Tynemouth CC; a brief update....

 

You might believe me if I say I’ve been thinking about cricket a lot lately, but not The Ashes, where my default assumption is always that we’ll lose the series 5-0. However, you probably won’t believe me when I say that it is Tynemouth Cricket Club that has been occupying my thoughts to a greater extent than events Down Under, but it has.

Most importantly, Wednesday December 17^th saw a sizeable number of mourners, many from the local cricket scene of days gone by, were in attendance at TCC Life President Don Norton’s funeral at Tynemouth Crematorium, on what would have been his 90^th birthday. I was very glad to be there to pay my respects. Although I only knew Don for around a decade, every conversation I had with him, whether it be about education (we were both lecturers at North Tyneside College, though Don had retired long before I started there), football (he was a lifelong Newcastle United fan) or, almost invariably, the most beautiful game, was an absolute pleasure and a learning experience. Initially, I recall him sitting on the bench closest to the entrance to the pavilion for every home game (unless it was against The Unmentionables, but we’ll not go there), before age and attendant mobility problems meant he watched games in his later years from his car. Whether I was watching the first XI or partaking in my version of playing for the 3s, I’d always stop for a chat that could have gone on for hours. I would also ensure that I fetched his matchday beer from the bar, generally a Brown Ale, unless it was scorching hot and he’d have a “soft drink,” which is what he called lager and lime. He was an absolute gentlemen with an encyclopaedic knowledge of cricket and I feel honoured to have known him. RIP Don.

Sadly, both the 1s and 3s were relegated last season and the reality of that comes with the news that the fixtures have been released for 2026. Under new captain Martin Pollard, we’ve high hopes that the 3s can bounce back from the basement division. I sincerely hope to be involved, if required. We’ll I’ve not shifted 2 stone for nowt you know. Starting April 18^th, we’ll by plying our trade in NTCL Division 6 South. As there are only 8 teams in this division, it appears we’ll be facing 6 of them (Benwell & Walbottle, Lintz, Monkseaton, Percy Main, Stocksfield, where I’ve watched but not played, and Whitley Bay) on 3 occasions and 1 team (Kirkley Hall; the only ground I’ve not visited) twice. This gives us 20 league games and three free Saturdays (May 9^th, July 11^th and August 22^nd). Hopefully, we won’t lose any further Saturdays to the weather (unlikely I know) or, as was the case on 4 different occasions last season, to concessions when we couldn’t raise a team. I’ve already made myself available for every game.

Finally, for a good few years, until COVID probably, each winter I used to enjoy the 6-a-side indoor cricket, when Polly organised the side. Every year, we’d win the Northumberland title at South North, then the North East one versus a Durham team, at the Riverside, before just coming up short in the Northern final at Old Trafford, only one step away from the National final at Lords. After the pandemic, interest in this version of the game seems to have waned somewhat, to the extent that I was roped in to play against Seaton Burn nearly two years ago in January 2024, finding out I was required (there really wasn’t anyone else available) the morning after I’d consumed the best part of a bottle of Spiced Rum in an attempt to clear out the leftover Christmas booze. We won, when the opposition conspired to run all 6 of their batters out and bowled a presentable couple of overs, before having an early night. Out caught first ball after I’d timed it beautifully as well.

Anyway, at the end of November, the Northumberland final came down to a straight shootout between the only two clubs to enter the competition: Blyth and us. Blyth batted first and Dan McGee and Andrew Smith did the business with the ball, dismissing them for 48 from 6 overs. It seemed to be a straightforward task, and it was, with Zac Larner and George Stewart taking us home without loss. So, in the New Year, we will again visit the Riverside, with the prize being a trip to Derby for the Northern Finals. Opposition is, as yet, unknown. I’ll be going like.