On the pitch
The results have been mixed with our men’s 1st XI having a really difficult time. At time of writing this, they have lost all five of their league games and are bottom of their league.

We knew that this season would be very hard as we have lost numerous players, some of whom are now on professional contracts. You cannot simply say that the youngsters filling those 1st team places will immediately have the experience and the expertise to produce winning performances at the second tier of club cricket.

What we can expect is that those selected to represent their club at this level will apply themselves, will listen and learn from more experienced members of the club and will focus on what they can contribute to the team’s performance.

With more than twenty teams representing the club every week it would be blinkered to focus exclusively on one team and ignore the numerous great performances by individuals and teams in the five weeks since the season started.

I would like to highlight the performance of our women’s club captain, Karla Rose, whose bowling figures v. Golden Hill were 5.5 overs, 2 maidens, 8 runs, 6 wickets.

Our women’s 1st XI currently sits third in the WEPL Premier Division.

Our Youth Section has been a great strength of the club for many years now and it is always so impressive that people who come along to help end up as team managers and coaches. Here we can congratulate James Dean and Jamie Archibald who coach our U.11s. James and Jamie have successfully completed their Foundation coaching course. Well done to them and thanks to them for all they do.

Our newest league team, the U11 ‘Ducks’ currently sit atop of the U11 West B league, with every one of the players stepping up brilliantly in their first season of hard ball cricket.

A combined U11 team has made its way through to the semi finals of the Cup, following a tight victory over North Petherton. All of the team played excellently, especially in the field, with Jack Dean’s 4 wickets for 1 run from his 3 overs the standout contribution.

There have also been a couple of notable performances from the Tornadoes over the past couple of weeks. In the game v St Andrew’s Pippa Stephens 31* retired not out

and, a week later, Rosie Judge took three wickets in an over.

Many of our girls also play in the women’s teams and are making a strong contribution.

As I hope you know, there is a comprehensive list of fixtures and results on Pitchero and John Ashton does a great job of producing a weekly club round up which is emailed to all members.

Training
It has been a joy to be at the ground on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. All three training sessions – men’s, women’s and juniors - are brilliantly organised and managed and are clearly being enjoyed. The numbers involved are enormous and when I travel around the region, club officials from other clubs are staggered by the level of involvement we have.

We owe to great debt of gratitude to all those who organise these training sessions and those who support the evenings by tending the bar or selling kit.

The Clubhouse and Ground
All the indications are that we have more people staying for longer at the club, particularly on Saturday evenings. This is not only good for our bar takings but also as a reflection of where people want to be after a game. If we can get good numbers staying for a drink and a chat when results are mixed, then watch out when we get more wins under our belt!

As you will know we have applied for planning permission to create a car parking area on the waste land between our ground and Ellisfield Court. Many thanks to those who wrote in supporting that application. The news is that there is currently no news as the consideration of the application is delayed. This is, in large part, due to the Council’s capacity to deal with the number of applications with so few staff. Watch this space.

New advertising boards are appearing at the ground as we engage new club partners to sit alongside our existing and greatly valued partners. It’s not easy to ask local businesses to part with their hard-earned money but we are very fortunate to have such an attractive offer to make thanks in part to the sheer number of people we engage with and the attractiveness of our ground and its setting.

Taunton Deane Cricket Club 2028
We are about to start writing our new three-year development plan. The committee will consider a proposed framework for that plan in July and then we will be coming to ask you for your thoughts.

The idea of a three-storey clubhouse with a revolving restaurant on the top floor is an interesting idea but totally unrealistic.

We want to create a plan that is ambitious but realistic and most of all, helps the club to be what you, the members, want it to be. So please start thinking and talking amongst yourselves about the areas where you want the club to focus its efforts and its money.

While you are doing that you might also want to channel your inner JFK* and ask not what your club can do for you but what you can do for your club.

Over to you…
If you want to offer help at the club, if you want to become a Club Partner or if you simply want to make a comment, please do so to Dave Smith dcsmithtdcc@btinternet.com or 07584908727.

* For younger readers - John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the USA 1960-63, assassinated in Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963.