Ramsbottom Cricket Academy Season 2021
The aims and ethos of Ramsbottom Junior Foundation are still as strong as when it was founded in 2003; participation and enjoyment of cricket for all, whilst also creating a pathway for players to develop their skills with strong coaching. Ultimately, we are a Cricket Club with several senior teams that in the future will depend on cricketers that have learned to love the game during their junior years.
Our very successful Women & Girls section continue to represent Ramsbottom across Lancashire in their six teams and formats from U13s to open age cricket. More about that to follow in Iain Collier’s season review.
To integrate the juniors, women and girls as one organisation within the club, the organisation will now be known as the Ramsbottom Cricket Academy. It will continue to provide participation for all ages up to 18 years, for boys and girls. As a combined team of volunteers, we will grow the membership of boys and girls, develop the coaching and produce competitive cricket teams who enjoy playing in the right spirit of the game.
Highlights from the season:
- 140 players took part in cricket for Ramsbottom Cricket; 44 All Stars, 36 Women & Girls, 60 Boys
- Home and away we played 72 matches with our mixed teams and 22 matches by Women & Girls teams.
- The mixed teams won 54% of their matches. U15s 11-a-side won 90%, U11s & U9s won 75%.
- 10 Rammy Juniors played Representative Cricket in 2021.
- Freddie Johnston played for Lancashire U11s
- Mahdi Abbas played for Lancashire U10s
- Harry Collinge for Lancashire Interleague squad
- Louis Almond-Read, Freddie Collier and Noah Peet for Bury District U13s
- Isaac Almond-Read, Harry Taylor and Evie Bennett for Bury District U11s
Thank you to all our sponsors for the season and in particular Grace Overseas. A massive thank you to all Academy committee members who give their time freely to organise and arrange everything for our Juniors: Our Treasurer Sam Hinchliffe, our Secretary Claire Collinge, our Welfare Officer Sam Myers, All Stars Activator Kelly Newbold with help from Senior Players each week, Our Pro Coach Alex Newby. Our Managers:
- U9s Andy Holt, Keith Webb
- U11s Brian Taylor
- U13s Simon Read, Iain Collier, Ghulum Abbas
- U15s Carl Turner and Phil Croft
Next Steps
A few improvements this winter; Under 9s and U11s section will train at better facilities in Bury Grammar Sports Hall and have started already in October (3 months earlier than last year). U13s and U15s will continue at Bury Grammar Sports Hall starting in October through to February. Due to growth in player numbers, we can field an U17s squad next season and they start winter training from December.
In the summer, we want to explore better use of Friday nights at the club with matches, training or All Stars. More details to follow.
Next season; we’re aiming to have around 16 players in each age group with two teams or formats so that everyone gets loads of cricket. We’re aiming to have 2 x U9s teams, 2 x U11s teams, U13s squad, U15s squad and U17s squad –playing 11-a-side and 8-a-side cricket so that everyone plays as much cricket as possible. More mixed teams of boys and girls especially at U15s.
Finally, if anyone is interested in managing or coaching a team, we are always looking for volunteers. The more people that help, the more cricket we can play. The club will support you with all the training and equipment you need.
All the best to everyone and winter well!
Phil Croft
Chair of Ramsbottom Cricket Academy
