.O. Competition when we had to forfeit the game to Gt, Kingshill, in our first three matches both teams failed to win or even draw. Fortunes changed in the fourth games however, when the 2nd XI won convincingly against Holmer Green and the 1^st Xl got a very good start scoring 76 – 4 only to see a rainstorm put an abrupt end to the game.

The fighting Spirit is certainty back in the cricket club and it is good to see players like Gordon Turner, Mick Tilbury and Brian Kirby playing again. I should not forget of course the younger players like Steve Gilliland, John Grefton, Simon Williams and Rupert Hawthorne who are contributing a great deal and playing well,

Thanks to the efforts of Dave Sanders, We have been able to purchase a motorised roller, lt is exactly the king Of machine the Sports Club were looking for and is in First class condition, Another bonus was the purchase of 2 tractor /mower to replace the ageing tractor and gang Mowers, This will also prove to be a great deal cheaper in running terms than using the old equipment,

Hallmark October 1982 John Stevens thanked all the people who had helped during the season - Annette Stokes for supplying the food for teas. Nigel Kelloway, Terry Kelloway and Ian Stokes for looking after the wicket. All the people who helped run the Colts Cricket team. And a special thank you to Charlie Currell for marking out the wicket and cleaning the club-room every week!

Hallmark October 1985. Extract from Sports Club report by John A Stevens

The Cricket Club Committee breathed a sigh of relief when Walt Lacey kindly offered to look after the cricket square. I sincerely -hope Walt receives. all the help he has been promised because it is very difficult to find people with the experience and the time to look after’ the sacred turf. I know’ many people think a cricket square is just another piece of grass', but they should try facing medium/fast bowling on a badly prepared wicket - a cricket ball*is very hard, and it hurts: This. is why it is vitally important to have someone who will take on the responsibility of looking after the square; it can make the difference between someone being badly injured.

Hallmark 2008. report by Geoff Gomme

Not good enough. Not dedicated enough. Not consistent enough. That's my end of term report. Watching the 1st XI is like looking at a bunch of middle-aged dads playing cricket at the seaside with their children using a soft ball. Half the 1st XI would have been very lucky to get an occasional game in the 2nd Xls of the Wycombe League teams of 40 to 50 years ago.

Reserve teams like Booker, Hampden, Kingshill, Penn & Tylers Green and Naphill - and Lacey Green - would have given a good account of themselves in the present 1st Division - and probably in the Premier.

Having said that, there is talent there - it's just not being used as it could and should be. I know it's easy to sit at the side and criticise and, of course, we all made mistakes. The difference is, we learned from them. We had to with around twenty ex-players known at the time as The Critics remarking none too quietly on our performances!

The 2nd's I can excuse. They rarely know until they are on the field what team they will have - or even if they will have a full team. Even so, they are much more entertaining than the 1st to watch and do give of their very best.

If you want to turn up at the ground for a little light exercise and a few drinks afterwards, that's fair enough. But if you want to win anything you have to be dedicated. Not easy, I know when the team changes from week to week.

And that's a big part of the problem. Too many won't, or are unable, to make themselves available every week - and some of the more useful players among them.

I know there are more distractions and possibly responsibilities than fifty years ago when our week-end sport was the highlight of the week for us. I've never been forgiven for missing my sister's wedding to play cricket. (Well, I ask you, which was most important?)

This is not a personal attack on any individual player - they are all good lads. But, I do passionately want to see them do their very best - if not for the pride of Lacey Green, at least for their own pride.

Well, I've had my say - over to you lads. I would just like to add that there is no truth in the rumour that the letters of my surname stand for Grumpy Old Man Moaning Eternally!

You'll be surprised to know that there are some things this year that have pleased me. Some of us former players feared at one time that the club would collapse as the older hard-working members faded away. Now I believe our fears were groundless. There is hope.

First, we have the young and delightful Stephanie Dell as club secretary (Pay me later, Steph) who I'm sure will come up with good ideas for fund-raising, etc. she recently coordinated the 60^th anniversary of the ground hand-over aided by the committee and others.