Times have been tough of late for Penicuik Cricket Club but these are exciting times at the ‘Cuik.
The club has in recent times, seen a huge reduction in membership. There is no longer a Saturday 3rd XI in the East League and the 2nd XI has dropped to an unprecedented low of Division 6 in the same competition. All is not doom and gloom at the club, however, running five junior teams (at Under-10s, 11s, 13s, 15s and 18s) two Saturday XIs and a Sunday Development XI in the Border Sunday League, five members recently completed their cricket level 2 Coach Award and the appointment of a Club Development Officer, the brainchild of new Secretary, Stewart Davidson, has already seen a number of developments which will re-establish a junior development programme in the primary and secondary schools in Penicuik and developing joint programmes with Beeslack Community High School and Midlothian Active Schools.
The primary school programme is being run by Penicuik Community Coach, Christofur Ashfurth; this involves a series of taster sessions in curriculum time in all Penicuik primary schools, after-school clubs a Kwik Cricket festival at the club and, plans are a foot, for a penicuik Primary Schools League. Chris, together with other club colleagues, will run holiday programmes during Easter and the Summer school holidays. The secondary schools will not miss out either as sessions will take place there too.
Following a very successful meeting at Penicuik Cricket Club the club has re-established a Cricket Committee to manage all matters pertaining to cricket at the club; the committee will meet monthly and report to the club’s Management Committee.
The Committee will be chaired by the club’s newly appointed Club Development Officer Neil Cameron (until recently Cricket Scotland’s Community Development Manager in the Borders) and will comprise 1st XI Captain (Kris Steel), 1st XI Vice-Captain (Matthew Foulds), 2nd XI Captain (Martin Juson), 2nd XI Vice-Captain (Neil Cameron), 3rd XI Captain (tbc), Youth Convenor (Richard Charleson) and one committee member to be co-opted as and when required.
The first meeting will take place on Monday 25 February and will discuss the following:
- Playing (Senior/Junior) Matters
- Training
- Facilities and Equipment
- Team Selection
- Junior Development
- Coaching
Five of the members of the Cricket Committee (team Captains & their vice captains) will meet weekly on Tuesdays after training as the Selection Committee which this season will be run by former Scotland International, Dewald Nel.
Penicuik Cricket Club First XI Captain Kris Steel noted:
‘we are putting in place measures to provide a sound foundation for the future of Penicuik CC and cricket in Midlothian; by concentrating on cricket matters this is a very positive move in the resurgence of Penicuik Cricket Club.’
Club DO, Neil Cameron, added:
‘the aim is to re-establish Penicuik CC as the premier club in the South of Scotland. It may be a cliché but to do that we really do need to make sure that we have a sound base with sustainable programmes in place to secure cricket as a major sport in Penicuik AND Midlothian. The 1st XI succeeded against all expectations in finishing fourth in the CSL Eastern Premier Division, we do not have a professional or the financial resources to challenge the big guns but as a community club what we do have is a pool of home grown talent at all levels in the club that will see us lose the ‘punching-up our weight’ tag before too long.’
By Thomas Scott on behalf of Neil Cameron.