I am writing to confirm that, following consultation, the Management Committee of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association, exercising the powers given to it at the 2015 AGM, has nem con agreed by the necessary two-thirds majority of its total voting membership, that the qualification required by Rule 13i for players who have played in the current season in a higher Grade/level of cricket, or in a senior Saturday league outside of the Grades, to appear in the semi-final or final level of a cup competition, be reduced, in respect of the semi-final round of the Grade 3 & 4 (Reid & Johnston) Cups only from the current 3 games to 2.  This decision is based on the earlier date of the semi-final rounds this season, and the number of games voided due to weather or scratchings in the first nine weeks of this season, effectively reducing the opportunity for achieving the previous qualification.

1.       Grade 3

Notice has been received that due to problems with player & ground availability Cults St Ronald (2^nd Cults) have decided to withdraw from Grade 3.  Accordingly results & fixtures against them will now be void, and only one team will now be relegated to Grade 4 at the end of the season.

Cricket Scotland are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the Last Man Stands Club Awards 2016.

The new awards were launched last year and the exciting categories resulted in a record number of nominations, and we’re hoping we can top that for 2016.

Waterlogged outfields from rain during the night and early in the day mean that a number of games in the Aberdeenshire Grades again had to be declared void at the weekend. This included a number for the second time, meaning that they will now need to be re-scheduled for the first available date.

Among these were the games at Links between Crescent and Knight Riders, which the teams were hoping to re-schedule for Sunday, and the game at Kintore between Cults-Artisans-St Ronald and Academy, which will now need to take place on Sunday July 3^rd,  assuming a pitch can be found.  The Grade 1 game between Gordonians and Lahore Karahi was also off, but as the two teams met at the end of April, will simply be left void.  In the two top-tier matches to be completed, however, AGSFPs and Bon Accord both completed league doubles over Mannofield and Ellon respectively, Fazal Awan notching up another century in the game at the Gordon Park.

Following the monsoon conditions of the past week it was unsurprising that a number of fixtures in the Aberdeenshire Grades again had to be declared void.

As well as the weather having set back the re-opening of a second square at the Duthie Park to replace the ground at Harlaw Road meantime closed due to safety considerations, ground conditions meant that play was ruled out on both Saturday & Sunday at Kings College, as well as a number of other grounds around the north east.

Ellon CC are holding their Junior Cricket Festival at Gordon Park, Ellon on Sunday 26^th June 2016. The Junior matches will commence sharp at 10:00am to be completed by 12:00pm as the ground is required to host a senior Small Clubs Cup match at 1:00pm

Ian Stephen (ACA Treasurer) would like to thank all clubs that have paid their Annual subscriptions and reminds others that they require to be paid in full by 1 July 2016. He would also request that the invoices that have been sent to clubs for pitch hires are paid timorously as invoices are now being received from Aberdeen City council, Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen University.

PVG meeting to be held at Mannofield tomorrow (Monday 13^th) at 7:00pm. The ACA Management Committee would like as many clubs as possible to be represented, irrespective of whether they have a junior section, at this important event.

Flaming June it may supposedly be, but overcast conditions and persistent drizzle meant only a proportion of games could be completed in the Aberdeenshire Grades on Saturday.

At the top of Grade 1 however Bon Accord maintained their 100 per cent record, comfortably beating Knight Riders following yet another century from prolific opener Fazal Awan at the Links; while an undefeated innings of 97 from Ben Webb saw Ellon inflict another defeat on Mannofield at the Gordon Park.  Faced with deteriorating weather conditions, and with their opponents well on top, Lahore Karahi chose to concede their game against Academy at Sheddocksley.

Summer Sport Camp (Cricket, Football, Touch Rugby, Athletics and Various other Games)

People’s Park, Wellheads Drive, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 7GQ

Aberdeenshire/Mannofield cc Summer Cricket Coaching

Aberdeenshire cc will be running a series of cricket coaching days at their Mannofield ground during July the sessions cover the following areas 

Further to the e-mail that you may have received from Ramsay Allan at Cricket Scotland (repeated below for your info.), I am delighted to announce that the ACA is to host one of these workshops in the Bradman Suite of the Mannofield club on Monday 13 June (7pm).

Colin McDougall, our Child Protection Officer, will be leading these presentations and has already delivered four of these, which were very well received; I attended the one in Nairn and can, despite the dry nature of the subject, highly recommend that you attend (especially if your club has junior players, i.e. Under-18).

Bon Accord’s march towards retaining the Grade 1 title they have held for the past few seasons continued unmarked as they swept aside Mannofield by ten wickets in a game switched from Harlaw to Kintore.  Academy meantime suffered a second successive defeat as they were shot out for 90 by Knight Riders at Groats Road, but an unbeaten half-century from Alex Keith saw AGSFPs return to form, beating Lahore Karahi in a game relocated to Banchory.  Cults-Artisans-St Ronald also had much the better of their game at Countesswells as they defeated Gordonians by 82 runs, Geet Grover top-scoring with a knock of 72.

