#Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Bath University Venturers Cricket Club, 2008.#

The AGM of Bath University Venturers Cricket Club was held at UBSA at 5:30 on Wednesday, 8th October 2008.

People came and went at various times, but at least twelve were present throughout.

1. Captain’s report.

   We had a very successful season on the field, certainly by recent standards. Overall we won 14 matches and lost 11: two were abandoned while in progress because of the weather.

   Nobody could remember when we last won so many matches in a season, and it was agreed to ask Len Barry, who probably can.

   In 40-over matches we were very successful: we won ten and lost only three. In 20-over we were much less good, winning four and losing eight. Some of the defeats were close, and we were very seldom beaten easily: by contrast, we had quite a few easy wins. The main problem in 20-over matches was that we lacked a big hitter, and were not always able to control big-hitting opponents.

   Nine matches were cancelled because of the weather, fewer than might have been expected in such a wet summer.

   Squad numbers were healthy. We struggled a bit to raise teams for the early 40-over matches, although we always managed to raise a full XI, and had no problems with 20-over matches. By the end of the season enthusiasm had reached such a level that the last match of all, a 40-over game at Rode, was the most oversubscribed of all, with seventeen wanting to play. It rained.

   There are currently 40 players on the email list. Four new players have come to nets already: three of them are subcontinental wrist spinners.

   As always there was a need to balance trying to win against giving everybody a game. That balance was not hard to find: we might possibly have won a game or two more if we had been willing to let Kevin do all the bowling as well as all the batting, but perhaps not.

   It was, however, disappointing to lose to both Kilmington and Rode, as we had in theory the strength to beat them. Bath Knights were probably too good for us, but otherwise we were never outclassed.

   Five people made 50s, Ahmad making five of them. There was only one five-wicket haul, but four people got at least 15 wickets in the season, and many more contributed significantly with bat and ball without reaching those marks.

   The fielding was generally good. We even caught two genuine slip catches, one in the first match and one in the last. Next year we shall try to do it in the middle of the season.

   The active role played by the vice-captain was a considerable help to the captain.

   We had a very good indoor season and finished second in Division

   1. For this we were rewarded with a trophy, which was somewhere about, and promotion to Division 1, so that we can have a very poor indoor season next year.

2. Treasurer’s report

   The club has about 1700 pounds in one of the more solvent banks, and about 50 pounds in cash. We owe 350 pounds for teas last year (we wrote a cheque, but it has not been presented) and have not yet been billed for this year. So we are in credit by about 1000 pounds. We have spent 250 pounds on equipment and have been efficient at getting people to pay match fees (only one 3-pound fee is outstanding).

   It was agreed to keep weekend match fees at 5 pounds and to reduce midweek fees from 3 pounds to 2, at a cost to the club of about 150 pounds annually.

   Assuming present arrangements persist, the club is in a stable and satisfactory financial situation.

   The kit is in a reasonable state. We acquired some items from Chintan, including a bat that is so heavy that none of us can lift it. Doubtless in the future some hero will arise who will draw this mighty weapon from its resting place, but in the meantime we need a lighter bat. We have three helmets: if the hero wants a horned helmet he will have to get it himself. We need more balls for use in nets, where they tend to get damaged very quickly.

3. Election of officers

   Simon Shaw was elected unopposed, having been persuaded beforehand to allow himself to be nominated. Matt Roberts remains vice-captain, Gregory Sankaran secretary and fixtures secretary, and Rob Branston treasurer: all unopposed, although Rob may not play much, especially not at weekends.

   Roger will look after the web page. If Ian Gillard is not here next year someone should do the statistics using his method.

4. Fixtures

   It would be good to have more 40-over midweek matches, especially in August. Maybe UWE would be interested. A weekend match at Bradford would be good (but one was planned this year: it simply rained). Various other possible opponents were suggested, including Norton St Philip, Buccaneers, Larkhall, Bathford, Priston and Wessex Water. For social reasons there was a request to play at Winsley on a Sunday. A charity match or tournament was raised as a possibility but details were left vague. Bath Knights should perhaps be dropped as too strong for us, but there was no suggestion that any opponents should be dropped for any other reason: the problems this year with Hay Hill were caused by one person and even he seemed unlikely to reoffend.

5. Statistician’s report

   The largest stand of the season was by Richard and Ahmad, who added 118 against Winsley: we lost. There was also a century stand between Chintan and Ahmad, and one of 98 by Roger and Richard against South Wraxall: in the same match, Ahmad and Chris added 88.

   Chintan averaged 50 with the bat, but from few innings. More realistically, Ahmad averaged 39.7, mostly with Richard’s bat.

   Simon caught nine catches, more than any wicketkeeper. Roger caught 7, one in the field, and Alex 6: in the field, Gregory also caught six. There were also many stumpings but the figures were not to hand when Ian was asked about that.

   Andy was the only bowler to take five wickets in an innings: he also averaged less than 8 with the ball, at 2.7 runs per over. The leading wicket-taker, by some distance, was Kevin with 24. Ian Gillard bowled 50 wides.

   There were thirteen fifties, five of them by Ahmad; the fastest was by Kevin, in 36 balls against Bath Spa before it started raining. Ahmad twice reached 50 from his fortieth ball.

6. Awards

   • Best batsman: Ahmad, despite running himself out three times.
   • Best bowler: Shared between Kevin and Andy, for reasons already explained in the statistician’s report.
   • Best fielder: Simon Shaw
   • Best catch: Simon Shaw against Pedigree, universally nominated by everyone who saw it.
   • Best runout: Fluffy, whose throw from the deep ended the revival of the UWE innings.
   • Best newcomer: Ahmad.
   • Most improved player: Fluffy
   • A.J.Wolstenholme Prize for running between the wickets: Alastair Brandon-Jones, for his preposterous run-out of Simon Turner against Bradford 39.
   • Duck of the Year: Shared between the makers of two contrasting ducks at South Wraxall: Roger, who lasted twenty-four balls, and Emmad, who lasted only two but was out to both of them (he was recalled after the first one for unclear reasons).
   • Best Dressed Player: Shared between Ahmad and Emmad, as many of their clothes appeared to be: there was one nearly-black jumper we are convinced they were both wearing at once.
   • Champagne moment: Chintan’s six against Hampset, which won the match, brought up his fifty and ended his Venturers’ career. It couldn’t have been better done if it had been scripted: as indeed had been, most carefully, by Ahmad, who declined runs and gave Chintan the strike.

The meeting closed at 19:00 and proceeded to the usual restaurant.