Around the grounds, pre-season round-up
by Alan Rowley, 6th April 2004

With the start of the 2004 season creeping ever closer, clubs are waking from their close season hibernation and snapping into action. Pavilions are having a lick of paint, the square is being cut and prepared and practice sessions are moving outdoors. 'the follow on' takes a pre-season look around the grounds.

First port of call for 'the follow on' was Kimberley last Saturday (3rd). The Nottinghamshire Premier League outfit were holding a 24 hour sponsored run around the ground to raise funds for some new nets. Skipper John Shaw told 'the follow on' that the club needed to raise £15,000 for the facility. He said: "We have attempted to get grants from various sources to raise funds, but have been unsuccessful, so we are trying to raise all the money with events like this."

Hosiery Mills changes

On the field, the Brewery Boys have lost Jason Gorman to Mansfield Hosiery Mills, but have recruited former Notts and Worcestershire batsman Paul Pollard. Shaw said: "Polly is still a quality player and is going to score runs for us this season. It could be a lot closer at the top."

Meanwhile over at the Hosiery Mills, Nolan McKenzie the brilliant West Indian who scored 732 runs for them last season and also bagged 46 rather cheap wickets has left the club. McKenzie joins West Indies Cavaliers having secured a job in the local authority. He will be a huge loss to the club.

'Under-used' website gets a push

The Nottinghamshire Premier League is pushing its 'grossly under-used' website. Webmaster Doug Casterton said: "Making full use of the site will give a considerable reduction in costs and man hours to the officers and members of the Management Committee and generally speed up the services. There are fixture lists; contact details of the Management Committee and of each member club; directions to grounds; League Rules; team photographs, last seasons statistics, links to each member club, and you can find the result of any match for the last two seasons."

Casterton continued: "The immediate availability of information without having to find a league official and wait for a response is obvious. Additional members and increased use will encourage us to expand the site and its facilities."

You can access the website at www.nottinghamshirecbpl.play-cricket.com.

npower 500 walk route changes

Cromford Meadows have dropped out of the npower 500 sponsored walk for Macmillan Cancer Relief being undertaken by 'King of the Jungle' Phil Tufnell. The Derbyshire County League side felt that they were 'too small to do the event justice' and their place has been taken by Wirksworth. The Tufnell entourage visits the Premier League club on Thursday 10th June before heading off for Eastwood on the Friday.

For more details of this event, read I'm a celebrity - get your wallet out.

Denis Kemp

Sad news for the start of season comes from Tibshelf who report the death of Denis Kemp. A regular in the first team, Kemp took 29 wickets last season at an average of 17.69. He died last Tuesday, 30th March of a brain haemorrhage. Denis also took part in last year's Monsters match at Marehay and will be sadly missed. Tibshelf chairman Keith Else said: "He did a lot of work for our club and we are all shell shocked. We cannot believe it."

Indoor Cricket international

Willows Sports Centre will host an International Indoor Cricket match for the first time on Saturday 17th April, when England will play Sri Lanka in the first test of a three test match series. The game will begin at 7.30pm and last for approximately 2 hours. Entrance to the game is free so why not go along and give the lads some support?

The England squad features six of the Derby Cobras team which is based at Willows. They are - Ian Darlington (captain), Anthony Timpson, Tom Windscheffel, Darren Yeomans, Simon Roberts and Lian Wharton.

For more details on the game, see the Willows website - click here.

Finally, on a personal note, 'the follow on' would like to wish all players and supporters of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire cricket a very successful and enjoyable 2004 season. Let's hope the sun beats down and we all have a season to remember. Stay with 'the follow on' and you won't miss any of the news and gossip. Have a good one!