News

Dear Members please note that we have moved our AGM from our tea room into the main club house function room to accommodate all those who we expect to attend, it is still a 7pm start. We can all stay afterwards for a drink/game of pool and a bit banter if people so wish.

We will be at the League meeting on Wednesday 20th January for our cup draws.

We have had over 55,000 visitiors to our web site to date.

Ashington Rugby CC Cricket Nets - To be held at the new Ashington Sports Centre on a Wednesday, dates and times below. We will have the use of 3 lanes and the fee is £3 per player to cover the costs;

January 6, 8-9pm

January 13, 9-10pm

January 20, 8-9pm

January 27, 9-10pm

February 3, 8-9pm

February 10, 9-10pm

February 24, 8-9pm

March 2, 9-10pm

March 9, 8-9pm

March 16, 9-10pm

March 23, 8-9pm

Great news for our club for 2016, our Chairman met with Chris from KPlastic's who agreed to continue to be our main club sponsor for another season, this will be the 5th consecutive season we have had the support from KPlastic's.

It is brilliant to have the support from local business to help our cricket club.

Our members are asked if they require any form of plastic product, bathroom suite, sealant, cladding etc. to consider calling in on Chris and let him know where you are from and he will give you a good deal.

KPlastic's can be found on Jubliee Industrial Estate in Ashington. 

Our groundsman had to give our square a cut with our rotary mover down to 20 - 25mm today (29/12/2015) as the grass was starting to get a bit long, with the weather being mild the grass is still growing, not normal for December.

Earlier in the month we also aeriated the square, to get some air into the soil and to make it easy for the grass roots to follow the tine holes, we do this every year changing the depth of tine hole, this prevents our square being root bound at one level/height.  

The Northumberland Cricket Board Ground of the year awards where held at Benwell Hill Cricket Club on Monday 7th December. The event was sponsored by Turfcare Specialist Ltd (TSL).

Our groundsman was presented with the Northumberland Cricket League ground of the Year for 2015 with a prize of £25 Voucher for TSL and the overall Northumberland Cricket Board Ground of the Year for 2015 with a £100 voucher for TSL. A really good achievement for all the hard work and investment by our club, it is nice to be recognised by others for having a good playing facility. We have £125 towards next season preparations.

The winners were;

North East Premier League - South Northumberland CC.

Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League - Alnmouth & Lesbury CC and Backworth CC joint winners.

West Tyne League - Hexham Leazes CC.

Northumberland Cricket League - Ashington Rugby Cricket Club.

Northumberland Cricket Board Ground of the year - Ashington Rugby Cricket Club.

We have now won this award for our league in 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2015 and we have won the Cricket Board Ground of the year in 2008 and now 2015.

For Immediate Use

ECB announces new safety measures for helmets within professional and recreational cricket

The ECB Board today endorsed changes to the regulations governing the use of helmets across the professional and recreational game.

From next season, all male and female cricketers playing in professional cricket matches will be required to use helmets which meet the latest British safety standard.

The key changes will apply to batsmen facing all types of bowling, wicket-keepers standing up to the wicket and fielders closer than eight yards from the batsman’s middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side. 

ECB is also recommending that all recreational cricketers wear helmets which meet the latest British safety standard from next season. The use of protective headgear is already mandatory for all Under 18s within the recreational game.

Full details and amended regulations will be published in the New Year.

The changes follow a joint review by the ECB and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) of existing safety guidance and are designed to reduce the risk of head and facial injuries within the game. Key measures which ECB has recently taken in this area include:

• Forming an ECB Cricket Safety Working Group which reviews risks to safety and the well-being of players and spectators.
• Re-defining the role of the ECB Chief Medical Officer to enable greater emphasis to be placed on injury surveillance and research into the safety of the game.
• Setting up an Emergency Care Working Group to improve training and provision of emergency care standards at FCCC, Second XI and training venues.
• Introducing new concussion guidelines via the ECB’s Sports Science and Medicine department. The department is also working with Birmingham University to conduct further research into concussion in cricket. 
• Collaborating with the Loughborough Institute of Sport Technology, through sponsorship of a PHD researching helmet design, head injuries and safety in relation to cricket. 

ECB Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Peirce said: “We can see from our injury surveillance that cricket is not a dangerous sport in comparison to many other leisure activities. However, as we have seen in recent times, the cricket ball can cause significant injury and it is extremely important that players take the appropriate precautions when batting, keeping wicket or fielding close to the stumps.

“The latest cricket helmets have made significant strides in providing protection against potentially catastrophic injury and we would strongly advise all players to make sure their helmet conforms to the latest British Safety Standard. Today’s decision is a major step forward and will help make First Class cricket safer as well as sending a strong message to the recreational game about the importance of helmet safety.”

PCA Chief Executive Angus Porter said: “We welcome today’s decision on helmet use which is the product of a joint initiative between the PCA and ECB. It provides an excellent opportunity for professional cricketers to lead by example and drive greater awareness of the importance of player safety across the whole game.”

Notes to editors:

1. Full details of the new regulations will be made available in due course via www.ecb.co.uk

ECB Helmet Regulations:Q and A

What do today’s changes mean for professional cricket?

The new regulations apply to all forms of professional match cricket and will require players to use a head protector which meets the latest British safety standard. Any player who does not wear compliant protective headgear will not be permitted to play.

This includes matches for all England teams and programmes, county first, second and academy XIs and Women’s Super League and County Championship teams. Helmet regulations for England’s disability cricketers will be reviewed shortly.

Who will be affected by these changes?

The changes, which have been introduced following a full-scale consultation and review by the ECB and the PCA, will apply to the following match situations in the professional game:

Batsmen (for all types of bowling)

Wicket-keepers while standing up to the wicket

Fielders closer than 8 yards from the batsman’s middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side.

What will these changes mean for Under 18s?

Under current rules for Under 18s, batsmen and wicket-keepers standing up to the stumps must wear a head protector. This rule will continue to apply, but it is now strongly recommended that all Under 18s who are in the ECB’s county age-group programmes and above should wear a head protector which meets the relevant latest British Safety Standard when batting, close fielding (except behind the wicket on the off-side) or wicket keeping standing up to the stumps.

What will these changes mean for recreational cricketers?

For adults over the age of 18 in recreational cricket, the wearing of head protectors by batsmen and wicketkeepers continues to be strongly recommended, preferably which meet the relevant latest British Safety Standard.

Where can I find the British Safety Standard approved helmet?

As of November 2015, there are more than 20 helmets from seven different manufacturers that meet the new standard. The full list of helmets meeting this standard (BS7928:2013), is available at www.ecb.co.uk/helmets.

Do recreational cricketers need to buy a new helmet as a result of these changes?

No. It will not be mandatory for recreational players to buy a new helmet, but we strongly advise they check the safety standard before making any new purchases. Helmets should in any event be replaced after they have received a significant impact.

Full details and amended regulations will be published in the New Year.