News

Our club has signed up to the All Stars program this season and we are really looking forward to seeing young children using our facilities.

We have a number of playing members along with our coaches who want to become activators to help run the 8 week program.

With the help from the Northumberland Cricket Board we will be hosting a free taster session on Tuesday 1st May starting at 6pm till 7pm.

Our 8 week program then starts Tuesday 15th May starting at 6pm till 7pm running up to and including 3rd July.

By registering for All Stars Cricket, the children will be guaranteed eight weeks of jam packed fun, activity and skills development.

The programme is suitable for all children aged 5 to 8, new to cricket and sport as the sessions are designed to teach the basic skills of the game. Every child will earn stars as the weeks progress that match the skills learned during the programme:  

• Batting – hitting a moving ball
• Throwing – underarm and overarm
• Catching – small and large balls
• Bowling – overarm
• Running – lots of movement
• Teamwork – fun games with friends
• Communication – the basics of cricket
• Spirit of Cricket – how to respect others

N&TCL Fixture Postponement Saturday 14 April 2018

As stated in yesterday's email, Executive Committee members have greatly appreciated the feedback received from member clubs.  All club's responded to the Committee's request and from this it was evident there was an overwhelming mandate to postpone Saturday's fixtures.

Accordingly the fixtures due to played on Saturday 14 April 2018 are postponed and the season will start on Saturday 21 April 2018.  For players suspended from the start of season their suspension will also begin on Saturday 21st April 2018.  

The postponed fixtures will all be played on Sunday 1st July 2018.

There is, however, one qualification to this decision. If the North East Premier League and North East Pyramid Management Board make a change in their arrangements for 2018 it would then be possible for this League to extend its season.  In those circumstances the postponed fixtures would then be played on Saturday 15th September 2018 (rather than 1st July).  It is thought likely that we will know whether such a change has been made by the end of this month and clubs will be informed immediately.

Clubs will have an opportunity at Thursday's Management Committee meeting to raise any questions they may wish.  

The newly formed Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League is due to start on 14th April, not a hope at our ground see the pictures below, taken 2nd April at 3pm.

Our groundsman said we are approx 2 to 3 weeks behind in preparation from where would expect to be, he has managed to do 16 cross over rolls to our cricket square just before the next lot of rain landed.

The square is still protected with chicken mesh, the square fertiliser has not full taken, we cannot get machinery on to the outfield due to all the water laying at the side and the bottom end towards the rugby club house. The water table is so high our outfield is saturated.  

Before we can start to look at preparation of cricket wickets or outfield the rain needs to stop, all the water needs to drain away and even then the water table is so high it needs to reduce a lot, then we need some dry weather sun and wind would help and then and only then can we look to start work on the ground.

Our club has 6 All Stars Activators trained who attended a recent course at Ashington Leisure Centre.

We also have children signed up to the All Stars program to our club, which is great news.

We are hosting a free taster session for children on 1st May at 6pm till 7pm, before our full program goes live on 15th May same time.

MANAGED MIGRATION

Dear all

In response to recent changes in Home Office policy which affects all clubs seeking to utilize an overseas based player at your cricket club, we felt it worthwhile to provide some help and guidance on what you should do when trying to organize an overseas based player to come and register with your club.

The League is not responsible or liable if problems occur within the clubs in this matter, the responsibility lies with the clubs themselves and the Home Office will deal with the clubs directly. The ECB currently support this position also.

However, we want to help our member clubs avoid problems if at all possible, and member clubs should take some simple steps to help if they wish to:

1. Look very carefully at the accompanying Home Office Immigration Rules for Cricket Overview and be aware of its implications

2. Do some basic research on the player via internet searches on the playing history, newspaper reports, agent connections etc.

3. When applying for League Registration for an overseas based player you must also send an email to The Registrations Secretary Aidan Berry via aidan.berryntcl@outlook.com  The email should include answers to these questions to be answered by the club and player such as:

Has the player been paid for playing cricket at any stage of his career YES / NO

If yes please provide details

Type of VISA or method of entry to the UK

The latter question is critical as clubs and leagues should know just what is or isn’t allowed under that visa and enables further research to be undertaken if necessary. If YMS, SVV or NVN are detailed then that player must be an amateur and must not be paid in any way by the club. (Note – NVN terms are the same as for SVV and you should check with the Home Office for their meaning)

1. We will also require separate emails from both the club and the player to be sent to aidan.berryntcl@outlook.com with the following statement

We hereby certify that we have verified and are completely satisfied that all relevant external regulations have been complied with by both the player and the club, and we confirm that he/she is legally entitled to be in the UK and able to be registered to play cricket on an amateur basis for our club.

NB –

• If clubs are in any doubt as to player eligibility, then they should seek guidance from the Home Office prior to undertaking any such arrangements. Should they experience any issues when contacting the Home Office then the club should let the ECB know.

   

• Clubs found to be in breach of the visa regulations could be subject to the highest level of sanctions available for breaching Home Office Rules.  

