By Charles Randall
8 October 2014
Paul Wood, of Chippingdale CC in Worthing, has been recognised by the ECB for his imaginative work in 'building partnerships' with the local community and businesses, winning a NatWest OSCA award this week.
According to the ECB citation, Wood engaged with businesses through his innovative new Chipps Breakfast Networking Club, resulting in more than 50 sponsors supporting Chippingdale. His launch of an annual 10-over “tenty10ty festival” attracted new players and boosted the club’s girls and women’s section.
Chippingdale, a member of the West Sussex Invitation League, were awarded Sport England’s Clubmark accreditation in 2007, one of only 17 clubs in the whole of Sussex to achieve this at the time. In 2010 they were voted the Sussex sports club of the year.
Andy Glover, another volunteer from Sussex, won the NatWest CricketForce award. A tireless worker, he organised countless events at Portslade CC, including this year’s highly successful NatWest CricketForce, and he oversaw significant pitch improvement’s following the club’s elevation to the Sussex Cricket League.
A number of current and former England cricketers, including Steven Finn, Graeme Swann, Michael Vaughan, Kate Cross, Lydia Greenway and Jenny Gunn, turned out to recognise the efforts of grass-roots volunteers at the Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards. The event, attended by 400 people, was hosted by BBC Radio’s Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew.
The list of winners included club cricketers, coaches, scorers and administrators and ranged in age from the 20-year old volunteer Ashley Goldsmith, from the Isle of Wight, to the oldest winner to date, 90-year-old Maurice Vaughan from Derbyshire.
Goldsmith, a volunteer for Northwood CC - the Isle of Wight version, not Middlesex - proved himself as a true cricket club all-rounder. He combined playing at senior level with coaching and scoring every game for the club’s junior sides. He managed the club’s social media feeds and updates scores on Play-Cricket and the local county board’s website. Northwood is an eminent club in Cowes, formed in 1842, occupying land since 1875 donated by William George Ward, son of William Ward, the man who saved Lord's for cricket from building developers.
Maurice Vaughan, a life-long servant of the recreational game, has been associated with Etwall CC for more than 80 years. He helped increase the club’s membership from about 40 to 200 and his previous roles included a 40-year stint as president and 20 years as 1st XI captain.
Anne Vine, from Welwyn Garden City CC, took the officials honour for her work as scorer and as an integral part of the club. Renowned for her attention to detail, she conducted scoring courses for parents for junior matches, scored for the club’s senior teams and organised scorers for the Hertfordshire County Cricket Association.
The Leagues and Boards award went to Andy Watts, from Bedfordshire. Renowned for his innovative thinking, he changed the format of competitions to improve player retention and increase the number of teams in the Bedfordshire County League. A women’s team was added to the men’s league – the first team in the country to play regularly alongside their male colleagues at this level.
The Behind the Scenes award went to Steve Wales, a North Leeds CC first XI stalwart and chairman for 10 years. He re-established the club at the heart of the local community after a period of financial difficulty, playing a crucial role in the successful rebuilding of the club’s pavilion.
Paul Roe, of Darley Abbey CC, was honoured for outstanding contribution to disability cricket in Derbyshire. He played a leading role in establishing the Derbyshire Disabled Cricket Club nine years ago, bringing more than 75 disabled cricketers into the sport since 2005.
These awards, now in the 12th year, have brought the ECB closer to the recreational game with serious backing from NatWest Bank. The OSCAs form part of the ECB’s volunteering programme, which gives cricket clubs advice on educating, recruiting and rewarding volunteers. Many people would echo the comments made by Lee Bailey, from NatWest. He said: “The NatWest OSCAs is an important part of our cricket calendar as it encourages us all stop to recognise and appreciate just some of the army of hardworking and dedicated volunteers who make cricket possible. This year’s winners are all truly remarkable and selfless people who ensure that cricket can be, and is, enjoyed in their local community, and for that we thank them for without their efforts, grassroots cricket would not be the wonderful game that we all enjoy today.”
2014 NatWest OSCAs winners:
Behind the Scenes: Steve Wales, Yorkshire
Also Nominated: Adrian Jeffrey- Hampset CC, Somerset; Ian Milne- Old Blandorians CC, Dorset.
Building Partnerships: Paul Wood, Sussex
Also nominated: Tariq Ali- Wolverhampton CC & Staffordshire; Rob Reed- Corsham CC, Wiltshire.
Leagues and Boards: Andy Watts, Bedfordshire
Also nominated: Stuart Munday- Tavistock CC, Devon; Sajid Patel- National Cricket League, Essex.
Lifetime Achievement: Maurice Vaughan, Derbyshire
Also nominated: Ivor Chaplin- Brentham CC, Middlesex; Gerald Evans- Pontarddulais CC, Wales; Chris Johnson- Knebworth Park CC, Hertfordshire.
NatWest CricketForce: Andy Glover, Sussex
Also nominated: Basingstoke & North Hants CC- Hampshire; Steph Reingold- Stanmore CC, Middlesex.
Officiating- Umpires and Scorers: Anne Vine, Hertfordshire
Also nominated: Avril Acres- Berkshire Officials, Berkshire; Keith Parsons- Irthlingborough Town CC, Northants.
Young Volunteer: Ashley Goldsmith, Isle of Wight
Also nominated: Jordan Hobbis- Cookhill CC, Worcestershire; Alice South- Papplewick & Linby CC, Nottinghamshire.
Outstanding Contribution to Disability Cricket: Paul Roe, Derbyshire