Cricket: Berkswell’s race for Summer silverware gains pace

A remarkable weekend for Berkswell Cricket Club as Summer transitioned from June to July could be followed by another in quick succession as Berkswell’s senior 1st team prepare for the Birmingham League’s T20 Finals Day.

On Friday 29th June Berkswell’s Under 16 boys won the Coventry and District’s Fred Gardner Trophy with a 6 run victory over Bablake Old Boys.

Berkswell Under 16s: Coventry and District Trophy Winners

The next day Berkswell’s senior 1st team moved top of the Birmingham and District League’s Premier Division, the pinnacle position in Club cricket across 5 counties. This means Berkswell’s 1st and 2nd teams both currently top their respective divisions.

“Like the weather, our season has brightened up considerably in the Saturday 1st XI,” explains Club Chairman Matt Nightingale.

“After having had our first fixture abandoned, we lost the next 2 games to title-rivals Shrewsbury and West Bromwich Dartmouth and were close to the bottom of the table in early May. To find ourselves top after 10 games shows how tight the league is this season and it shows we still have an excellent team. Our league form now matches our T20 form where in addition to reaching this Sunday’s Birmingham League Finals Day, we’ve also made the Coventry Cup Final on Friday 13th July.”

Birmingham & District Premier League – Premier Division Table (30th June 2018).

Berkswell’s women walked away from the Midlands Super 8 Finals Day at Halesowen Cricket Club with the winner’s trophy on Sunday 1st July, a week after appearing in the last four of the English Cricket Board’s National T20 competition.

8-a-Side Midlands Finalists: [from left to right] Pershore v Berkswell.

Berkswell’s Women with their Midlands Super 8s Winner medals

“Our Women’s section has had an exceptional year in the T20 format of the game,” says Matt Nightingale.

“By winning the regional T20 final at our home ground, the Women then travelled the following weekend to Newport in South Wales for the national T20 Finals Day. Unfortunately, they ran into a strong Finchley outfit in the Semi Final but can console themselves that they went further in a national competition than any previous Berkswell side. We are enormously proud of the achievements of Sarah Ginn and her team.”

Birmingham and District League T20 Challenge Cup Finals
Four teams will contest the T20 Finals at Kenilworth Wardens Cricket Club on Sunday 8th July 2018, in a knockout format consisting Semi-Finals and Final.

The first Semi-Final will feature Berkswell against Fordhouses from 10:00 am, followed by the second Semi-Final between Wolverhampton and Barnards Green. The winners will contest the Final at 5:00 pm.

T20 Finals Day information

Date: Sunday 8th July 2018Venue: Kenilworth Wardens Cricket Club
1st Semi Final: Berkswell v Fordhouses 10:30 am
2nd Semi Final: Wolverhampton v Barnards Green 1:30 pm
Final: 5:00 pm

Map link:

Birmingham and District Premier Division

Berkswell v Smethwick – Saturday 7th July 2018

Berkswell will play Smethwick at The Lant, Meeting House Lane, Balsall Common on Saturday 7th July in an exciting 1st v 2nd (joint) clash which gets underway at noon:

“Our overseas professional Sadaf Hussain is due to join the club this weekend.” explains Matt Nightingale:

“Sadaf has a fantastic first-class record in his native Pakistan, having taken over 350 wickets at under 19 a piece, which is a great record for a lad of 28. If he can hit form with the ball, he may provide the mid-season impetus to carry our league challenge over the line. ”

“He makes his debut against a very strong Smethwick outfit, who currently sit in second place in the league, level on points with Shrewsbury, so fingers crossed we can get a good result and maintain our position at the top of the league.”

“England’s Football World Cup Quarter Final will also be on display in the clubhouse at 3:00 pm if you want to torture yourself with that.”

Follow Berkswell Cricket Club online

Berkswell Cricket Club Facebook page
Berkswell Cricket Club Juniors Facebook page
Berkswell Cricket Club Twitter
Berkswell Cricket Club Women’s Twitter
Berkswell Cricket Club Juniors

July 1, 2018July 1, 2018

Players needed for Balsall Hornets

Our local club the Hornets are looking for some current under 12s to join their team (boys currently in Year 7 moving into Year 8 in September).

The team are asking anyone who is keen to be involved to get in touch to find out more.

Contact Scott Goulden via email or call him on 07891856445

Both the club and the team are very friendly, and as well as the football get involved in the community, including an incredibly popular Beer Festival this weekend attended by many of the parents and players of the team.

The Hornets have Junior teams for many age groups and a Saturday morning club for those not yet old enough for teams. There’s more details and a contact form on their website.

June 26, 2018June 28, 2018

2018 Balsall Common Beer Festival

The Balsall Common Lions Club has teamed up with Balsall and Berkswell Hornets Football Club to stage their 2nd Balsall Beerfest together at the football club’s Lavender Hall Lane ground on Saturday 30th June 2018.

Balsall Beerfest – 30 June 2018

Balsall Beerfest aims to bring the community together around the aims of promoting local breweries and raising money for local causes, with an event that offers beer, food, music and laughter.