Below is some general guidance to help you comply with the information on page 1

General:

There are restrictions on players from outside the EEA entering the UK using the Standard Visitor Visa, the Youth Mobility Visa or as a Non-Visa National. In particular, these visas only allow a player to join an amateur team or club to gain experience in a particular sport if they are an “Amateur”.

The three mentioned visas cannot be used by someone deemed to be a ‘professional sportsperson’.

In addition to the ‘player pathway’ criteria adopted by the Home Office in 2017, the definition of which is: A player may be considered to be on a “Pathway” and therefore classified as a “Professional Sportsperson”, if that person has played cricket above U17 at state/ province/ territory level (paid or unpaid) in any country.

The Home Office have now, in addition to the player pathway criteria, confirmed that

a) the payment of a player’s airfare or accommodation and/or

b) the use of an agent to promote the availability of players

is likely to increase the prospect of the Home Office considering the player to be a “professional” and, as a consequence, the risk of that player being deemed ineligible to participate in accredited ECB Leagues.

Amateur definition

The term “Amateur” is defined by the Rules as:

“a person who engages in a sport or creative activity solely for personal enjoyment and who is not seeking to derive a living from the activity. This also includes a person playing or coaching in a charity game”.

Professional sportsperson

The term “Professional Sportsperson” is defined by the Rules as someone, whether paid or unpaid, who:

“is providing services as a sportsperson, playing or coaching in any capacity, at a professional or semi-professional level of sport; or

being a person who currently derives, who has in the past derived or seeks in the future to derive, a living from playing or coaching, is providing services as a sports person or coach at any level of sport, unless they are doing so as an “Amateur”.”

The Home Office has advised the ECB that it would consider that the following are likely to be included in the definition of “professional sportsperson”:

* players who have played for professional or semi-professional clubs at junior levels, which may include under 19s teams, whether they were paid or not;

* coaches of junior teams of professional or semi-professional clubs, whether they were paid or not;

* former professional sportspeople who have formally reverted to amateur status according to the rules of their sport; and

* players who have played representative sport for their state, country, or territory, whether they were paid or not.

THOMAS WILSON MEMORIAL CUP

NORTH ZONE                                               SOUTH ZONE

PRELIMINARY ROUND                               PRELIMINARY ROUND

Wednesday 2^nd May 2018                                  Wednesday 2^nd May 2018

1 Stobswood v Warkworth                                A Stocksfield v Shotley Bridge

2 Backworth v Berwick                                      B Clara Vale v Lanchester

3 Percy Main v Morpeth                                    C Greenside v Consett

4 Blyth v Whitley Bay                                        D Seaton Burn v Benwell & Walbottle

ROUND 1                                                       ROUND 1

Wednesday 23^rd May 2018                                 Wednesday 23^rd May 2018

5 Newcastle City v Alnmouth & Lesbury             E         B         v Swalwell

6 Blagdon Park v Ashington                             F Cowgate v Whickham           

7         3          v          2                                  G Ponteland v Civil Service

8 Bedlington v Ashington Rugby                       H          C          v Lintz

9         4          v Tillside                                   I Annfield Plain v Blue Flames

10 Cramlington v Alnwick                                   J          A          v Tynedale

11 Bomarsund v Bates Cottages                                    K Leadgate      v          D

12         1          v          GEMS                          L Corbridge v Ryton

ROUND 2

Wednesday 13^th June 2018

                                    M                     K          v          L

                                    N                      9          v          I

                                    O                      H          v          12

                                    P                      11         v          7

                                    Q                      E          v          6

                                    R                      5          v          G

                                    S                      10         v          J

                                    T                      F          v          8

QUARTER FINALS

Wednesday 4^th July 2018

                                    U                      Q          v          M

                                    V                      T          v          O

                                    W                     S          v          P

                                    X                      N          v          R

SEMI-FINALS

Wednesday 25^th July 2018

                                    Y                      U          v          W

                                    Z                      X          v          V

FINAL

Date and venue to be announced

Y          v          Z

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

WILLIAM BIRKETT MEMORIAL CUP

NORTH ZONE                                                           SOUTH ZONE

PRELIMINARY ROUND                                           PRELIMINARY ROUND

Wednesday 16^th May 2018                                             Wednesday 16^th May 2018

1 Ashington 2s v Bomarsund                                        A Clara Vale v Benwell & Walbottle

2 Ashington Rugby v Warkworth                                   B Whickham v Blue Flames

3 Berwick v Backworth                                                  C Backworth 2s v Swalwell 2s

4 Blagdon Park v Whickham 2s                                     D Ponteland 2s v Newcastle City 2s

ROUND 1                                                                   ROUND 1

Wednesday 6^th June 2018                                             Wednesday 6^th June 2018

5          4                 v  3                                              E          C          v     Civil Service

