Easterns Junior Club Cricket Association

2008/2009

The Eastern Junior Club Cricket Association Executive extends a warm welcome to all club affiliates, team officials, players,parents, spectators and sponsors to the 2008/09 cricket season. Through constructive participation by all, may our young crickets develop to their full potential becoming leaders of tomorrow. 

 May we all approach the new season in a professional and organised manner, both on and off the field. Take a conscious moment to consider and pay tribute to the inexorable labours of the executive and club officials involved in the planning, coaching and management of junior club cricket. We need to support these volunteers for their magnanimous commitment in striving to make this a successful season for all.

 On behalf the executive and affiliates, I would like to thank Mr Dennis Timcke, Director of Club Cricket and Facilities, together with the Board of Directors of the Eastern Cricket Union for their continued support of our association.  We are pleased to report that the Union has approved a grant to cover club team affiliation fees, cricket ball subsidy, score books and the payment of development club transportation (taxi) costs. The objective of these grants is that each club should invest their savings, upgrading and maintaining their respective facilities and developing junior cricketers for senior cricket ranks.

 We pay tribute, proudly expressing our sincere thanks and appreciation to all our corporate sponsors who have ensured that association has been able to realise its mission statement. We strive to provide competitive cricket at all levels to players from all sectors of our community. We believe our programmes will not only strengthen the pool of talented cricketers within our geographical cricketing boundaries, but also play an important role in social integration and enhancing cultural understanding amongst a diverse community.

 However, we bid farewell to Ericsson as a principle sponsor, as scheduled, their four year sponsorship agreement (2004 - 2008) has come to an end and they extend their the best wishes for our future as they hand over the baton to our new corporate sponsor Impala Platinum, Thus, ensuring their investment legacy is continued on the foundation laid by Tempest Car Hire.

 Our partnership with Ericsson has been a mutually gratifying journey and together with Tempest Car Hire, we have exceeded our vision and goals far beyond our expectations.  As they say “Without a vision a man shall perish”. Therefore, we are now in an advanced staged of finalising a new base of corporate support as we look to the horizon of new opportunities. We believe that the EJCCA is entering a new, innovative and exciting epoch of junior cricket.

 New goals have been set and our vision is entrenched with fervour to maintain and improve all our activities which require affirmative support.

 The 2008 representative winter cricket programme reached new heights with its fourth annual July cricket festival attracting teams from Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Northern’s, Griqualand West and South East Gauteng. This prestigious event is growing to be an important catalyst within the cricket development programme of our province, countryand neighbouring countries and we look forward to a repeat of this during 2009 winter programme.

 The Ekurhuleni u/13 team under took an historical cricket tour to Namibia returning undefeated, but more importantly, a team fully integrated with young cricket players a lot more cricket wise.  All of which bodes well for the future of junior cricket. We have set a goal to send a team to the United Kingdom this season and provisional arrangements are in progress.   

In partnership with the Eastern Cricket Union we have built a new Astro pitch and upgraded an existing field at the Willowmoore cricket grounds. The purpose of this investment is directed at stimulating the growth of cricket in the under 8 and 10 age groups, particularly that of our development clubs and socially disadvantaged cricket players. There are further investment plans on the horizon, which include the expansion of practise facilities at the Eastern Cricket Union cricket grounds, all of which is subject to corporate sponsorship.     

 In addition to league cricket, the EJCCA is subsidising various club “Six- a-Side” and “Pro 10” cricket tournaments aimed at stimulating an exciting brand of cricket and club participation is encouraged as this will offer our players a greater opportunity to develop their cricketing skills in the middle.

 Club and team officials are requested to ensure reasonable and equal opportunity for all participating players in this wonderful game of cricket. We caution imperious parents to consider the nature of the game of cricket, one day you are up, scoring runs and the next you are down, leaving the crease with a duck.  The game is a great leveller know-one should consider them selves bigger than the game.  This includes those parents who resort to unpleasant discriminatory comments about perceived sinister team management agendas.

 Consider the rules, someone has to open the batting and someone has to bat at number eleven, it is a given.  All that we can ask for is fairness over the season. Therefore, I recommend coaches; players and parents communicate expectation and team objectives at the start of the season ensuring a full understanding by all parties.

 We strongly caution against a “win at all cost” mentality, play the game in the “true spirit” originally intended and may there be great excitement on boundary. Allow the players to be enriched by the experience, “win or lose”.  Afford everyone the opportunity to take fond memories home.

 I would like to thank Andrew Grobler, Dennis and Di Timcke for the mammoth effort in compiling the leagues contained herein. The fixture executive has reviewed all possible fixture permutations. Taking into account the resources available, we believe the optimum league structure has been drawn up, allocating club teams across all leagues with strength versus strength in the super leagues and we have re-instated the A and B leagues.

 Finally, I wish everyone a most successful and enjoyable season of cricket. I trust that some great cricket will be played and yes,” believe it or not” there will be mistakes made in our pursuit for perfection, after all, we are all human.  

 Mark W. Kingham.

Chairman.