Zoom and video drills all very well - but there's nothing like the real nets for Newick

Like a lot of other clubs around Sussex, Newick Cricket Club have had to adapt the way they provide cricket and engage with playing and non-playing members throughout this unprecedented time and the affects this has had on sport and society.
By Ron Hill
Published 1st Jul 2020, 09:00 BST
Newick CC captain Will Sawyer / Picture by Ron HillNewick CC captain Will Sawyer / Picture by Ron Hill
Newick CC captain Will Sawyer / Picture by Ron Hill

It is no secret players of the club have greatly missed competing in league matches on a Saturday and this has further been compounded with the glorious weather we have had in this early part of the summer.

Thankfully, as the lockdown restrictions have started to ease slightly, and following the new ECB guidance, players have been able to benefit from using the net facilities.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It has been great to see so many members of the club using the nets throughout the week, whether these are our junior or senior members.

Newick players back in the nets / Picture by Ron HillNewick players back in the nets / Picture by Ron Hill
Newick players back in the nets / Picture by Ron Hill

Club captain Will Sawyer said: “We are fortunate as a club to have a thriving junior section, which in more normal times would benefit from having more than 150 juniors taking part in our coaching sessions on a Friday evening.

“To ensure the junior section is still being provided with some form of coaching, our team of coaches have been providing adapted coaching drills via video that juniors are able to do from the confines of their own homes and using everyday household items - one drill even involved using a pair of tights!

“A big part for our club is the social side. Throughout the course of a ‘normal’ cricketing season we would often have quite a few socials for our members and this will also continue into the winter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“To keep this part of our club going, like most of Britain we have embraced the use of Zoom and playing members of our club have taken it in turn to host quizzes.

Josh Essex gets some batting practice in / Picture by Ron HillJosh Essex gets some batting practice in / Picture by Ron Hill
Josh Essex gets some batting practice in / Picture by Ron Hill

“While it’s safe to say some of our members wouldn’t be getting very far on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, it has still been nice to see the many faces that make up our club which has definitely provided some level of normality in these less than normal times.”

He added: “As a club, we keep our fingers crossed in the hope of getting some competitive cricket this season, in whatever form it comes, but for now we are definitely happy to be back in the nets pretending to be Joe Root or Jimmy Anderson and then being surprised when we’re not as good.”

Related topics:ZoomSussexJoe RootBritain