Rickmansworth Cricket Club

Welcome to the 2023 season to parents of U11 players at Rickmansworth CC.

We look forward to the new season and hope your child enjoys playing cricket in the spirit of the game here at Rickmansworth.

This year we have entered this team in the main competition in Hertfordshire to give all Year 6 and aspiring Year 5 players the chance to play Hardball Cricket in an 11 a side competition. Real cricket

The youth cricket season is relatively short, starting around the final week of April and finishing mid-July. Together with the vagaries of the British weather, this sometimes leads to there being more than one match per week. Unlike sports played through the winter, games are not played on a regular day week-to-week although we try our best to keep fixtures as regular as possible. Therefore, please be prepared for days to be played on different evenings or Sunday morning. Evening games usually start at 18:00 – this may vary particularly during April and May - and Sunday games usually start at 10:00. Please keep an eye open for notifications regarding game start times and, more importantly, meet times as the coaches must ensure the children are properly prepared with warm-ups before the start of the game.

Hertfordshire Junior League

The teams play in the Hertfordshire Junior League (HJL) competition. The league is organised into a number of tables and the main league runs until around the start of July. Following this, the top teams in each table (and some runners-up the 11 a-side competition) enter knockout stages that lead up to a finals day in July.

Teams

Under 11 – 11 a-side - Games are 40 overs in total (20 overs per innings) and follow normal cricket rules so are suitable for developing more experienced players. They have the following restrictions:

· Maximum of 4 overs bowled per bowler.

· Batsmen retire after scoring 30 runs.

Player Availability

It is important coaches are made aware of your child’s availability as soon as possible so we can arrange accordingly. This is particularly important if your child has to withdraw at a late stage prior to a game.

Training

We encourage all players to regularly attend training. Outdoor training sessions for the U11s and U12s squads take place on Friday evenings at Rickmansworth CC ground on Park Road, commencing in April. Sessions run from 18:00 to 19:30

Transport

Transport to and from away games is always a challenge for us as it is not possible for coaches to transport all players. We welcome parents who are able to assist us with transport and without your support we may have to forfeit matches to the opposition. I am sure the players welcome your support at their games.

Guidelines

Rickmansworth Cricket Club is an inclusive club who play cricket in the spirit of the game. We want to give all players have the chance to play the game and develop into better cricketers so we rotate squads as much as we can to give everyone an even set of matches. Player development also includes developing young cricketers in the art of captaincy and setting fields. The HJL takes a dim view of coaches and parents setting and changing field positions from the sidelines. Therefore, we request you shout only encouragement to the children and you do not assist with setting field placings.

Welfare

The safety of your child is our primary concern. It is important a Rickmansworth CC Junior Membership Form has been completed and signed by all players and parents/carers as this contains important welfare and medical information the coaches must be aware of. If you have any questions about welfare, please contact our Youth Coordinator, Paul Blackwell, who is the club official responsible for welfare. Please find attached the Rickmansworth CC Junior Membership Form to complete at your convenience.

Fees

Junior player membership fees for the 2023 season are £80 per player. Only players who have paid their membership fees can be selected for games.