“Well done to you all!”

What a weekend!

Not only did we emphatically confirm what we already knew – firsts are Premier League champs – but the two’s put in a great performance against a gritty Frampton side that secured second place and also means promotion.  A great weekend finishing off a great season.

So, let’s take stock.  We have a great core of players across both teams.  Tremendous team spirit.  Such an improved off-the-field camaraderie.  And lots to look forward to.

As the cliché goes – the hard work begins now.  We have applied to join the County League and that brings new challenges but potentially exciting times with new teams, new venues and opportunities for further improvement.

Thanks to the joint captains and great efforts by players young and experienced, the two’s have set a platform for the future.  Players moving up and down between the teams is going to be a fact of life in the future but again opportunities abound for all.

And off the field the efforts of our social team and the support for all sorts of essential activities will ensure we can build a strong future and club spirit.

We need continued commitment. We need additional players – we have been very stretched at times this summer. Let’s bask in our achievements for a while and support the autumn programme of socials and then get down to the nitty gritty in the New Year.

“Well done to you all” (he said in his best Mr Grace voice!)

To conclude, I would like to thank our sponsors for the past season – RED Recruitment, JCo Kitchens, Thrupp Tyres and Stroud Signs – for their support that has benefitted the club across the board and to our Vice Presidents who have supported us to great effect. Running a cricket club as ambitious as ours needs a steady hand on the tiller and without this support we could not survive or operate at the level we want.  So thanks again.

PS: Our efforts on Saturday and over the season would have been heartily applauded by our late friend Tony Smith and our previous chairman and player Rex Barker who passed away in April.  Both were highly competitive stalwarts of the club and would have been thrilled with our success and the fact so many players have come through the Minch ‘system’.

MCC Chairman – Mike Waring