Chairman’s Welcome
Welcome to the 2025 cricket season. We now enter our tenth year of league cricket and you find our First XI in division 6A. In recognition of the increase in our playing resources, we have also decided to enter a Second XI in the Saracens Hertfordshire cricket league for this year, and look forward to welcoming all the new teams this will bring to Aldenham over the summer.
On Sunday’s we continue to play friendly fixtures. These are mainly 40 over games, although we still enjoy the occasional timed game in the grand tradition of English village cricket.
We also compete in the Herts Village Trophy T20 competition and were delighted to secure victory for the third year running at the final’s day on 1 September 2024 at Knebworth Park Cricket Club.
On the playing front we look forward to welcoming back not only our regular opposition, but also a number of new teams, although it is always a particular pleasure to see familiar faces. We value your friendly competition and commit to ensuring that the great sporting traditions of our game are maintained.
Welcome back also to our playing members and occasional teammates. We are fortunate to have a thriving club but we are not complacent and we continue to seek out new talent to maintain the lifeblood of the club and to play our part in supporting Aldenham Social Club.
On the captaincy front Chris Munroe continues to lead our Saturday First XI and Itty Haque our Sunday team. Dush Pandit was elected at the AGM in December 2024 to skipper the Second XI. I am sure all three captains (and any vice-captains), will receive the full support of the club members and that this is reflected in the collective commitment to timely attendance and assistance with pitch preparation.
The code of conduct introduced in 2021 was reviewed at the 2024 AGM. No changes were considered necessary, and the meeting reconfirmed the importance of treating each other with both respect and inclusivity. Needless to say adherence to the code is a pre-requisite for all members of the Club, and there is a disciplinary procedure to enforce this should the need arise.
After a very busy 2024, I was delighted that the enthusiasm of the committee has not diminished although Tim Hale and Andy Jackson relinquished their responsibilities as fixture secretary and secretary respectively. Majid Ahmed Fadra has agreed to move from social media secretary to fixture secretary, with Steve Pich replacing him in the social media role, and Mike Ward combining the secretary role with his existing administrative responsibilities. The committee therefore now comprises myself, the three captains, the fixture secretary, Majid Ahmed Fadra, team selector, Karan Barot, treasurer, Dan Knight, Aldenham Social Club liaison officer, Peter Munroe, secretary and club administrator, Mike Ward, welfare officer, Sachin Sanghvi, social media officer, Steve Pich, and head groundsman, Dave Whitehead. I’d like to thank all the committee for their continued commitment to the Club.
Also many thanks to all outside of the committee who provide support to the Club, with particular thanks to Basil Letts for his hard work on our square, which is a great credit to Aldenham Cricket Club; and to Dan Morgan for his work on boundary maintenance and furnishing the engraving of the “Bickley Bell” in 2024. Also thanks to our vice presidents, who continue to make an important financial contribution to the Club; and to Aldenham Social Club itself, for providing an idyllic setting for village cricket.
Finally, it was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Keith Earley on 7 December 2024. Keith and his family provided an exceptional welcome at the Lavender House in Ashburton, which has been ACC’s home on tour in Devon for over twenty years. A one minute silence was observed at the AGM in December 2024 to allow members to reflect on their memories of Keith and members of the Club also attended his funeral.
Simon Letts
Chairman, Aldenham Cricket Club