Warwickshire's Jim Troughton hands out awards

Callum receiving award from Jim Troughton

Dan receiving award from Jim Troughton

Sam receiving award from Jim Troughton

Steve receives his signed shirt presented from the under 15 side

Phil Williams ,Keith Scott , Steve and Phil Vann under 15 coaches

The Under 15 Cricket team were also presented with a shirt listing their achievements since they were 13

Olton held its annual youth team presentation awards at nearby Holy Souls social club in mid September.

Jim Troughton, Warwickshire batsman presented the awards and gave a short speech telling the boys how he progressed through county sides from his club at Stratford before answering a few questions.

Conor McAndrew with Jim Troughton

All the players who had represented the club this year were given certificates and awards were made to players who had made outstanding contributions with bat and ball.

In the u11s awards went to Bobby Moseley, Levi Snead, Jack Hudders, Rishi Patel, Hugh Lilburn and Billy Lewis.

In the u13s, awards went to Dan Ceillam, Dan Clarke and Callum Reilly.

Dan Coulthurst receives his certificate

U15's successful season

David Adams receives his award from Jim Troughton

The outstanding side of the year was the under 15 team who won the double of Premier League champions and county cup winners.

Joe Moore was the leading wicket taker and Gary Hawkins made the most runs.

The u17s played least cricket of them all, but Bob Danter awarded prizes to David Adams, Phil Ceillam and Sam Richards.

The u15 team made a presentation of a signed Warwickshire shirt as a thank you to their coach Steve Hawkins.

Thanks were extended to all the parents who had helped in the many ways that are needed for youth team matches from taking the boys there to scoring and umpiring. Richard Fox also thanked the team of coaches including Steve Hawkins, Phil Vann, James Neale, and Keith Scott who took on orgainisg the u15 Premier team while Steve Hawkins managed the cup side and Phil Williams. Thanks were extended also a whole host of members who came down and gave their services to the Youth team and also to the professional coaches, Gemma Carpenter and Errol Simms.

Phil Williams - 16/09/2007

Olton and WW hosted a summer cricket camp for young people during August. Led by Richard Webb of All Active Sports, the players had five days of good weather to develop their cricket skills.

Coaches Marc Webb abd Steve Wallis coached thirty young cricketers across the age ranges from 7 to 13.

 

Having a go in the nets

Playing the game

I'm going to catch that!

During the day which began at 10 and finished at 4 pm the players concentrated on skills in the morning and then used those skills in little games and matches in the afternoon. Many players developed great confidence over the week and some players who had not been used to playing with hard cricket balls were able to transfer their newly learnt skills to the hard ball game.

At the end of the week the players were presented with certificates and prizes.

Course director Richard Webb hoped that the success of this week, coupled with the one which was run at the beginning of the holiday, would be repeated next year and possibly extended to three weeks with shorter courses at the Spring Bank holiday and preseason at Easter.

Well bowled

Phil Williams - 24/08/2007

A Personal recollection of five years amazing cricket.

It’s May 2003; Steve Hawkins is putting together a team of enthusiastic eleven year olds from local schools, like St. Alphege, Oak Cottage, Our Lady of Compassion, Ulverley and St. Andrews. They lose to Moseley bowled out by Asim. Undeterred he offers them a friendly. They lose again as Asim works his spell again.

Later, he tells me after a training session he’s found a wicket keeper. “He’s got fantastic hands. He’ll play in our first team one day”, says Steve. They play Moseley again and lose again. And again. But the practising goes on.

In the winter of 2004 we’re all down at Lode Heath. The lads have moved on to secondary schools. We’re practising hard with Errol and making progress. It’s hard work that summer in the u13 league when most of us are 12, but Ed Sykes is a year older, captains the side and gets us winning.

I retire from teaching; Gary Steer rings up and says he wants to establish a Solihull District Cricket Board. Would I take charge? Keith Scott and Willie George join me. That winter there are Solihull District winter nets. Loads of Olton lads are being coached at Solihull School and we’re still at Lode Heath. We’re joined by Sam Richards and George Robinson. Jonny and Gary are looking good, so’s Liam, that wicketkeeper. We get a flicx pitch.

