news
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Oxfordshire to host Open Sessions for the County Women’s and Men’s teams in 2025
06/01/2025Oxfordshire Cricket remains committed to ensuring that adult players’ continue to strive for representative selection and are pleased to announce that they will host open sessions for the Women and Men’s teams for the third consecutive year between January and March 2025. The open sessions are being hosted for eligible adult players (eighteen years of age or above who are not within a pathway programme) and will provide an accessible opportunity for individuals to demonstrate their capability to represent Oxfordshire at National Counties level. The open sessions will allow players to demonstrate that they have the skill required to play representative cricket at National County level and help us to capture talent that may have emerged at a later developmental stage. Oxfordshire Cricket are now welcoming applications from adult players (18 years of age or above) who would like to attend the open sessions for the Women and Men’s team. Suitable applicants must meet all of the talent identification criteria below; England qualified currently playing at either Premier League, Feeder League or Division 1 League level Has produced notable or significant performances within cricket at the level specified above over the past two seasons (2023 and 2024). Believe that they have the skills required or potential to play representative cricket within either the Women’s or Men’s team at National Counties level. England Qualified Eligibility Criteria To be eligible to play National County Cricket for Oxfordshire a player MUST be Qualified to play for England by; Holding British Citizenship (most commonly demonstrated through having a British Passport) And Completed their residency qualification period been having resident in England and Wales for the immediately preceding three years (min 210 days per year from 1st April to 31st March) Please note that A Player WILL NOT be eligible to play National County Cricket for Oxfordshire if they have during the immediately preceding three consecutive years either (i) played cricket any ICC Full Member County except England at under 17 level or above; or (ii) played domestic First Class Cricket (or Competitive Women's Cricket, as defined by the ECB) in any Full Member Country outside of England and Wales, as a “local” player. “Home-Grown” Eligibility Please note that to qualify as a home-grown player for Oxfordshire, a player must meet one of the following playing qualifications criteria; County Age Group within the Oxfordshire Pathway Playing Club within Oxfordshire Born within Oxfordshire Educated at a School after the age of 13 or currently attending a University within Oxfordshire ***Once a player has left University their home-grown status is removed for the next calendar year. Any player who does not meet the criteria above is classed as “Non-qualifying” and it may still apply. How to Apply Oxfordshire Cricket are now welcoming applications from eligible adult players who believe they have the skills required to play representative cricket within either the Women’s or Men’s team at National Counties level. Adult players (18 years of age or above) who would like to apply to attend the upcoming open sessions for either the Women or Men's team should complete the application form HERE by close of play on Monday 13th January 2025. Suitable applicants will be invited to attend the open sessions and successful applicants will be contacted directly with further information and joining instructions ahead of the open sessions which will take place independently for the Women and Men’s team during January and March 2025. Please contact Performance Director, Matthew Barnes on [email protected] should you have any questions on the open sessions or application process.
