NEWSLETTER: Spring 1957

The Cricket Club are pleased to announce that Messrs F W Parsonage (Chairman) and H G Williams (Treasurer) have been elected Vice Presidents of the Evening Cricket League. They have been active members of the Club since 1923 and 1926 respectively and this recognition is justly deserved.

The team has lost one of its stalwarts in J Allkins who for 2 seasons was Secretary of the Club, his presence will be greatly missed both on and off the field. That reminds me, another volunteer is now needed for "Bar Duty".

New members are welcomed and anyone wishing to join the Club may contact me at Kitts Green Branch or attend the Annual General Meeting, the date of which is to be announced later.

For the benefit of members and supporters the opening fixture for 1957 season is against the Welfare Dept. (Pitch 1) on the 24th April.

J G EYRE

Acting Hon Secretary

NEWSLETTER: Summer 1957

The Cricket Team have made an average start to the Season. The first two matches were lost - one by one run on the last ball of the game, the other two matches played have been won comfortably.

To date the batting honours are going to Alf Young, who was leading batsman last year, ably supported by Maurice Eley, Tony Green, and Ken Whittaker. The brunt of the bowling is being borne by Maurice Eley, Les Bellmore and Neville Alsop, supported by Alf Young. During the last two games played, the fielding reached the standard attained in the championship year of 1955.

Appreciation and thanks are due to members of the team who have turned out to play after only a few hours notice, due to last minute “hitches”.

Since the season began the Club has lost one member, Alan Hockridge, who has left the Staff and to whom the team wish every success in his new venture. A welcome is extended to new members - David Morgan and Mike Davenport.

The Six-a-Side Knock-out Tournament is a feature of our season - not that the Bank team progressed very far in either 1955 or 1956. The reason for this may have been that the Final night is held on a Friday and that it would not be “cricket” for a chosen few to play whilst the rest of the Staff work - Here’s hoping for 1957.

J G Eyre

PS: Congratulations to the Club on winning the first round of the Six-a-Side. (Editor)

NEWSLETTER: Autumn 1957

The end of the 1957 season was disappointing insofar as two of the last three matches were “rained-off”, with the remaining game being lost to the Rates Department, who were the Evening League winners for the second season in succession. The Bank were seventh in the League Table with 157 points from 13 matches compared with fifth position last year having scored 185 points; nevertheless the Team finished in the right half of the Table.

There are two outstanding feats to be reported, however, this season. The Club were runners-up in the six-a-side competition, and even more remarkable, Les Bellmore was seventh in the League batting averages with an average of 27.4 in 8 innings. Congratulations Les on also being first in the Bank bowling averages with an average of 11.04 runs p/wkt., closely followed by Maurice Eley with 11.2 runs p/wkt. Ken Whittaker had another good season scoring more runs than any other member of the team, although he did not top the averages.

The end of the season cannot be allowed to pass without thanking the Golf Club for the loan of one of their star players, who in one game for the Cricket Club scored 23 not out with some “lovely drives to the fairway”. I trust that was the right term!

Thanks also due to Messrs. Spencer, Camwell, Monk and Pardoe for their invaluable help during the season - to Miss Cowley for the distribution of team sheets etc and to our “faithful few” regular supporters.

J G EYRE