Summer 2005. We look good on paper. But we lose a pre season friendly against Moseley. Again!  Round 1 Spirit of Cricket Cup versus Sutton Coldfield a win by 13 runs. The side Jonny Webb, Matt Ceillam, Gary Hawkins, Jake Scott, Sam Richards, Callum Lamb, David Adams, George Robinson, Joe Moore, Chris Joiner and Jake Mortiboys. George Wilkinson is out injured for the first half of the season. Liam can’t play that day. Round 2 away at Moseley. Oh no! Can we beat them? Fri May 27^th a lovely evening. Moseley 93-4. Early collapse. Matt Ceillam in at six hits his first ball from Belfield for 4 and ten balls later Liam hits the winning run. A win by six wickets. The league starts. We score 191 at Studley. I loan Knowle Village Gary Hawkins and he scores 51 against us. We beat K&D. The semi-final at Coleshill on a Flicx pitch. We win in 13 overs just before the rain comes. To Stratford July 8^th. A glorious summers evening. The club there in force for the County Final. We defend 114 and Sam Richards saves the game at deep extra cover. County Champions.  A week later at home in the regional play off we bowl out Ombersley for 81. Disaster strikes Jonny makes 30 and retires but we lose by 6 runs. Deflated we pick ourselves up for five wins on the trot. We meet Moseley again in the league semi-final. Easier this time. 145 plays 112, and Wardens in the final. A real nailbiter as we panic chasing 107. Jonny makes 36, Scott Clarke hits 14 as we win the league and the double.

Meanwhile the u15 are valiantly trying to stay in the Premier League and on a September morning at Aston Manor are unable to do it. Practice, practice and more practice down at Edgbaston

2006 Means we’re in the u15 regional league. Jonny, Gary and Liam are in County sides. We have to get to the final to play in the u15 Premier League in 2007. Stratford and Moseley and K & D no longer hold any terrors as we romp to the final at Edgbaston. Three years on and we’re playing on the Test Match ground in the County Final!  It’s a lovely September day. The electronic scoreboard is in use. Massey Ferguson succumb like everyone else had all season. County Champions!

2007. Tudor Grange comes on line. Practice, practice and more practice. An impossible double? Steve thinks not. A miserable summer from mid June. Jonny’s in the Midland Region team. Gary’s captaining the County u15. Liam’s in the County u14 and selected for the Midland Region. Jake, Sam, George, Chris Barrows Chris Joiner all District players. Nobody stops us. Small Heath in the County Final of the Portman County Cup. They’re defending their trophy. 133 is chased down in 16 overs as Jonny and Gary make 70 in only nine overs.

Soar Valley from Leicester just can’t score enough as we win by 10 wickets. In the Premier League we travel to C & NW beat them on their own ground. Unbeaten! Premier League Champions. The double done! And so to Moseley for the regional finals.

At last the weather’s kind. Great Tew can only make 107-7 and we win by seven wickets in 15 overs. Wem in the final make 136. We get close, but panic again. Liam needs seven off the last two balls. The deep mid on boundary is 5 metres too far and he’s caught. We’ve lost by six runs. Déjà vu

.

Could you have dreamed it? Could you have ever imagined what you’d achieve in those five seasons?

Where now? Put it behind you. Remember the pain of losing. Move on. Win u17s two years running. Play more adult cricket. Get the club promotion. A new clubhouse, a new ground. Onward!

PJW/Aug 2007

What a try! In the final of the Midland Region of the Portman Cup Olton were chasing 136 to get to the national finals. Wem had posted a great score with Olton not bowling quite as well as they have done on previous occasions.

Again Olton set off like a train with Jon Webb scoring rapidly but falling a little earlier than he would have liked with the score at 30. Jake Scott (15) and Harrison Faulkner (39) kept Gary Hawkins company as Olton chased down the total. But Gary had to retire not out 50 according to the rules and Olton were then 118 -4. Calm heads were needed and with just three overs left Olton were 124-4. But nerves got to the lads and a major collapse followed so that Matt Ceillam was last in keeping Liam Gately company.

Seven were needed off the last two balls. Liam hits it high wide towards the long on boundary. Six and the scores would be level with a ball to go. But just 5 metres short Wem snatched the ball from ankle height and Olton had lost by 6 runs.

Earlier in the day Olton had won the semi-final against Great Tew comfortably. They had restricted Great Tew to 107-7 off their 20 overs. This time Jon Webb made the 50 to retire and Jake Scott and Harrison Faulkner saw them home by seven wickets with 5 overs to spare.

Two Olton young players have been called up for further trials and
representative honours

Jonny Webb has been selected for the Midlands Region side to participate in the u15s Bunbury Festival which this year is being held in Hull. The Bunbury Festival is a festival of major importance for prospective young England players. Over recent years future England players have been spotted playing at this Festival including Freddie Flintoff. $ teams of players representing the English regions attend and players are given their chance to shine and are watched by the coaching staff of the England Academy.

 

Liam Gately, has been called up for Midlands trials at Shrewsbury School. He will spend two days there showing off his wicketkeeping skills.

Olton members send these two lads off with the best wishes off the club for a succesful and enjoyable time.