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Reducing barriers to enter the Pathway Programme 2024/25
18/12/2024Oxfordshire Cricket remain committed to removing talent inclusion barriers within Pathway Programme in 2024-25 and have continued to adopt two interventions to achieve this within Phase 1 of the 2024-25 programme. Oxfordshire Cricket provides an equitable, accessible and inclusive Pathway for both Girls and Boys that is open to receiving eligible player nominations via the annual player search process that solicits player nominations. The OCB recognises that players may face talent inclusion barriers into talent pathways and have sought to minimise barriers to access by welcoming eligible player recommendations from any individual via the OCB player search process for the second consecutive year. To ensure that finance is not a barrier to participation, Oxfordshire Cricket have committed to again delivering Phase 1 of the pathway free of any participation charge to reduce barriers for talent inclusion. This has been achieved by making use of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Additional County Age Group (CAG) funding to reduce the overall programme costs to parents across the ECB defined County Age Groups of Girls’ Under 11 to Under 18 and Boys’ Under 13 to Under 18. To ensure that the removal of phase 1 participation charge is fair and equitable to all players within the pathway ages, Oxfordshire Cricket have continued to commit their own financial reserves to support the Boys Under 11 to Under 12s who do not benefit from the additional ECB Funding. Phase 1 Headlines Oxfordshire Cricket delivered in excess of 354 hours of developmental opportunities across the Under 11 to Under 18 Age Groups which comprised 177 sessions that took place in November and December 2024. 863 players accepted their place within Phase 1 of the pathway programme and were coached and continually assessed for their readiness to participate in Phase 2. Players who participated in Phase 1 were offered 3 or 4 x 2 hour sessions over a six week period depending upon the age group that were free of participation charges Pathway Manager, Sam Arthurs said: “Being able to remove cost as a barrier for participation within our opening observation phase makes our pathway more accessible to aspiring cricketers, especially those from diverse groups. In addition to this, our player bursary support mechanism will help to reduce the cost of participation, for those who require financial assistance, in phases 2 and 3. We believe in a longitudinal approach to talent identification and development and as such we have opted to provide players with either 6 hours or 8 hours of contact time during phase 1. These sessions help us to identify pools of players to be selected to progress to phase 2, but more importantly provide players with access to coaching support which we hope will influence their long-term development and involvement within the game. Additionally, we have been delighted to offer all of those involved within phase 1 the opportunity to access supplementary support in the form of a bespoke Psychology programme and a support series for parents, guardians and carers via the ECB and non-Perfect Dad, which commences in 2025. We are excited about the ongoing progressions being made to our pathway programme and continue to work toward making cricket the sport of choice in Oxfordshire.” Performance Director, Matthew Barnes said: “We remain committed to reducing barriers to entering the pathway and have evidenced this by sustaining our interventions that remove accessibility and financial barriers to Phase 1 of our pathway programme.”
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Oxfordshire Sees Significant Growth in Junior Recreational Cricket in 2024
12/12/2024Junior cricket in Oxfordshire has experienced a remarkable surge in participation in 2024, highlighting the growing enthusiasm for the sport among young players across the region. With a diverse range of competitions catering to age groups from nine to nineteen, this year’s programs have seen significant increases in engagement, demonstrating the county’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of cricket talent. To view the full 2024 report CLICK HERE Record Numbers Across the Board Please note, the data on junior participation excludes All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket. The numbers tell a compelling story of success: Total Participants: 4,373 players engaged in junior competitions, a 14.27% increase from 2023. Teams Entered: 320+ teams took part, underscoring the breadth of opportunities for young cricketers. Matches Played: 709 matches were completed, representing a 10% rise in completed games compared to the previous year. Scorecard Activity: A 55% increase in Play-Cricket scorecards highlights a robust commitment to record-keeping and performance tracking. Age Group Highlights A particularly notable success was the growth in the Under-15 category, which added 108 players to reach a total of 789. This achievement