Helping cricket clubs to become better at engaging with young people and using social media

At the recent meeting of the Management Committee of the Association, held on May 15th, a range of important issues were discussed:

1.PITCH AVAILABILITY
2.CRICKET SCOTLAND HOLDINGS LIMITED - DIRECTORSHIP
3.PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PERSONS
4.MONITORING OF UMPIRES' PERFORMANCE
5.REPRESENTATIVE/AGE GROUP GAMES
6.EXCHANGE OF TEAM LISTS

Following the recent shock news of the collapse & death of Inverurie’s captain, Kenny Macleod, during last week’s Bon Accord Cup game v Crathie, the Management Committee of the Association has agreed to request clubs that a minute’s silence in his memory should be observed at Grade fixtures scheduled for Saturday June 4th 2016 prior to the commencement of play; and would respectfully request that all Clubs should observe this.

Last season’s champions Bon Accord once again now sit supreme ahead of all at the top of Grade 1 following their defeat of Academy in their winner-take all game at Sheddocksley, where Fazal Awan again led the way with an innings of 131 followed by three wickets; while AGSFPs unexpectedly lost to Crescent at the Links following an undefeated innings of 145 for the home team’s Abrar Ahmed.  Elsewhere Ellon gained further valuable points winning their home game against Lahore Karahi, while Mannofield and Gordonians found themselves left with a blank weekend following the Council’s decision to suspend all sporting activity scheduled for the Harlaw Road playing field, and their inability to offer an alternative location. Homeless Cults-Artisans-St Ronald’s moderate run of form continued as they lost to Knight Riders at Groats Road.

Drum Property Group today (26 May 2016) announces a unique partnership with Aberdeenshire Cricket Club to deliver an in-school cricket programme, Redball.

Initially working in four Aberdeen primary schools, 180 children aged nine to eleven will benefit from the opportunity to learn and play cricket. It is expected that for almost all children this will be a first experience of the sport.

All three of Bon Accord, Academy and AGSFPs ran out winners on Saturday to leave the three sides locked on maximum points at the top of Grade 1, while Kemnay-Kintore’s start to the season since stepping up to Grade 2 was brought to an abrupt end as Inverurie ran out eight wicket winners at Kellands Park, and Grampian beat rivals Siyapa in the game of the day in Grade 3.

Please contact Blair Thomson (btaaoco@gmail.com) if any players find themselves without a game and want to officiate.

Graham Thorpe (England and Surrey) has confirmed that he will be this years guest speaker at the Grades Dinner and Prize giving to be held at the Holiday Inn, Aberdeen, Westhill, Aberdeenshire, AB32 6TT, on Friday 4th November 2016

Clubs are reminded that under Rule 17d "The Captains must provide the Umpires (or, in the event of there being no official Umpires, the opposing Captain) with a team list prior to the toss for innings."

Results of the latest round of games in the Aberdeenshire Grades have confirmed the pre-season prediction that the extension of Win-Lose cricket this year to all grades could well result in an increased gap between teams at the top and bottom of the league in all divisions.

In Grade 1 three sides, Bon Accord, Academy and AGSFPs, remain on maximum points following their latest wins, while Mannofield and Ellon meantime occupy the two relegation spots with Lahore Karahi having moved up to eighth behind Crescent following their victory over the County Club’s Third Eleven, Imran Kaleem falling one run short of a century for the Kings College-based side, despite Mannofield’s Stuart Horne responding with an innings of 109 as his side fell 59 runs short in a high-scoring encounter switched to the ground at Harlaw.  For AGSFPs Karan Anand top-scored with 116 and also took three wickets as they overcame fifth-placed Knight Riders at Rubislaw.

See attached files

Just a wee follow-up from a recent e-mail regarding workshops Supporting Coaches & Volunteer Management for Clubs which will be offered free of charge to clubs and communities across Scotland. (There is commitment to deliver 40 workshops in 2016/17 with priority given to community sport hubs, DCI clubs & priority clubs identified by regional sporting networks.)

Subsequent to preparation of the fixture list for the season, we have been advised that – due to University commitments – while the ground at Kings College will now be available on June 11^th and 25^th, the May Festival means that it will not be available on May 14, 21 or 28.  We have been advised that Duthie Park also will not be available on June 11, and that the recent inclement weather means that the remedial work scheduled for Allan Park has also been further delayed by a minimum of a month.

It was first blood to last season’s champions Bon Accord over close rivals Cults-Artisans-St Ronald as the two sides clashed for the first time at this year in a game relocated to the Burnett Park at Banchory, as remedial work to the Allan Park following last December’s flooding slipped further into the future.

Good afternoon Mr Jones

Thank you for your email. The extract from the user group meeting is correct.  As Mr S McBain, TLG Contracts Manager is currently on annual leave I would like to clarify this with him upon his return.  We will require authorisation from yourself and AECL as contacts should this proceed. This will apply only when TLG deem the pitches unplayable.

As part of your clubs inclusion in the `Thriving Clubs` Programme, I would like to invite you to register for the `CoolCricket` Workshop for Young Cricket Ambassadors and Social Media Champions delivered by Sports Marketing Network and Cricket Scotland.

Details regarding the workshop and an explanation of what will be involved is below:

Please find attached details of a First Aid course