The May Bank Holiday is normally one of the busiest cricket weekends of the year, yet this will be a strange one for Midsomer Norton Cricket Club, with the coronavirus outbreak ensuring that during lockdown not a ball will be bowled.
2019 saw all 3 of the club’s Saturday sides in the top two of their respective leagues and the ladies team winning the Somerset Softball Cricket Competition for the second year running. Such has been the success of the ladies that the club is now running two ladies’ sides. This was the most successful playing season in the club’s 140 year history. The 2019 season also saw the youth section going from strength to strength with over 80 children signed up for All Stars and club sides being coached and run at under 11s,13s and 15s levels.
‘Due to the current covid-19 lockdown it has been impossible to contemplate when and if the 2020 season will start which is a great disappointment to us all following the successes of 2019,’ explains club Chairman Graeme King.
‘When we will actually start this season is anyone’s guess, if at all,’ adds Graeme. ‘However it is not all doom and gloom as we are very active behind the scenes with our coach Jake posting online fitness videos and the Outfield Music Festival team running a very successful Saturday evening online music quiz. The club’s members are keeping in touch using in-house social media.
A further boost to the club has been the announcement from local solicitors Thatcher + Hallam that notwithstanding the fact that not a ball has been bowled, they are nevertheless continuing to support the club with their sponsorship cheque for the 2020 season. Thatcher + Hallam are a specialist sports law firm already supporting several local clubs and earlier this year hosted the ‘Off The Ball: Sport and The Law’ conferences.
‘We are absolutely delighted to be supporting Midsomer Norton Cricket Club in any way that we can, particularly at this really difficult time,’ says Thatcher + Hallam partner George Persson. ‘I know that the club, as with other local sports organisations, has the full support of the whole community. One of the key members of the ladies’ team at the club is Annette Swain. Annette is also a member of our Litigation + Dispute Resolution team, so all of us here are keenly aware of the frustration felt by Annette and her colleagues as we all wait until it is safe to play again.’
2019 also saw the demolition, rebuilding and refurbishment of the clubhouse at the Withies Lane ground. Once cricket resumes not only will the facility be available for the players, but also the community at large.
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