is especially significant given that the Under-15 age group is often where participation drops nationally across all sports in England, making this increase a promising sign for sustained engagement. Participation increases were evident across most age groups: The Under-9 category welcomed 789 players, 80 more than in 2023. Under-13 participation saw a 97-player increase, reaching 1,131 participants. Under-15 players grew by 108, totaling 789. This growth was supported by contributions from local clubs and authorities, with South Oxfordshire and West Oxfordshire leading the way in participant numbers, showing respective increases of 300 and 229 juniors. Girls’ Cricket Also Thriving Girls’ cricket made notable strides in 2024: Total participation among girls increased by 34 players, with a 4.61% year-over-year growth. The Under-11 girls’ category saw the most significant improvement, growing by 14 players to reach 227. Although there were some decreases in older age groups, these were outweighed by the overall rise in younger participants, indicating a strong foundation for future growth. Improved Match Completion Rates An emphasis on match completion has yielded tangible results: A 10% increase in completed mixed matches reflects the improved organisation and weather management strategies. The total number of completed fixtures reached 1,081, an impressive 40% increase from the previous year. For girls’ competitions, 154 matches were completed, marginally exceeding the 153 in 2023 despite challenges such as cancellations and no-results. 2024 Finals Day Winners 2024 Mixed Finals Day Winners 2024 Mixed Finals Day Winners U11 Hundred Banbury CC U11 Thame Town CC U13 Ron Maudsley Cup Tiddington CC U13 Tiddington CC Hundred Delayed into 2025 U15 Cumnor CC U15 Cup Wolvercote CC Hundred Wolvercote CC U19 League Oxford CC 2024 Group Winners 2024 Mixed Group Winners 2024 Girls Group Winners U11 League Banbury CC U11 Hardball League Goring on Thames CC Witney Mills CC U11 Softball League Warborough and Shillingford CC Tiddington CC U13 Hardball League Eynsham CC Henley CC Tiddington CC Cumnor CC U15 Performance League Cumnor CC U11 Hardball Pairs Banbury CC U15 Development League Eynsham CC Witney Mills CC Eynsham CC Steventon CC Oxford CC Goring on Thames CC East & West Hendred CC U11 Softball Pairs Bicester and North Oxford CC Tiddington CC Stanton Harcourt CC U11 Hundred Witney Mills CC Banbury CC Goring on Thames CC U13 League Sandford St Martin CC Cumnor CC Oxford CC Kingston Bagpuize CC Steventon CC Peppard Stoke Row CC Chipping Norton CC Charlbury CC U13 Hardball Pairs Oxford and Bletchingdon Nondescripts CC Eynsham CC Moreton CC Horspath CC U13 Hundred Sandford St Martin CC Banbury CC Peppard Stoke Row CC Cumnor CC U15 Banbury CC Langford CC Minster Lovell CC Abingdon Vale CC Cholsey CC Goring on Thames CC Witney Mills CC Wolvercote CC U17 Banbury CC Cumnor CC Didcot CC U19 Banbury CC Aston Rowant CC Looking Ahead The momentum from 2024’s successes positions Oxfordshire Cricket well for future expansion. The emphasis on inclusive programs, robust club participation, and strategic investments in youth cricket ensures that the sport will continue to thrive, inspiring young players for years to come. Nick Pinhol, Operations Director at Oxfordshire Cricket, reflected on the year’s achievements, stating, “The growth of recreational junior cricket in 2024 has been truly inspiring. It’s a testament to the hard work of clubs, volunteers, and players who have come together to create an engaging and inclusive environment. We’re proud to see so many young people enjoying the game and building skills that will last a lifetime.” To enter your club into our 2025 junior competitions please contact Recreational Cricket Coordinator, Conor O’Hickey at [email protected]
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Seniors Cricket Roundup 2024
12/12/2024And the best may be yet to come…. Seniors’ season is their best to date and with a championship title still possible as 2024 final moved to the start of the 2025 season “We’ve done the county proud!” were the words of Oxfordshire Seniors Group Chairman, Darryl Woods as he looked back over the 2024 seniors cricket season. “I don’t think I’m overstating the case by saying that each of our seniors group Over 50s, 60s and 70s teams has ‘punched above its weight’ all season long, when you consider how much smaller our potential player pool is compared with counties which draw on resources from the major cities, like London, Manchester and Birmingham. “I’ve been delighted by the performances of all eight of the Over 50s, 60s and 70s teams in this their first season as a formal grouping under the OCB banner and also our first venture into Over 70s cricket. “We now have just short of 150 names on the 50/60/70s player database and of that number 120 played at some stage this season, but we have to vigorously continue to recruit new players within all the seniors’ age groups as the standard required to be competitive continues to rise year on year. “All of which requires a lot