Gentlemen,

A belated happy new year and thank you to those who attended the end of season awards bash in November.

With spring around the corner it’s time to dust off the (clichés) cricket whites as we look ahead to the 2011 season.

Building on last year’s triumphant (although not necessarily in terms of win ratio) inaugural season, this year we’re aiming higher and have secured league cricket, a tour game and a chance to avenge the old codgers who made us look stupid on Hampstead Heath last May.

Fixtures sec. Tom has been very busy ignoring his responsibilities as a new father and sorting us out with eight (8) fixtures for the 2011 season, starting in May and concluding in September.

He’s also booked four nets sessions at Dulwich College, starting first week of April.

On the playing front, the good news is that all of our games this season (except the tour match) will take place on Hampstead Heath, so they’ll be no trekking over to Chiswick. And they are all on Saturday afternoons, giving plenty of opportunity for post-match drinking.

We have joined a mini-league with three other teams and will play each other twice over the summer. We’re told that all teams are of a similar standard, so it should be a rewarding and entertaining season.

As well as these six games, we take on Erratics CC in August on Hampstead Heath and play a season closer in Sawbridgeworth, Herts on Sep 11 against Tom’s dad’s mate’s team (or something).

All fixtures and nets are listed below and be found in the appropriate Fixtures & Nets section.

Boss has been busy too, building an online availability calendar for nets and fixtures, so if you could all please follow this link and tick the boxes.

Finally, it gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of TV star and cricket lover Henry Kelly as the club’s Honorary President. I bumped into him at a drinks bash late last year and asked him if he was interested in the post. Suffice to say he loved the idea and says he may even visit the Heath and watch us play (G&T in hand, of course).

Here’s to a fine season, see you in Dulwich on April 6.

Chris

2011 Nets
Venue: Dulwich College
Dates: April 6, April 14, April 20, April 27

2011 Fixtures
Venue: Hampstead Heath (except Sep 11 game)
Sat 21 May: Brockwell 49ers v Sultans of Swing
Sat 2 Jul: Calypso CCC v Sultans of Swing
Sat 9 Jul: Brockwell 49ers v Sultans of Swing
Sat 16 Jul: John MinshullI Invitational XI v Sultans of Swing
Sat 30 Jul: Calypso CCC v Sultans of Swing
Sat 6 Aug: Sultans of Swing v Erratics CC
Sat 20th Aug: John MinshullI Invitational XI v Sultans of Swing
Sat 11 Sep: Great Hyde Hall Allstars v Sultans of Swing (tour mach in Herts)