After a prolonged period of pre-season training spent mostly indoors, the Kingston Crows cricketers finally got to venture to the centre wicket as the opening of the HCCA commenced with a Twenty20 series of matches last Saturday. The Crows were scheduled to take on Huonville and Longley at Longley. With our first game at 1pm those not selected in the Twenty20 squad had a hit out amongst themselves at our home ground, Lightwood Park. 

In their first game against Huonville the Crows batted first. Jamie Knott and Hamish Jamieson got the team off to a great start and with Joel Palmer and Nick Townsend cashing in they were able to amass an excellent first up score of 4/178. In reply the “Bulls” were always under pressure to keep anywhere near the required run rate and despite some big hitting by a couple of their batsmen fell 30 odd runs short.  

That match was immediately followed by our clash with Longley. The “Bunyips” batted first and were soon in trouble and managed a score of 8/98. With Knott and Jamieson again getting the side off to a great start we achieved a comfortable victory after losing 3 wickets. 

As mentioned the players have put in a very lengthy pre-season with the normal start of the HCCA roster put back from October 17 to November 7 due to the wet winter and subsequent inability of the local councils to be able to get equipment onto the grounds to prepare them for the upcoming season. Attendances at our training sessions were at Club record levels and as a result we have entered an additional team into the competition. This season we will have A, B1, B2 and C2 teams. As other Clubs have also added additional teams the Board of the HCCA has wisely agreed to have two C grade divisions this season instead of having 15 teams in the one grade. 

 Jamie Knott is again Club Coach and will captain A grade, Andrew Henley is B1 captain, B2 captain is still to be confirmed and Shane Hall is C grade captain. Although both Brett Stevenson and Jason Wicks have announced their retirement from playing they have maintained their roles as assistant coaches as has Jason Jones. 

In order for us to enter the additional team we have had to pick up a large number of recruits and we have been extremely fortunate in picking up or regaining the following players: David Bain, Zack Cato, Scott Chapman, Mathew Chapman, Kevin Chung, Jason Cripps, Jacob Ford, Geoff Freeman, Adam and Ross Hinkley, Chris Honner, John Ioannou, Hamish Jamieson, Brad Lagerewski, Michael and Matthew Langford, Heath Lovell, Brendan Norris, Joel Palmer, Sam Peacock, Adrian Pereira and Scott Sward. In the Twenty20 games Jason Cripps, Adam and Ross Hinkley, Hamish Jamieson and Joel Palmer all participated and all put in creditable performances. Selection of the teams on Thursday 5^th November is going to be very interesting. 

Last week was a very productive period for the future growth of our family club with Robert Chapman and Amanda Foster welcoming their daughter Stella and Scott Chapman and Carol Youd their son Kaleb. Certainly a big week for the grandparents, our hardworking committee people, Carol and Mark. In addition Life Member Wayne Somers and Robeka welcomed their daughter Georgie.   

On a very sad note the Crows are still in shock following the sudden passing of our Junior coordinator, Lenard Woodhead, on Sunday 18^th October. Three of Lenard’s sons play with the club and our thoughts have certainly been with Daniel, Ashley and Jayden and their mother, Vicki and sister Cheyenne in this very sad period of their lives 

Many of the Crows family attended his funeral service and all were inspired by the strength and courage shown by the Woodhead family. 

This week sees the commencement of the HCCA season with our A grade team venturing to Slab Road to take on the reigning premiers in a Grand Final rematch.

Scores from Twenty20s.