of work to ensure we get eight teams - requiring 88 players, eight umpires and eight scorers – in the right place, at the right time, home and away, once a week, for roughly four months – and all that notwithstanding the vagaries of the weather! “It takes a lot of time and input from for our captains who have to work together closely to keep us competitive, much of which is smoothly facilitated by the administrative genius of our secretaries - Peter Howe and Simon Brown – without whom we’d be lost. They have a spread sheet for everything! “I’d like to thank everyone who’s been involved this season and ask that as players if you do only one thing this closed season please ensure you get along to the AGM in the New Year so that we can get everyone’s backing for the effort required to ensure that 2025 sees us continue to move onwards and upwards,” he added. Review of Oxfordshire Over 50s 2024 Overview At the start of 2024 the over 10 players from the previous season made the transition to the Over 60s, thus reducing the player pool to 37 players. There was a significant need to recruit new players, and this was done through contacting all club secretaries, notices via the OCB newsletter and the Cherwell League website. This was successful and over the season the Over 50s offered debuts to 20 new players, who played over 80 matches between them. The 1st XI only gave debuts to 2 of these 20 players, which meant Captain Mark Robey was able to field a very consistent team for each week. He was able to maintain a squad of 16 players. The 2nd and 3rd XIs gave debuts to 18 players. The 2nd XI used a total of 32 players and the 3rds used 34. The effect of this can be seen in the season review of each team’s performances below. 1st XI The 1 st XI moved from their transition season in 2023 into 2024 and started with an original squad of 15 players. Under the captaincy of Mark Robey, the team bounced back from an opening match defeat to Wales, to record 6 consecutive wins, leaving them joint top of the group with Wales. The batsmen contributed significantly this season with valuable runs scored against all the opposition played and both Pablo Mukherjee (Oxford & Bletchingdon) and Steve Hurt (Oxford) registered individual centuries against Gloucestershire and Warwickshire respectively, and in both of these games Pablo and Steve enjoyed high scoring partnerships of 131 and 90 respectively. Pablo also shared a partnership of 96 with 1 st XI debutant Alex Wildman in our game against Staffordshire. Pablo finished up 10 th highest run scorer in the competition with 367, that included three fifties and a century. Whilst the batsman were piling on the runs, the bowling unit this season has also been fantastic, and the attack put pressure on the opposition batsmen each and every game. Three of the bowlers Nick Rivett (Oxford Downs), Sean Miller (Shipton Under Wychwood) and Simon Smith (Sandford St Martin), registered 12 wickets or more during the eight matches that were eventually played this season, with valuable contributions also coming from Nick Bishop (Oxford Downs), Colin Allen (Kingston Bagpuize) and Jason Hunt (Witney Swifts). Shaun Miller ended up with 15 wickets during the season which made him the 10 th most successful bowler in the competition with his best figures of 4-28 in the 1 st round of the KO stages against Lancashire. Unfortunately, we were unable to match the great ‘league’ performances we’d had during the season in the KO game against Lancashire, and despite us only managing to post 97 runs against a very strong Lancashire bowling attack, we went down fighting, taking 7 wickets along the way before Lancashire managed to get home. The standard of fielding has been exceptional this season and has significantly contributed to our success, and perhaps even stronger than that, the team spirit and togetherness throughout has been absolutely brilliant. With a couple of new recruits expected to be playing next season as they hit the magic 50, the 1 st XI squad looks like getting stronger and we look forward to progressing further in the competition in 2025. 2nd XI The 2nds season started with 3 rained off matches, which took away a significant amount of the pre-season excitement. When the league eventually got underway the team struggled to have consistency in the playing team, this included the Captain Ross Buchanan, who through significant work commitments and philanthropic work to support developing cricket in the rural communities in Barbados was only able to play in 4 matches. The last of Ross’ matches was in the Plate Quarter Final match against Gloucestershire. Coming into bat when the team was struggling on 57-4, Ross scored 78 off 80 balls, and with Gary Cook (54 no off 53 balls) managed to get the team to 226-5. This knock took its toll on Ross, so he could not keep wicket, however he managed to position himself at fly gully to take an amazing 1 handed catch on the run. The team won by 73 runs. This victory and Ross’ absence through work led to Vice Captain Neil Wilkins leading the team against Sussex. Batting