Security at Sandilands
It has been a bit quieter up at Sandilands this week, with the combination locks installed on the gates and the new gate installed near the score box. No ground invasions so far but some nasty individual in the last 24 hours, took the opportunity to drive into the car park when it was open for members, and fly tip a load of builder’s rubble in black sacks.

The Sandilands' Committee have also been looking at enhancing security further by getting quotes for key pad locks on the top and bottom gates, with gate closures, making the bottom gate higher and extra security on the garages. All subject to costs.

Nets open for bookings
There will be some cricket activity up at the club today, as the committee spent Wednesday evening preparing the nets for opening, so that we can run net sessions today, under the ECB guidelines for the lock-down regulations for permitted sport activity. The nets will open Saturdays 10 am to 7 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 to 9 pm. Sessions have to be pre-booked through the website and are for 50 minutes each session to ensure a 10 minute break between change overs for each session. Only two nets can be used and the sessions are supervised by a club representative.

Today’s sessions have been fully booked, with Rochie, Jon Kuhrt and Antony Starnes doing the supervising on rota, to ensure that the correct social distancing procedures are observed.

ECB communication
The ECB wrote to all clubs this week and said the following:
"We are having discussions with Sport England and DCMS about what this means specifically for cricket, to then understand how we can support our clubs to initiate plans to get people back playing cricket.

Yesterday ECB published guidance for the professional domestic season, which will not restart before 1 August.

Recreational cricket will work to a different timeline, but one that again, will be guided by changes to Government advice. We continue to work with DCMS to see its phased return, and it is our hope that we can provide opportunities to play to everyone this summer.

For now, the recreational game remains suspended with no cricket to be played with the sole exception of, in England, the ability to use outdoor cricket facilities (nets and pitches) for the purpose of undertaking exercise. You can access this guidance here".

Umpiring challenge
On other cricket matters, we have 16 club members who have entered the online Level One umpiring course, which puts us currently 9th in the league table which Surrey Cricket Foundation is running. I’m sure that there are more who will be signing up.

Addiscombecricket.club
Talking of league tables, I was unaware that there is also a ranking table for Pitchero cricket club websites as well. Jon Kuhrt, working with Baz Lineker has managed to elevate our re-vamped site into 5th place. Well done chaps. I think that Jon is aiming to get us higher!

On this day...
That’s about it for this week folks, except did you know that on this date 30th May, in 1957 the first edition of Test Match Special began with the England v West Indies Test Match at Edgbaston. The BBC promoted the programme with the slogan. “ Don’t miss a ball. We broadcast them all”.

Keep safe and well, enjoy the weekend.

Roger Hurrion MBE
ACC Chairman