6 Alnmouth & Lesbury 2s v          2                                  F          D          v     Corbridge

7          Stobswood   v  Cramlington                              G          Shotley Bridge 2s    v     A

8          Whitley Bay     v           1                                  H          B          v     GEMS

QUARTER FINALS

Wednesday 27^th June 2018

                                    I                       8          v          7

                                    J                      E          v          6

                                    K                      H          v          F

                                    L                      5          v          G

SEMI-FINALS

Wednesday 18^th July 2018

                                    M                     K          v          J

                                    N                      L          v          I

FINAL

Date and venue to be announced

M         v          N

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENID FARMER CUP

NORTH ZONE                                                           SOUTH ZONE

             ROUND 1                                                      

Thursday 17^7h May 2018                                   

Kirkley v Ashington Rugby 2s                           

ROUND 2                                                                   ROUND 2

Thursday 31^st May 2018                                                Thursday 31^st May 2018

1 Monkseaton v Warkworth 2s                                      A Monkseaton 2s v Bomarsund 2s

2 Alnmouth & Lesbury 3s v Berwick 2s                          B Tynemouth 3s v Hebburn 2s

3 Wooler v Rock                                                          C Blyth 2s v Cramlington 2s

4 Stobswood 2s v Kirkley or Ashington Rugby 2s          D Kirkley 2s v Corbridge 2s     

QUARTER FINALS                                                   QUARTER FINALS

Thursday 7^th June 2018                                              Thursday 7^th June 2018

5          1          v          2                                              E          A          v          B         

6          3          v          4                                              F          C          v          D

SEMI-FINALS                                                                        SEMI-FINALS

Thursday 21^st June                                                       Thursday 21^st June

7          5          v          6                                              G          E          v          F

FINAL

Date and venue to be announced

7          v          G

Our club has signed up to the Fantasy Cricket League, for some fun and at the same time raise funds for our club.

Each team is £10 per entry. Funds raised will go towards the club's running costs, upkeep of our ground, clubhouse and facilties to ensure we can all continue to enjoy playing our cricket each summer. There will also be a minimum prize of £100 to the winner.

Team Fee's can be brought to winter nets or transferred to Adam Peacock. 

To enter a team or view the teams alreday set up in our club page click on the link below

https://ashington-rugby.fantasyclubcricket.co.uk/

Rules

General

• There can be only one team entered per registered user account.

• Each team shall have a value of no more than £35 million.

• Managers may enter a team at any point during the season, although in order to score points for the first gameweek, teams must be submitted before the Season Start date. Thereafter, entries will start scoring points from the gameweek after they were entered and points will not be backdated.

Gameweeks

• The gameweek will advance every Saturday at midday; the same time as transfers and captain changes are processed.

• For the purpose of viewing league standings by month, gameweeks that span two months will count for the month that they started in.

Transfers and Captain Changes

• Managers may alter their teams at any point during the Season. A total of 1 free transfer is available each week and additional transfers are permitted, but will incur a cost of -20 points per transfer. When a captain is transferred out of a team, the team will be without a captain and a new one should be selected.

• Transfers and captain changes may be submitted at any time but will not take effect until midday the following Saturday, so they are active for the upcoming gameweek.

• Please note that transfers are free and unlimited up until midday on the date of the first match.

• Should a players value increase at any point during the season, then teams who have selected that player shall recieve the difference as additional budget when making transfers.

• Should a players value decrease, teams will lose that amount from their transfer budget (as long as the budget remains above the original limit).

Team Selection

• The players included on the selection list and their values will be determined by the League Administrator.

• Each team can select a captain who will earn double points each week. You may change your captain each week if you wish.

• Each team must contain 6 players and the make-up of each team is flexible in terms of how many players can be selected from each position. Other than a compulsory wicket-keeper, team managers may select any number of batters and bowlers up to a maximim of 3 from each position, and up to 2 all rounders.

Points

• All players are eligible to earn points of any type. Batters will get points for taking wickets and bowlers will get points for scoring runs.

• Players will score points as detailed below:

Our club has signed up to the All Stars program this season and we are really looking forward to seeing young children using our facilities.

We have a number of playing members along with our coaches who want to become activators to help run the 8 week program.

With the help from the Northumberland Cricket Board we will be hosting a free taster session on Tuesday 1st May starting at 6pm till 7pm.

Our 8 week program then starts Tuesday 15th May starting at 6pm till 7pm running up to and including 3rd July.

By registering for All Stars Cricket, the children will be guaranteed eight weeks of jam packed fun, activity and skills development.

The programme is suitable for all children aged 5 to 8, new to cricket and sport as the sessions are designed to teach the basic skills of the game. Every child will earn stars as the weeks progress that match the skills learned during the programme:  

• Batting – hitting a moving ball
• Throwing – underarm and overarm
• Catching – small and large balls
• Bowling – overarm
• Running – lots of movement
• Teamwork – fun games with friends
• Communication – the basics of cricket
• Spirit of Cricket – how to respect others