first the 2nd XI scored 227, with Ali Shah and Jamie Stoddart putting together a 3rd wicket partnership of 135, both scoring impressive 70s. In reply Sussex batted in deteriorating light, which made fielding difficult. Batting steadily Sussex got to within 4 runs of victory, but we held on to reach the final. The Plate Final was played at the impressive Valley End CC in Surrey, and the 2nd XI faced Nottinghamshire who had already beaten the 2nd XI in the group stage. Another tight bowling display restricted Notts to 206. In reply, an excellent opening bat display by Rob Williams, 61 not not, and a self-described “breezy’ 88 by Matt Launchbury took the lads to victory with 8 overs to spare. In the final, Neil Wilkins took 1 wicket, to become the most successful Over 50s bowler, with career figures of 595.1 Overs, 89 maidens, 2,172 runs, 103 wickets, average of 21.1, a strike rate of 34.7 and economy rate of 3.6 runs/over. A special mention to scorer, Steve Kelly, who needed to act as sub-fielder for Carl Needham, who tore another muscle whilst fielding. 3rd XI The 3rds gave debuts to 14 of the 20 new players this season, and it must be stated that not having a stable team during the group stages led to the team not winning any group matches. However, this hides some close matches, especially against Essex who won the Eastern Group. We lost the home match by 6 runs after playing the match with 10 players. However, this season there was a chance to play in the Plate competition. The semi-final was away to Worcestershire. Batting first we were able to score 269 off our 40 overs, with the mercurial Ali Shah scoring 123 off 89 balls. In reply Worcestershire got off to a good start, but the introduction of Mark Cairns blew away their top ordered, and Worcestershire stuttered to 238 all out. This meant the 3rd XI would play Hampshire at Aston Rowant on the same day as the 2s played their final. The 2 league games against Hants had both been abandoned because of rain and arriving at Rowant a day after a massive rainstorm, with rain forecast did not give us much optimism of completing the match. However, skipper, Steve Bowles playing in his last ever cricket match, managed to lose the toss but unbelievably the Hants’ skipper decided to bat. Wily Matt Todd opened the bowling and took 3 wickets, Mark Cairns took 2 and Simon Brown took 4 wickets for 8 runs to bowl of Hants for 82. In reply we reached 55-1 when the rain arrived, but there were still 5 overs needing to be bowled to make a result. A great team effort of mopping up the square with towels, applying saw dust and generally wanting to play eventually persuaded the umpires to continue the match, and we won by 9 wickets. This was a great send off for Steve Bowles, who in 9 years played 62 times for the Over 50s, scoring 1,084 runs, taking 24 wickets as a bowler and having 30 dismissals as a wicket keeper, a great seniors’ career. Overall This has been a season of change, which led to a highly successful campaign for the 1st XI, and two plate victories for the 2nd and 3rd XIs. In total 60 players participated during the season. Looking back over the season all five 60s and 70s teams acquitted themselves with great credit and there were a number of really outstanding individual performances. A game of two halves For the Over 60s 1sT XI under Phil Manger it was – to use a footballing cliché, very much a ‘game of two halves’. “The first half of the season we were flying,” said Phil. “We won our group with a bit to spare and qualified for the knock out stages, beating some good sides along the way. However, as soon as we embarked on the second half of the season the contrast in form and luck could not have been more marked,” he added. After a two week mid-season break – ironically to allow postponed matches to be replayed – the first two matches of the 1st XI’s knock out campaign were lost to rain. “We went four matches without a game and by the time we played we were ring rusty and already well behind counties who had been able to play, after which we were playing catch up, which, with a few key injuries, put paid to any hopes of progressing,” said a disappointed but philosophical skipper. “It’s was a long season and I think we simply ran out of steam and indeed to some extent players,” he said. “On our day we’re good enough to beat any county. But to compete in the latter stages of the season we need to improve our consistency and be able to move players seamlessly up from the lower teams and know they can hold their own against the best so we’re not having to rely on the same few proven performers to get us over the line at key points in games. “However, looking back to this time last year we’ve come a long way and now have the foundations to make that improvement,” he added. A long winter waiting….. Meanwhile for the Over 60s 2nd XI it’s going to be a long winter, as they stand on the verge of winning the Over 60s 2nd XI County Championship. Andy Haynes’ side made it through to the final against Wales but the game was rained off at tea and will now be replayed