As the summer and the Club season gradually drew to a close, some ex-UWMCC Members forlornly took to their mowers dreaming of a Sunday 50. Others became acquainted with soul-destroying grad jobs, and the world outside of Leamington Spa, all the meanwhile those of us lucky enough to grace the hallowed mats of Desso and the purple stained floors of CR2 for another year began to dream of ‘Evolution not Revolution,’ and the continuation of the ‘New Brand’. Freshers signed up to the club still wearing their school leavers’ hoodies; Captain Bozza was elected P+C, and the new term had begun…
‘The Club is dead,’ has become somewhat of a catchphrase for the more disgruntled Old Boys out there, let me be the first to suggest that Term 1 has proven otherwise. With recent successes in ‘CMD for sport relief’ (again, sorry Hockey Mums!), the PwC quiz and a strong start to Squads training the Club looks well set for a successful year, proving there is life in the old dog yet.
Yet at one point everything did not look so rosy. The football team led by the ‘tinckerman’ Jacob Roche slipped to back-to-back defeats and Captain Murphy led his merry men on a song and dance as they failed to rack up a Cov Indoor win until Week 3! Step in ‘Dan Goodyear’s Barmy Army’ as UWMCC started their BUCS indoor title defense. Although 5 wins from 7 games was not enough to progress from the ‘Group of Death’ that also included Birmingham, Coventry and Worcester 1s, a strong showing here set the tone for the rest of the term. Freshers Joe and Mihir both acquitted themselves very well as did all who participated. Meanwhile improved performances from the Football Team saw them climb up the table and a resurgent Cov Indoor Team managed to secure a place in the playoffs despite Bozza’s lack of bottle.
While there were mixed fortunes on a sporting front this term for the club, away from Tarkett and Edgbaston, UWMCC has thrived. Social Sec ‘Big Tasty’ may not possess the world’s greatest time management or prioritisation skills, and he may be halfway to writing his autobiography, but one cannot fail to recognise the fact that he is not all bad. In a team led by Treasurer Jaimin, which also contained General Secretary Dan Lewis, Tasty redeemed himself, helping the club win the PwC Quiz and a tidy £1000. In addition, for better or for worse Circle continues to be the centre point of most people’s week; the mixed social with Ladies’ Hockey was a resounding success, and consequently ‘inter-club relations’ are at an all time high. Furthermore all those who attended Cricket Ball can attest to the fact that it was a great event: Victoria House survived for another year and Simon Jones was engaging and honest in his Q&A. Highlights include talk of Harmison being put on ‘Freddie Watch’ during the Ashes 2005 Celebrations, Hoggard being a ‘Social Hand Grenade’ and a thinly veiled distaste for all people and things even vaguely Australian.
With the addition of a Charities Sec to the Exec it should come as no surprise that on a charitable front Term 1 has been another productive one for the club. Clubmen attacked Movember with vigour, but barring Senor Larkins most clubmen remained incapable of growing anything that even vaguely resembled a moustache. While the £1,210 raised is down on last year it still represents a significant effort, and our struggles will make a difference for a lot of people. So thank you to all who donated or participated in making UWMCC the most charitable cricket club out of all the UK universities.
Yet the real ‘Charity’ headline is the defense of our CMD For Sport Relief crown. (Men’s Hockey eat your heart out, maybe appoint two CMD Secs next year?) Some thought last year was a flash in the pan, a perfect storm so to speak. Yet as Turner et al marched to the title, it became apparent that the mighty UWMCC appear to have revolutionised the event. It turns out that the way to win is to do as little dancing as possible and actually have a good time, who knew? On a more serious note the next two terms should see an expansion of the club’s charitable portfolio, with the dreaded half-marathon, blood-drive and a Charity Match against ‘Faire is the XI’ all in the pipeline. So credit to Ferdi for all that he continues to do.
On a cricketing front Term 2 will see the start of more serious squads training with the return of coaches and all round good lads Spiro and Jamo. Furthermore you will all be glad to hear that there is a verbal agreement with Coventry Uni CC, which will hopefully mean the return of a meaningful 3 team Varsity to Desso. Looking slightly further ahead International Tour to South Africa remains on course to be a resounding success. Kinners, being the hard negotiator that he is has already secured one free ‘dinners’ for all tourists, as well as (fingers crossed) at least one day playing at Newlands! On a slightly more concerning note for the ‘darbier’ members of the club, rumours are circling that Rooty is hell bent on starting a compulsory squads circuit training session every week, something that never would have happened with Kraus at the helm, so yes to seconds but perhaps no to thirds over the holidays.
Bearing all this in mind it has been a good term for the club and there is no reason the next term shouldn’t be even better.
Glad tidings to one and all,
Bex