At 9am the day started with 40 players and lots of spectators enjoying our annual Club Day with the traditional adult and sons' tournament and Junior awards. Special mention on the playing side to Tobias' mum, Nicki Chapman, who showed all the adults (and her son) how to play the game properly. Congrats also to the junior award winners and to the U11 and U15 teams in particular on their second place league finishes (in the u15's case in Division 1 of the Middx league). We have had 80 juniors signed up this year which is a new record...

Of course, none of the junior section's success would be possible without the team of coaches and managers - Garry, Durston, Steven, Neil Myeroff and Russ Corin and above all else our amazing Head of Juniors Anthony Wise and we were very pleased to mark their contribution at the awards with bottles of bubbly (and in Anthony's case a special upcoming trip to Lord's for a "fast" bowlers' chinwag over champagne lunch with Angus Fraser).

In the afternoon, our Development Team took on Belmont 2s in the battle of the Jewish clubs. Helpfully, a match report is available here (https://barnetpost.co.uk/2024/07/15/epic-century-not-enough-for-belmont-and-edgware-cc/). Vale put on a huge 341-9 in their 40 overs with Jamie Hurwitz (100 not out) and Joe Swerling (82) stealing the show. In reply, Belmont were never in the hunt and closed on 261-7 with Levi Rodiger taking 3-29.

Meanwhile, over at Potters Bar CC, the 1sts took on a very strong Watford Town team who scored 233-7 off their 45 overs which looked like an above par total on a difficult batting wicket (Ben Lederman and Jonny Lubin the pick of the bowlers each with 2-41). Vale started strongly in reply with Adam Spooner (with a brilliant 84) and Jonny Lubin's (45) looking well set to take the boys home. However, a clatter of wickets left Vale 203-8 with only 4 overs left and seemingly dead and buried. Enter Jack Davis at number 9 who played a remarkable innings scoring 29 from just 13 balls including 2 huge sixes and a majestic straight driven one bounce four to win the game with 6 balls left!

Boys own stuff - even our venerable President Lord T Hyman was heard at the end calling it one of the greatest wins he has witnessed by a Vale team (and that covers a lot of ground...)

Two league games this coming Sunday and junior friendlies also have been arranged so please can you ALL fill out availability on the Pitchero site asap (today for those wanting to be considered for the league games).

Best regards,

Alex Haffner
Club Chairman