at the beginning of the 2025 season. “We don’t know yet when the game will be played but we’re assuming it will have to be the first competitive fixture of the season so we will truly have to hit the ground running if we’re going to win, which will make winter nets and pre-season outdoor training that little bit more interesting come the time,” said Andy. “But looking back at 2024 it’s been an outstanding season – albeit a bit of a ‘slow burn’ to begin with. “If you had told me during the first half of the season when - because of the weather - we were struggling to play two games in a row let alone win two in a row - that we’d storm through the post season in the way which we did, I would have laughed heartily and probably tried to find some spurious reason for being positive about the next fixture. “With the exception of the Wales away game – we improved week on week in the second half of the season. I really didn’t expect to play such powerful sides as Surrey, Lancashire, and Worcestershire in the knock out stages of the competition and win as comfortably as we did. “Given how habitually strong our final opponents Wales are I was worried that we might have peaked too soon. It was all set up for a proper showdown but sadly we’ll never know as mother nature proved to be the only winner on finals day. “So next season will be somewhat strange, beginning with a cup final on what will probably be slow, green, early season wickets, But regardless of when and where, I know we’ll put in the sort of all-round team performance which in 2024 became the trade mark of the second eleven,” he added. Only a quarter final…. After last year’s trip to finals day when they contested the 3rd XI County Championship final the Over 60s 3rd XI could only better that performance by winning the title in 2024. And they gave it a real good shot, eventually only succumbing to a very strong Essex side in the quarter finals. “It was very disappointing to go out of the competition at the quarter final stage after making it through to the final last year,” said skipper Clive Ricks. “I think we had a better squad this year but inevitably injuries and availabilities take their toll in the higher teams and quite rightly players who have performed well in the thirds get their chance to move up and test themselves at the higher level. “On the other hand this season we have also had the Oxfordshire Over 70s 1st XI/ Over 60s 4th XI which has provided us with match ready replacements and also opportunities to get returning players match fit and back in form after spells out injured or away from the game. “Added to this I think the teams which have progressed to the latter stages of the competition have shown a marked improvement, particularly in fielding, an aspect of our game which has without doubt cost us games this year, particularly the quarter final against Essex, which we had in our grasp and let slip by missing opportunities to remove the two late order batters who stood firm and won the game for them, when we looked to have it secure. “All of which gives us plenty to work on during the winter, but yet again we’ve been more than competitive, with plenty of players to select from, so I’m looking forward to the 2025 season and further improvement, he added. Vase semi final Reflecting on his side’s debut season in the Over 70s County Championship, the joint Oxs/Berks 1st XI skipper Adrian Manger said: “Inevitably it took players from the two counties who had never played together before a little while to gel, and our early season results showed that. However, in the second half we played better as a team and more to our strengths, and even in defeat we only lost because of outstanding individual performances from high quality players, several of whom are or have played on the international stage for England. It showed us just how good we have to be to mix it with the best in 70s cricket. “It’s been an enjoyable season and getting to a Vase semi-final in our first year is nice but I think we could and should have been good enough to make the final. “Continuing our link with Berkshire for one more season will I believe ensure a pool of quality players from both counties which will enable us to remain competitive and deliver further and greater success next year, when we must set our sights on qualifying for the knock out stages of the Over 70s County Championship, which will be a full and proper test of how good we really are,” he added. No need for golf! Outside of the Over 60s and 70s County Championship structure the seniors group also enters a side in the South West Friendly Cricket League, which is an informal grouping of six counties which are looking to progress to entering fully independent sides in the Over 70s County Championship in which Oxfordshire currently enters a joint side with Berkshire. It also allows a certain amount of leeway with player age restrictions which helps to ensure that everyone available gets a game - 60s or 70s - and its rarely a struggle to put out sides. Added to which it also acts in part as a de facto 60s 4th