Cricket club aim to be kingpins

If Fakenham Cricket Club is to progress and develop, players must make use of their newly-structured coaching system.

That was the message from the club's director of cricket, Colin Brassett, at Friday night's annual pre-season meeting, writes John Cushion.

Kevin Gray is in the newly-created position of first-team coach, with Stephen Gray and Keegan Monahan-Fairlie (formerly de Ridder) in charge of Tuesday and Thursday night training.

'If we are to progress and develop, it really is important for players to turn up and make use of those times,' said Brassett.

He opened by saying the officials and players owed supporters an apology for the East Anglian Premier League side's performance in their relegation season last year, admitting some of the sides put out were not good enough.

'But as far as the club was concerned, we had a very good season,' he said, pointing to the winning of the Carter Cup, the Umpires' Plate and two U13 county cups and regional representation. And the U13 girls won their county competition.

Chairman Martin Turner looked ahead to Alliance Premier cricket. 'We are going into this season in a league where I am hoping we will be one of the kingpins and not one of the also-rans. I think we have a side that will dominate that league.'

Kevin Gray said training will be structured along county lines, involving a lot of fielding skills, talking about cricket awareness and game plans.

'We want to promote players from within. I want to put the trust in the players of this club. We must have a seamless movement from team to team. Fitness is another thing we are trying to promote.'

Turner described the ground staff at the moment as 'walking wounded' and said the club needed more helpers. Also required was a vice-chairman and someone to organise social functions.

There will be pre-season working parties at Highfield Lawn on the weekends of March 26/27 and April 2/3, starting at 8am.