There will be 7 hours in which to try 14 beers to try from 7 local breweries, all based within 20 miles of Balsall Common, alongside lager, wine (including the now obligatory Prosecco) and soft drinks.

Musical entertainment will feature the 2015 Balsall’s Got the Voice winner Ellis Gallagher, as well as a DJ and disco.

The event runs from 4:00pm until 11:00 pm and tickets are available at £5 each from Michael’s Drinks World and Oakes Farm Shop in Balsall Common.

Beerfest Event Sponsors

The organisers wish to thank more than a dozen local businesses that clubbed together to sponsor barrels of beer for this year’s event (there are last minute sponsorships available if anyone wishes to enquire via Mark Whitfield by calling 07795 184745 or emailing whitfieldfamily@btinternet.com):

Acclaimed Mortgage Consultancy

Adlington Turkeys Limited

Aspect Financial Consultants

Avion Technical Services Ltd

Balsall Common Dental Practice

Balsall Common Dental Practice has also published a Festival article:

5 Great Reasons to attend Balsall Common Beer Festival

BalsallCom.Com

Yes, that’s us! Couldn’t resist slapping our name on a barrel. Would have been rude not to…

Bengal Brasserie

CP’s Barbers

Direct Carpets and Flooring

Eastwood Hay Guest House

GR Dawson Garden Services

Lavender Hall Fisheries

Michael’s Drinks World

Retail Transport Services Ltd

The White Horse

Beerfest Event Information

Date: Saturday 30th June 2018
Venue: The Triangle, Lavender Hall Lane, Balsall Common
Timings: 4:00 pm until 11:00 pm
Ticket Outlets: £5 each from Michael’s Drinks World and Oakes Farm Shop
Online tickets: £5 + booking fee via Avion TSL ticketing
Website: balsallbeerfest.com

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018

One Stop to raise funds for Cancer Mum’s Children

The team at Balsall Common’s One Stop have been inspired to raise funds to help the children of the terminally ill former Heart of England School pupil Emma Maley, as they face a tragic double-loss after losing their Dad Paul from a brain condition in March this year.

Emma has advanced stage breast cancer and continues to show incredible positivity after being told she had a month to live at the beginning of 2018.

The Maley’s tragic story has been well documented in the media, on TV and in regional newspapers and now that the media coverage has slowed, the One Stop aims to pick up the pace again with a dedicated fundraising day on Saturday 7th July 2018, to help the family:

“We want to raise money towards the future of the children,” explains One Stop’s Victoria Pyke.

“Our fundraising day will consist of plenty of fun and games, plus tombolas, raffle, quizzes and plenty of amazing prizes to be won, all donated by local businesses.”

One Stop Fundraiser Day – Saturday 7th July 2018

The fundraising will take place from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm on the day. If you wish to make a donation, or offer a prize, please contact either Kath or Victoria via email:

3015@onestop.co.uk
Victoria.pyke@yahoo.com

All businesses will be credited for their donations.

Berkswell’s Women head to National T20 Cricket Finals

Berkswell Cricket Club’s women are preparing for the English Cricket Board’s National T20 Club Cricket Finals in Wales this weekend after winning their Regional Final at The Lant in Balsall Common on Sunday.

Four teams will compete in Newport, Wales for the National Club Cricket title on Sunday 26th June 2018 after defeating J G Meakin Cricket Club from Stoke-on-Trent.

Pictured: The Berkswell side that won the Regional Final on Sunday 16th June 2018.

“The national finals are such an exciting opportunity for the team,” said Head of Women’s Cricket and 1st team Captain Sarah Ginn.

“This will be the first experience of cricket on a national stage for most of them, but if they perform as assuredly as they did in the regional final, they will do themselves proud.”

Last Sunday’s Regional Final at The Lant in Meeting House Lane saw Berkswell compile 128 for 2 wickets from their 20 over allocation, before a miserly all-round bowling performance saw them restrict their opponents to 84 for 8, to win by a margin of 44 runs.

Berkswell won without two regulars who were on Warwickshire duty, demonstrating the strength in depth the Club’s Women’s section has already achieved in only their 5th season.

The full scorecard can be viewed here: Berkswell v J G Meakin scorecard.

Sarah Ginn – Head of Berkswell’s Women’s Cricket.

Berkswell’s success marks a rapid ascent for the squad as Sarah underlined when talking about this season’s progress:

“It has been an outstanding season for the club already, reaching the finals of both the National T20 Knockout Cup and the Midlands Super 8s [8-a-side cricket] and also launching a second team to support the rapid growth of the women’s section which was only founded in 2014.”

National T20 Finals Day, Newport, Wales

Four teams will contest the National T20 Finals at Newport Cricket Club on Sunday 26th June 2018, in a knockout format consisting Semi-Finals and Final.

Berkswell’s women have been drawn against North London’s Finchley Gunnersbury CC in the National Semi-Final on Sunday 26th June 2018. The Middlesex side made the National Finals after defeating Bishops Stortford CC by a narrow 2 run margin in the Group 4 Regional Final.

Balsall Common and Berkswell

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