XI, which depending on further recruitment, may in the future also be able to take its place in the 60s County Championship. Not bad for one of the so called ‘smaller’ counties! Skippering the side is David Beck who said: “Don’t be fooled by the ‘friendly’ part of the league’s name. It’s still very competitive cricket but played in a great spirit,” he said. “We’ve finished in third position in the league table winning six out of our 10 games played, which for a first season I’m really pleased with. But the main things is we’re getting more and more players involved and growing the whole concept of seniors cricket. Just because you are getting a bit too old to play full on league cricket doesn’t mean you have to hang up your boots! “We’ve played some really good cricket this year, beaten some good sides but also learned a lot when we’ve come up short against the better ones. Most of us have been playing against each other on the league circuit for a long time and now we’re team mates, so there’s a great spirit in the side as well as the game itself. “So if you’ve reached that age where you think it might be time to stop playing club cricket with the ‘youngsters’ and - God forbid – you’re contemplating taking up golf – DON’T! Just drop Peter Howe our secretary a line with your details on [email protected] – we’ll do the rest and you’ll be back playing in no time!” he added Simon Brown Secretary Oxfordshire Over 50s Richard Clapp Press Officer for Oxfordshire Over 60s
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Jonny Cater Announces his Retirement
12/12/2024After fourteen years representing Oxfordshire and ten as captain, Jonny Cater has called time on his playing career within Oxfordshire. Jonny led Oxfordshire as captain for eight seasons’ across all three formats within National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA) competitions, before retiring from red ball cricket at the end of the 2022 season and then for a further two years across both white ball formats in 2023 and 2024. Jonny had departed the red ball game in 2023 having played 49 matches for the county since in competitive cricket his debut in 2011, amassing 3448 runs at an average of 43.10, including six centuries and 23 half centuries. Of his six centuries, he made a hundred in each innings of the match against Cornwall in 2013 and had a highest score of 117 not out against Shropshire in 2014. Jonny completed 136 dismissals with the gloves, including 113 catches and 23 stumpings whilst also leading Oxfordshire to the NCCA Championship title as captain in 2021. Jonny led Oxfordshire as captain in the white ball cricket competitions for ten seasons, lifting the NCCA Twenty20 for the first time in Oxfordshire history in 2022. Having qualified for the NCCA T20 Finals Day again two years later in 2024, it was unfitting that two washed out attempts to play the finals prevented Jonny one last opportunity to win another title for Oxfordshire. Jonny made over a hundred appearances for Oxfordshire across the Twenty20 and One Day Trophy format, amassing 2,829 runs at an average of 37.07, including three countries within One Day Trophy. During his final season representing Oxfordshire, Jonny became the first batter in NCCA history to score one thousand runs in the NCCA Twenty20 competitions, an achievement that reinforces both his longevity and continued performance level over many years. Jonny completed 118 dismissals with the gloves in NCCA white ball cricket, including 86 catches and 32 stumpings, alongside 5 run outs. Oxfordshire Cricket would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Jonny on a tremendous playing career and to recognise both his dedication to the County as captain over a ten year period and his contribution to Oxfordshire throughout his career. Oxfordshire wish Jonny all the very best for the future and hope that he will now enjoy some extended time with his young family after all the years with the Oxfordshire shirt on. Career Statistics For Oxfordshire CCC in T20 Cricket Games Innings Not Outs Runs Highest Score Average 50s 100s 4s 6s 52 47 14 1186 72 35.94 5 0 71 54 For Oxfordshire CCC in One Day Cricket Games Innings Not Outs Runs Highest Score Average 50s 100s 4s 6s 55 51 8 1643 104 38.21 8 3 125 25 For Oxfordshire CCC (3 Day Championship Cricket) Games Innings Not Outs Runs Highest Score Average 50s 100s 4s 6s 49 90 10 3448 117* 43.3 23 6 444 43 For Oxfordshire CCC (first team all formats) Games Innings Not Outs Runs Highest Score Average 50s 100s 4s 6s 168 194 35 6535 117* 41.1 41 9 640 122 Jonny Cater said: “It's been a pleasure representing Oxfordshire CCC over the past fourteen seasons. When starting back in 2011, I could never have imagined representing this county for so long. I will walk away with some unbelievable memories, across all formats. The notable ones are the two trophy successes in recent years. I also feel immense pride seeing a number of players move from Oxfordshire to professional cricket under our tenure. Personally, scoring back to back hundreds down in Cornwall to get