Steve Vear Management Report 2024 : 2024 Season Review
Poor weather conditions during the first few months of 2024 made the ever so vital pitch preparation sporadic and extremely tricky. This led to the SPCL Management Committee reaching out to member clubs to gauge their thoughts as to whether they would be able to prepare an SPCL quality pitch for the start of the season or whether it would be best to reschedule week 1. The responses were mixed and didn’t provide the level of consensus required and therefore week 1 began on Saturday 4th May 2024. 6 out of 20 matches ended up being cancelled on week 1.It should never not be said that we owe a great deal to those that attend to our pitches and grounds, so many thanks and congratulations to the groundsmen and support staff for their hard graft.
Awards
Ground of the year: Norman Edwards Ground, Sparsholt
Most improved ground: Allotment Road, Sarisbury Athletic
Premier Division: Hampshire Academy
Time Pennant: Bashley (Rydal)
50 Over Pennant: Hampshire Academy
Division One: Portsmouth
Division Two: Hambledon
Division Three: Trojans
Unfortunately, the 2024 T20 Final was rained off and will be rescheduled for early 2025 season. A landmark record was set during the season with Tom Morton (Sarisbury Athletic) reaching an SPCL career 10,000 runs and he was recognised with a special award at the recent dinner.
The Disciplinary team had to handle 15 incidents, which include two LEVEL 4 incidents. This as an disappointing increase from 2023 and the League are looking to toughen player discipline and as such are proposing increasing the point deductions levy.
In October, we welcomed around 200 players, officials and guests to The Novotel in Southampton for our annual presentation awards dinner with guest speaker Paul Nixon. Whilst giving us the opportunity to present awards to the best batters, bowlers and fielders, we were pleased to present the 2024 “Unsung Hero” TONY BAKER AWARD to Caroline Palmer of Bournemouth CC.
Ground, facilities & Youth – League Accreditation
As I made you aware earlier this year, Chris Westbrook retired, and Martin Livermore decided it was time to stand down. This has left the committee, and League, short of two large roles and to date, Martin’s position of Chair of Accreditation remains vacant. Please, if you are interested in the role, then please do speak with either Steve, Darren or me at any point.
In the absence of a chair of accreditation, I drew up the report with the help of Stephen G Jones and presented it to the Management Committee where it was unanimously adopted.
Congratulations to both Sparsholt , who are awarded the George Winkles Memorial Award ground of the year, and to Sarisbury Athletic, who are awarded the Paul Thompson Memorial Trophy for the most improved ground.
The report itself is provided separately as part of the AGM paperwork, but we would like to highlight the following –
Promotions and Relegations
In accepting the recommendations contained within the Accreditation Report, the Management Committee confirm the following promotions and relegations that, subject to your adoption of this report, will take effect for the 2025 season.
We welcome for the first time Odiham & Greywell and welcome back Alton 2nd XI into Division 3 having secured promotion as Hampshire League runners-up.
Acknowledgments
On behalf of the management committee, we would like to thank all those who give up their time to ensure 440 players can compete every week for 4 months of the English “summer”.
Particular thanks must go to Stephen G Jones who thoroughly checks results on a weekly basis, monitors ground marks and provides all the stats come the end of the season. Without his Southern Premier Cricket League | W: www.southernpremierleague.com dedication, the League would not operate as smoothly as it does. Please, do try to get those results in accurately and on time so we don’t burn him out!
We’d like to acknowledge the South Coast Panel of Cricketing Officials for their dedication of standing for 100 or even 120 overs each week. They do put up with some disgruntled players, so hopefully these proposed increased penalties are voted in and give them some extra much needed support.
Closing Note from Chairman
As always, I would like to thank our General Secretary for all his hard work in putting this report together. At the same time, I owe every single member of the Management Committee a debt of gratitude for the enormous amount of work that they do on your behalf which continues to make me proud to lead an organization such as this. This year, for reasons that I do not wish to revisit, a number of us have been put under immense and unfair personal stress as a direct consequence of carrying out our responsibilities as officers of the league. I am pleased to report that the issues have been resolved but it is worth reminding everyone involved in the SPCL that there is not a queue of people waiting to take on our roles. We will continue to support you, accept challenge and respond to your questions, but if lines are crossed volunteers can easily walk away.
