As you’ll see below, there’s been plenty to celebrate, plenty still to look forward to and, as always, none of it would be possible without the amazing support of our members, volunteers, sponsors and supporters.

Cricket Success Across the Club
It has been a tremendous season so far.

Our four Saturday senior sides have enjoyed excellent player availability, enabling our captains to field strong teams week after week. All four teams are competing well in their respective divisions, with at least two of our sides currently pushing for promotion.

Our Ladies Tip & Run team continue to impress, remaining unbeaten in all of their league fixtures and securing their place in the Rugby & District Cricket League KO Cup Final.

Our junior section has once again gone from strength to strength. We were delighted to host the Rugby & District Cricket League Cup Finals Day at Barby, where our Under 11s, Under 13s and Under 15s all lifted their respective knockout cup trophies.

Our Under 13s have enjoyed a truly outstanding season, completing a remarkable treble by winning the RDCL Under 13 Knockout Cup, the RDCL Under 13 League, and also being crowned Northamptonshire League Champions. This is a phenomenal achievement and one that everyone connected with the club should be immensely proud of.

Our senior men’s team has also reached the Rugby & District Cricket League KO Cup Final, which takes place this Sunday, 19th July. Their first match is scheduled to begin at 10.30am, and we’d love to see as many Barby supporters there as possible. Your support would be greatly appreciated as the team looks to bring another trophy back to Barby.

The future of Barby Cricket Club has never looked brighter.

Friday Nights & Junior Cricket
Friday evenings continue to be the heartbeat of our club, with fantastic numbers attending every week.

A huge thank you to all of our coaches and volunteers who give up their time so generously. Whether you’re coaching, helping with parking, running the barbecue, serving behind the bar or simply lending a hand wherever needed, your contribution is hugely appreciated.

Our ECB All Stars and Dynamos programmes have once again been a tremendous success. Although the main programme has now finished, our four-week extension has also been brilliantly supported.

As our junior section continues to grow, we’re always looking for new volunteers. In particular, we’d love to welcome more parents, mums and female members to become ECB Activators and help support the next generation of cricketers. Every bit of help makes a real difference.

Ground & Facilities
We’re continuing to invest in our facilities, and there has been plenty happening behind the scenes.

Our new fabric sightscreen net has been installed and has been extremely well received, with just a few finishing touches remaining. Plans are also in place to refurbish our existing sightscreens.

A huge thank you must also go to our amazing Wednesday Gang, who have renovated the grandstand on the nursery pitch, repainted the portacabins and completed countless maintenance jobs around the ground.

We’ve also installed a new water mains pump to assist our grounds team, with further improvements planned around the tractor shed and nursery pitch.

Perhaps the most exciting news is that all funding has now been secured for the refurbishment of our old practice nets, with work due to commence on 20th August. This major investment will provide first-class practice facilities for players of all ages for many years to come.

Supporting Our Club
Everything we’ve achieved this season has only been possible because of the fantastic support we receive from our sponsors. On behalf of everyone at Barby Cricket Club, thank you to every business that continues to invest in our club and community.

Looking ahead, one of our priorities for next season is to replace our ground covers. We’re currently looking for a principal sponsor for this exciting project. The covers will proudly display both the Barby Cricket Club logo and the sponsor’s branding, providing fantastic exposure while helping us continue to improve our facilities. If you or your business would like to discuss this opportunity, I’d love to hear from you.

I’d also like to remind everyone about our 100 Club. For just £5 per month, you’ll be entered into our weekly prize draw while helping provide valuable income for the club. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining—it’s a simple way to support Barby Cricket Club while having the chance to win every week.

Summer Cricket Camps – Places Still Available!
Our popular Summer Cricket Camps return over three weeks:

• 20th–24th July
• 3rd–6th August
• 10th–14th August

The camps cater for both soft ball players (ages 7–11) and hard ball players (ages 11–15).

Led by ECB-accredited coaches, the camps are suitable for beginners right through to developing players, with all equipment provided.

If you know any young cricketers looking for an enjoyable and rewarding week of cricket, we’d love to welcome them.

For more information or to book a place, please email barbycc@hotmail.co.uk or call 07850 017565.

Supporting Will Hamilton
Many of you will already know that our overseas player, Will Hamilton, suffered a serious accident whilst on a short break in Barcelona, sustaining a spinal injury that required emergency surgery.

Whilst we’re delighted that Will is now on the road to recovery, he and his family are facing medical costs of approximately €40,000 after discovering he had no travel insurance.

As a club, we’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign to help support Will and his family and, ultimately, help him return home to New Zealand to continue his rehabilitation.

The generosity shown so far has been incredible. If you’re able to donate, no matter how small the amount, or simply share the appeal, it would be hugely appreciated.

You can support Will’s appeal here:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-will-following-his-accident-in-barcelona

Can You Help?
With Will now understandably focusing on his recovery, we’re looking for a few extra volunteers to help Rob Field and Jim Mead with ground preparation and general maintenance.

You don’t need to commit every week, and you certainly don’t need to be an expert. Even a couple of hours every now and again would make a huge difference and help spread the workload.

If you’d like to get involved, please have a chat with me, Rob or Jim.

Every Success is Built on Volunteers
Reading through this update, it’s easy to see just how much has been achieved this season. Whether it’s success on the field, improving our facilities, coaching our juniors, running events or supporting the day-to-day operation of the club, none of it happens by chance. It is only possible because of the incredible people who willingly give up their time to help. If you’ve ever considered getting more involved, however small the role, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can continue making Barby Cricket Club one of the very best community cricket clubs around.

Dates for Your Diary
We’ve got plenty to look forward to over the coming months.

The highlight will undoubtedly be our MCC Fixture on Friday 7th August, when we’re delighted to welcome the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club back to Barby.

The match begins at 11.00am, with food available throughout the day, followed by live music from The Tunnelers in the evening. We’ll also be running activities for our All Stars, Dynamos and junior members as we celebrate another fantastic season. Please come along and support what promises to be a brilliant day for the whole club.

Other dates to note are:
• Friday 11th September – Junior Presentation Evening
• Saturday 12th September – End of Season Barbecue
• Friday 18th September – Ladies Tip & Run Presentation Evening (hosted by Newbold)
• Saturday 10th October – Senior Presentation Evening at the club
• Saturday 28th November – Northamptonshire Cricket League Annual Dinner

Finally…
As we head into the second half of the season, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who makes Barby Cricket Club such a special place.

Whether you’re a player, parent, volunteer, coach, scorer, umpire, sponsor, committee member or supporter, every contribution matters. Your time, enthusiasm and commitment continue to make Barby Cricket Club one of the strongest and most welcoming clubs around.

To our amazing volunteers, thank you. Quite simply, our club couldn’t function without you.
The hours you give, often without recognition, are what allow us to continue growing and providing opportunities for so many people to enjoy cricket.

As Chair, I couldn’t be prouder of everything we’ve achieved together so far this season. Looking around the club every week, it’s clear that Barby Cricket Club is in a fantastic place, and that’s thanks to every single one of you. There is still so much to look forward to this season, and I’m excited to see what else we can achieve together.

Thank you once again for your continued support. I hope to see as many of you as possible over the coming weeks—whether that’s cheering on our teams, attending one of our events, supporting the MCC fixture, or simply enjoying everything that makes Barby Cricket Club such a special place to be.

Kind regards,
Kerry Norton
Chair
Barby Cricket Club