capped, and becoming the first NCCA player to score 1000 20/20 runs are achievements I will look back on and be incredibly proud of. NCCA cricket is tough going, and I have always wanted to raise my game to face the best club players and professionals across the country. Playing for fourteen seasons and competing with the best club players in the country must mean I have performed over a long timespan, this is something I feel extremely proud of. I want to say a huge thank you to all the players who have represented Oxfordshire CCC since becoming captain eight years ago. Without your hard work and dedication, the success the county achieved would never have been possible. I would like to say a huge thank you to Rupert Evans. I regard Rupert as family, and he is someone I have the utmost respect for. Without Rupert, Oxfordshire CCC would simply not be the same. Special mentions also go to Paul White, Chris Cox, Matt Barnes and Chris Clements, all have been instrumental in their roles over the years. I hope the county continues to strive for excellence across all three formats. This is always a challenge, knowing the competition is strong across the country. But I believe more trophy success is just around the corner, and I will be supporting from afar and hope the boys can achieve this very soon. County Men’s Head Coach, Rupert Evans said: “Jonny was born in Oxford but began his representative cricket career, playing pathway cricket for Buckinghamshire. In 2011 he decided to leave Buckinghamshire to join Oxfordshire and made his Minor Counties debut for Oxfordshire as a batter against Dorset at Dean Park County ground in Bournemouth, scoring 98 and 48 to help Oxfordshire beat Dorset by 5 wickets. During the 2012 season Jonny took on the role of wicket-keeper batter when Ian Hawtin was injured. He continued as a permanent wicket-keeper batter from 2012 until his retirement at the end of the 2024 season. During his fourteen years playing for Oxfordshire Jonny worked hard to develop his batting and wicket-keeping skills to become one of the best wicket-keeper batters in National Counties Cricket. He was a tough competitive captain who enjoyed being in a battle. His style of captaincy did not always endear him to the opposition, but it gained him respect from our players, opposition teams and officials. Jonny, you have been a wonderful servant to Oxfordshire Cricket, I’ve enjoyed coaching you and working with you over the past fourteen years. I will miss chatting to you about team selection and tactics, but most of all I will miss travelling with you on long journeys, to Cumbria, Northumberland and Cornwall in your flying machine.”
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Oxfordshire Cricket and Magdalen College School Announce Partnership Extension
12/12/2024Oxfordshire Cricket are delighted to announce the extension of their partnership with Magdalen College School, Oxford for a further two years until October 2026. The Oxfordshire Cricket Board Ltd (OCB) and Magdalen College School (MCS) have worked collaboratively together to support the long-term development of cricket in Oxfordshire since the inception of the Partnership in 2014. The collaborative relationship between the OCB and MCS has contributed significantly to the success of the talent development system over many years, placing particular emphasis on supporting the OCB to deliver a sustainable and high-performing talent development system. Through the duration of the partnership to date, MCS have played an integral role in enabling the OCB to develop a constant stream of recreational and professional players through their Pathway programme and Boys EPP. MCS has been the exclusive host of the Boys EPP that aims to produce academy and professional players partnership in conjunction that is connected to Sussex County Cricket Club which firmly establishes a clear route for players from Oxfordshire to transition into academy or professional cricket programmes at Sussex. Over recent years the partnership has evolved to include MCS supporting the growth of the Oxfordshire Bulls (Boys) programme that aims to bridge the opportunity gap between independent and state school sectors over recent years. Oxfordshire Cricket’s Performance Director, Matthew Barnes added: “Our relationship with MCS has spanned more than ten years and we are delighted to be able to extend our partnership for a further two years. MCS plays an integral role in supporting the OCB to achieve our vision for a sustainable and high-performing talent development system. The continued support of MCS will enable us to maintain our talent development programmes delivered to players within their excellent indoor and outdoor facilities, whilst also helping us to further reduce barriers to access by providing state-educated players in the pathway with additional development opportunities. We very much look forward to continuing our relationship with Magdalen College School and are delighted to announce the news of the partnership extension to our stakeholders and wider cricketing community.”