6 minute read
B’grove Sporting F.C
Sporting still waiting for start of the season
Work continues during the close season and lockdown at the Victoria Ground to get everything ready for the new season whenever it comes about.
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However, planning is difficult if not impossible but Kidderminster Harriers after three loan spells. the Club will at least will be re-opening the Rouslers’ Signing up for another season are a number of Bar shortly taking into account Government advice familiar faces that include club and team captain, Tom and rules for licensed premises. In addition all clubs Taylor, defenders Jack Wilson, Kieren Westwood in the Southern League have to draw up match day and Liam Spink, ‘keepers Max Beardmore and Daniel plans for how crowds will be managed given current Platt along with midfielders Josh Quaynor, Will distancing guidelines. Once complete they will be Shorrock, Charlie Dowd and Gift Mussa. Sweeperpublished on the Club’s web site along with opening cum-centre back Leon Broadhurst also finds himself times for the Bar when it is hoped to show some on the retained list with prolific striker Mikey Taylor televised matches on the big screen. as well as youngsters Nathan Binner, Jake Marsden,
As things stand it is envisaged that Sam Collins and Tom Massey. a crowd of just over 1000 could be Kelly has also added to his management safely accommodated for matches. As team bringing in experienced coach Ross for when the season will start? That Thorpe who arrives from League Two is still going to be several weeks outfit Cheltenham Town. away and certainly no earlier than mid-September. The women’s team are currently training and will play their matches
The lockdown however has not at the Victoria Ground on Sunday prevented manager Brendan Kelly afternoons, once they have been given from building his squad for the next the green light to get started. They campaign. Richard Gregory and Shaq still have vacancies in the squad for McDonald have departed along with New Coach: Ross Thorpe anybody interested, enquiries to hello@ winger Greg Mills but coming in are bromsgrovesporting.co.uk. strikers Chris Lait from Tamworth and Jamie Gray from Tolka FC, an amateur club based in Dublin. Nathan Hayward returns from Stourbridge and brings with him Josh Ezewele a right back whilst centreback Harry Higginson makes a permanent move from Off the pitch, The Victoria Ground remains open every Tuesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm for donations to local food banks, who expect demand to increase during the school holidays. by Phil Baker
Cricket is back but not as we know it!
Whilst the last few months have brought with them far bigger issues for us all to deal with than the demise of village cricket, there was a mixture of great excitement and relief when the Prime Minister recently announced that recreational cricket could begin from 11th July. The financial consequences for small clubs would have been stark had there been no way of generating income for a full 12 months, not to mention the risk of players (especially younger ones) finding alternative things to do with their spare time.
Understandably, cricket will look slightly different in a socially distanced world. Pavilions are closed, so players will need to arrive and leave in their cricket whites, and there will be no teas (often felt to be the quintessential part of village cricket life!). Every 6 overs, players will stop to clean their hands and the ball and alterations have been made to enable 1 metre + distancing to be maintained. All that said, cricket is back and everyone at Avoncroft CC couldn’t be happier.
In a shortened season, even the competitions will look different this year. In order to reduce travelling, given the restrictions on car sharing, teams have been placed into regionalised leagues with other local clubs. Avoncroft’s 1st XI have been grouped with a strong set of opposition, including the 2nd XI’s from Bromsgrove, Barnt Green, Astwood Bank and Redditch along with Himbleton 1st XI. Croft’s 2nd XI find themselves in a league with Cookhill 1st XI, Alvechurch, Five Ways and Himbleton 2nd XIs and Astwood Bank 4th XI. Junior cricket has also restarted, and information about signing up to this can be found on our website: www.avoncroftcc.co.uk
As we all continue to come to grips with what life is like in a post-lockdown world, the opportunity is there for you all to have a wander down to your local cricket club on a weekend and remind yourselves about what things were like before the world was turned upside down. The “doors” (metaphorically if not yet physically) are always open! by Paul Athey
Train passengers left stranded by service axe
Residents of Barnt Green, Alvechurch and Redditch wishing to travel directly to and from Barnt Green to Bromsgrove, Droitwich Spa, Worcester and onwards will be up in arms by the decision of West Midlands Trains to discontinue the only remaining services enabling them to do so.
Previously there were two trains each way daily then the service How short-sighted is this by WMT? The combined annual was reduced to one train each way daily leaving Barnt Green at footfall of passengers using Barnt Green, Alvechurch and Redditch 8.07.a.m and Worcester at 4.22.p.m. It is now proposed by WMT stations traveling both south to Worcester and beyond and north that this service is scrapped in its forthcoming September timetable. to University, Birmingham New Street and beyond is 1.6 million.
If this goes ahead, business people, visitors and commuters to Worcester and beyond and all students travelling from the three districts to study at RGS, The King’s School, Heart of Worcestershire College and the University of Worcester either will have to travel to Worcester by bus or car, with the extra expense and harmful environmental effects, or have to travel first to University Station to catch the trains going to Worcester which come back through Barnt Green, thus incurring extra time and expense.
Surely WMT should be trying to increase its revenue by offering and promoting an hourly service - as a minimum - to and from New Street to Hereford, stopping at Barnt Green, where people from Alvechurch and Redditch could catch it, Bromsgrove and onwards.
Let’s put pressure on WMT and our district and county councillors to keep the present service and to increase it to an hourly service. It makes economic and environmental sense.
www.bromsgroverail.org.uk
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