By the time you read these notes the Club will have been officially presented with the "Collins Cup" on becoming Champions of the Municipal Officials' Cricket League.

As many of you will be aware, it is the first time in the history of the Club that this honour has come our way, but we are determined that it will not be the last. We had a preview of the Cup when it was lent to us on the occasion of the celebration supper last November, but now it is at Head Office for the ensuing twelve months.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held during April, details of which will be circulated to all Branches in due course. We welcome new members as always, particularly to anyone who has joined the Staff since last Season, and we invite anyone interested to attend the next meeting or to contact me at Perry Common.

Like most teams we play better when encouraged by our own followers, and we hope that the support which we received during our last game is typical of what we can expect during the coming Season.

J A Allkins,

Hon Secretary.

NEWSLETTER: Summer 1956

At the time of going to press the cricket team has played four matches, and two fixtures have been rained off. Of the four completed games, two have been won and two lost, and of the two defeats one was by the narrowest of margins - one wicket and in the last over of the game.

One of the pleasing features of these early games has been the attractive batting of Les Bellmore, who has apparently decided not to attempt to knock every ball he receives out of the ground - only every other one.

Maurice Eley has run into his true form in the last two games, scoring nearly 100 runs and remaining undefeated in both of them. The newcomers to the team, Messrs Aston, Venables and Wood have shown keenness and skill in the field and have added to our playing strength.

Every season seems to bring some misfortune to members of the Club, and this one is no exception. Two of our players, Messrs Bignell and Eyre, have been bowled "neck and crop". They are to be married during the lovely cricketing month of June. We offer our best wishes for a happy future with the hope that their partners will not be remiss in granting them "Privilege Leave" on the evenings their services are required on the cricket field.

For the benefit of members of the Staff who feel disposed to spend a pleasant sunny evening at Yardley, the dated of the remaining fixtures of the season are as follows: 19th June; 3rd, 10th, 12th 17th, 26th and 31st July. May we suggest Tuesday10th July - the Club is running the bar on that date.

K.N.W.

NEWSLETTER: Autumn 1956

(Staff Association Notes:

Congratulation to the Club on another excellent season. Competition in the League is now very fierce but, even without the Skipper for several matches, some really fine wins were recorded. It is alarming to hear - on good authority - that the scoring has been rather woolly on occasions! Perhaps too many distractions in the score box?)

The season finished on a rather disappointing note, for after being within striking distance of the League Championship with only two matches to play, the team finally finished fifth.

Both of the last two matches were lost, which came as an anti-climax to a very exciting season, during which many anxious moments were spent before the matches were either won or lost.

Games which immediately spring to mind are the win by 4 runs against the M.E.B. Engineers, and another by 3 runs against the Estates Department, and the match we lost to the Water Department by 1 run early on in the season.

Perhaps the most anxious time of all was after the match against the Welfare Department, when after the scores had been checked and re-checked it was decided that both sides had scored 106 runs; or perhaps it was during the first match of the season with the Education Department when the light became so bad that it became doubtful if we should ever reach a result.

A E Young headed the batting averages scoring 107 runs for an average of 25.4 and Maurice Eley was top of the bowling taking 30 wickets for 180 runs - an average of 6 runs per wicket.

Unfortunately, our skipper - Ken Whittaker - injured his hand in the game against the Treasurer's Dept. and we were deprived of his services for the remaining 5 matches of the season.

The final League Table is shown, which I hope will be of interest to some.

J.A.