Blackheath 2007

It's been a very interesting year. The six league teams have done well, with two promotions, and some very creditable and noteworthy performances. The Evening Standard Cup run that ended with the final at The Oval was magnificent, with the semi-final really capturing the spirit that we have at the Club. We extended the season this year, starting in the 2nd week of April and finishing in the 1st week of October ~ which would have been unthinkable a few years ago. The two non-league sides had a full programme where they won a majority of games. The Women's Club have had a productive season. The colts continue to thrive, with a league title for the U13a and an ever increasing number of juniors feeding in to the senior Club and gaining representative honours. Meanwhile Blackheath TV has captured many of the great moments from this year.

The flagship team continues to fly the standard high for Blackheath. The 1st XI is but one team at the Club, but an important one. Skipper James Hands had a good year with the ball collecting 39 wickets (2nd highest in the league) including three 5-wicket hauls. His leadership on the field is well recognised in the Club and around the league, his contribution to the social fabric of the Club also significant. The team gel well and play aggressive cricket. We beat the league winners (St Lawrence) twice and finished 4th in the league, which is a fine effort, especially considering that we introduced a number of new players through the year. The Evening Standard Cup run was a bonus. The semi-final victory over Bromley goes down as the best game ever. The atmosphere was electric, the courage and commitment of the team fantastic. Reaching the final whets the appetite for more next year.

The 2nd XI had a good year, following their Championship in 2006. They finished comfortably in the mid-table which is a good effort because new players have been introduced and the team is starting to rebuild for a push at the title again in 2009.

Elsewhere, Alastair Dunning captained the 4th XI to a fourth promotion in as many years, following a dramatic 20pts from the last game of the season. This means that the team will be competing in the 3rd Division (2nd XI) of the Kent League. The 3rd XI finished mid-table in the 5th Division. We are proud to be the only 3rd XI and one of only three 4th XI in the Kent League.

Looking forward to 2008, we have a new 1st XI captain, Chris Willetts and a new 4th XI captain Ben Woodside. An exciting development is that our 7th & 8th XI will play local league cricket with an additional non-league team being created. The mantra remains quality and quantity. We trust that all of our League teams will provide tough competition on the field, but a warm welcome off it. As always we intend to enjoy the season and make sure we introduce young players into an environment which hooks them into cricket for life.