On a more positive yet sombre note I want to acknowledge the huge amount of work that our outgoing President Jeff Levick has put into cricket around Hampshire over the years and, in particular, for agreeing to serve as our president when I took on the chair several years ago. There are not many people in our league, especially those in the Winchester area who don’t know Jeff and indeed what he has done for so many people in our league through the years.I am delighted to report that the Management Committee have asked Vice President Adrian Poole, one of our previous Treasurers to succeed Jeff and that he has accepted this honour. We are therefore delighted to include his name on the nomination papers for your ratification.
This year has presented a number of life challenges to members of the management committee and as such we have not been able to move forward as quickly as we would have liked with some of our strategic issues, one of them being the guidance on the payment of players. This working group will be picked up once again during the winter months.
At the end of the season, we fulfilled our commitment to you by carrying out our now biannual players survey. I am sorry to report that the response rate, despite multiple deadline extensions was extremely poor with only 4 teams submitted more than 7 responses and 13 teams not responding at all. The player voice is really important to us, but on the basis of such a low response rate we have not tabled any player driven suggestions at this years AGM. We plan to release another survey at the end of the 2026 season.
Congratulations to all of the clubs and individuals that won an award this year – any achievement made within a league with such high standards as ours deserves much recognition indeed.
Poor weather conditions during the first few months of 2024 made the ever so vital pitch preparation sporadic and extremely tricky. This led to the SPCL Management Committee reaching out to member clubs to gauge their thoughts as to whether they would be able to prepare an SPCL quality pitch for the start of the season or whether it would be best to reschedule week 1. The responses were mixed and didn’t provide the level of consensus required and therefore week 1 began on Saturday 4th May 2024. 6 out of 20 matches ended up being cancelled on week 1.It should never not be said that we owe a great deal to those that attend to our pitches and grounds, so many thanks and congratulations to the groundsmen and support staff for their hard graft.
Awards
Ground of the year: Norman Edwards Ground, Sparsholt
Most improved ground: Allotment Road, Sarisbury Athletic
Premier Division: Hampshire Academy
Time Pennant: Bashley (Rydal)
50 Over Pennant: Hampshire Academy
Division One: Portsmouth
Division Two: Hambledon
Division Three: Trojans
Unfortunately, the 2024 T20 Final was rained off and will be rescheduled for early 2025 season. A landmark record was set during the season with Tom Morton (Sarisbury Athletic) reaching an SPCL career 10,000 runs and he was recognised with a special award at the recent dinner.
The Disciplinary team had to handle 15 incidents, which include two LEVEL 4 incidents. This as an disappointing increase from 2023 and the League are looking to toughen player discipline and as such are proposing increasing the point deductions levy.
In October, we welcomed around 200 players, officials and guests to The Novotel in Southampton for our annual presentation awards dinner with guest speaker Paul Nixon. Whilst giving us the opportunity to present awards to the best batters, bowlers and fielders, we were pleased to present the 2024 “Unsung Hero” TONY BAKER AWARD to Caroline Palmer of Bournemouth CC.
Ground, facilities & Youth – League Accreditation
As I made you aware earlier this year, Chris Westbrook retired, and Martin Livermore decided it was time to stand down. This has left the committee, and League, short of two large roles and to date, Martin’s position of Chair of Accreditation remains vacant. Please, if you are interested in the role, then please do speak with either Steve, Darren or me at any point.
In the absence of a chair of accreditation, I drew up the report with the help of Stephen G Jones and presented it to the Management Committee where it was unanimously adopted.
Congratulations to both Sparsholt , who are awarded the George Winkles Memorial Award ground of the year, and to Sarisbury Athletic, who are awarded the Paul Thompson Memorial Trophy for the most improved ground.
