Nine Elms C.C.
On Thursday 29th April, about 48 hours before the first game of the season, Nine Elms told us they had moved and were laying a pitch on the Barnwood Park school field, and using the Coney Hill RFC clubhouse. We quickly inspected the facilities, and though there is great potential there, the pitch and outfield are not yet in a state that we consider ready for County League cricket. We have therefore asked Nine Elms to seek an alternative location that meets our facilities criteria for their home games. If they achieve that, then the “cancelled” home games to date will be treated as rule 12(h).
Poor Quality Reports
We do sometimes get reports – the away team facilities reports, and reports on appointed umpires – where it is obvious that very little thought has been put into the markings. We do use these reports to seek improvements in facilities – some clubs have had notes from us about poor pitches or outfields or facilities or teas – and get feedback to umpires. Given the weight we put on these reports, there is a responsibility on clubs to fill them in thoughtfully, not rushing them through to beat a deadline, nor using them to express a grudge ("I didn't like the way they played so I'm marking their pitch down"). Though we don’t insist on it, if you are giving a low mark, please can you say why.
Quite a few reports now have incomplete times for starts and ends of innings. We are trying to keep tabs on slow over rates, and cannot do that if the times are not sent in.
League Development Plans
We have already had some good and constructive feedback on the proposals. If your club committee hasn’t already studied what is in the document, which was e-mailed to you a few weeks ago, please put it on your agendas.