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Millenium Report
St. Neot Taverners Cricket Club was formed under a full constitution in 1985. The aim was to provide Sunday friendly cricket for members of the St. Neot parish. In 1986 St. Neot were founder members of the S.E. Cornwall Sunday friendly league, playing in the village field which the club maintained. The winter of 1986 saw the clubs acquisition of a Pavilion from Farleys of Plymouth. This was reopened in its present location in the summer of 1998 (Read Reports Here). By 1995, many of the clubs members were playing Saturday league cricket for other clubs in the area and thus the level of cricket being played on Sundays far exceeded the size of the village field. After much evaluation and discussion on the way forward, the Glencross Estate were persuaded to grant a 12-month tenancy on a suitable field at Wenmouth farm. This allowed the club to enter the Cornwall Cricket League in 1997. 1997 and 1998 saw the club claim the Division 8 East and 7 East titles respectively, and after another successful season in 1999 the club have been promoted from 6 East. The Millennium year will now see St. Neot represented in Division 5 East. 1999 saw the introduction of a second team which represented the village in Division 8 East and an U14 team in the East Cornwall Youth Cricket League. Along with friendlies and evening games, over 50 people have played for the club in 1999. The work of the 3 qualified coaches ensures that enthusiasm is turned into ability. It was especially pleasing that some of our junior members were also coached and playing at county level. Cricket in the 3rd Millennium at St. Neot will no doubt see more success on the field of play, but the cricket administration in the county will probably give us a far greater challenge. Warnings have been issued that unless facilities are improved demotion or expulsion from the league system will result. For 2 years now we have been working hard on a Sports England Lottery application and although 'matched funding' has proved a struggle, if successful a wonderful facility for the club and village will be achieved. In whichever way the club develops in the next few years, it will need the continued enthusiasm of the members and support of the village and it's organisations; but as history tells us, if it is possible in any village, it is possible in St. Neot.
Andrew Kent
Chairman St. Neot Taverners CC
1999 / 2000
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