The report itself is provided separately as part of the AGM paperwork, but we would like to highlight the following –
- 1st Pitch warnings are given to: Bournemouth & Gosport Borough
- 2nd Pitch warnings are given to: Burridge, Lymington, South Wilts, St Cross Symondians & New Milton
- 3rd and final pitch warning given to: Langley Manor
- 1st Outfield warning given to: Lymington
- 1st Pitch warning rescinded for: Alton, Calmore Sports, Waterlooville and Portsmouth & Southsea
- Final pitch warning rescinded for: Old Tauntonians & Romsey (2nd warning retained)
Promotions and Relegations
In accepting the recommendations contained within the Accreditation Report, the Management Committee confirm the following promotions and relegations that, subject to your adoption of this report, will take effect for the 2025 season.
- Portsmouth are promoted into the Premier Division with Havant being relegated to Division 1.
- Hambledon & Fair Oak being promoted into Division 1 with Andover and Calmore Sports
- Trojans & Fawley being promoted into Division 2;
- St Cross Symondians 2nd XI; and Gosport Borough relegated to Division 3.
- Havant 2nd XI and South Wilts 2nd XI are demoted into Hampshire League Division 1.
We welcome for the first time Odiham & Greywell and welcome back Alton 2nd XI into Division 3 having secured promotion as Hampshire League runners-up.
Acknowledgments
On behalf of the management committee, we would like to thank all those who give up their time to ensure 440 players can compete every week for 4 months of the English “summer”.
Particular thanks must go to Stephen G Jones who thoroughly checks results on a weekly basis, monitors ground marks and provides all the stats come the end of the season. Without his Southern Premier Cricket League | W: www.southernpremierleague.com dedication, the League would not operate as smoothly as it does. Please, do try to get those results in accurately and on time so we don’t burn him out!
We’d like to acknowledge the South Coast Panel of Cricketing Officials for their dedication of standing for 100 or even 120 overs each week. They do put up with some disgruntled players, so hopefully these proposed increased penalties are voted in and give them some extra much needed support.
Closing Note from Chairman
As always, I would like to thank our General Secretary for all his hard work in putting this report together. At the same time, I owe every single member of the Management Committee a debt of gratitude for the enormous amount of work that they do on your behalf which continues to make me proud to lead an organization such as this. This year, for reasons that I do not wish to revisit, a number of us have been put under immense and unfair personal stress as a direct consequence of carrying out our responsibilities as officers of the league. I am pleased to report that the issues have been resolved but it is worth reminding everyone involved in the SPCL that there is not a queue of people waiting to take on our roles. We will continue to support you, accept challenge and respond to your questions, but if lines are crossed volunteers can easily walk away.
On a more positive yet sombre note I want to acknowledge the huge amount of work that our outgoing President Jeff Levick has put into cricket around Hampshire over the years and, in particular, for agreeing to serve as our president when I took on the chair several years ago. There are not many people in our league, especially those in the Winchester area who don’t know Jeff and indeed what he has done for so many people in our league through the years.I am delighted to report that the Management Committee have asked Vice President Adrian Poole, one of our previous Treasurers to succeed Jeff and that he has accepted this honour. We are therefore delighted to include his name on the nomination papers for your ratification.
This year has presented a number of life challenges to members of the management committee and as such we have not been able to move forward as quickly as we would have liked with some of our strategic issues, one of them being the guidance on the payment of players. This working group will be picked up once again during the winter months.
At the end of the season, we fulfilled our commitment to you by carrying out our now biannual players survey. I am sorry to report that the response rate, despite multiple deadline extensions was extremely poor with only 4 teams submitted more than 7 responses and 13 teams not responding at all. The player voice is really important to us, but on the basis of such a low response rate we have not tabled any player driven suggestions at this years AGM. We plan to release another survey at the end of the 2026 season.
Congratulations to all of the clubs and individuals that won an award this year – any achievement made within a league with such high standards as ours deserves much recognition indeed.
