Dinting delight

Dinting Cricket Club chairman Martyn Knight has provided a statement regarding the latest developments at Simmondley Lane as the season approaches the halfway mark.

"As the weather bakes down, I can reflect on the first half (of the seniors) season and the complete juniors season with immense pride at what has gone so far. The 1st XI remains in the top 4 with a game in hand that could see us go up to 2nd place. This, given 4 or 5 injuries to key players throughout the first half of the season and I feel we would be close to challenging had availability been unhampered by these injuries. The 2nd XI has struggled but every week there have been highlights from all the juniors who have represented us and only the absence of key senior personnel either through injury or 1st team call ups has halted the progress a little. 

Our ECB Allstars and Dynamos programs alongside the junior training on Friday nights have been excellently well attended and the talent on show is very impressive. Given the upheaval the children have had in the last 18 months, they could have been forgiven for losing ‘buzz’ they had previously, but this has been exactly the opposite. Aged from 5-8 for the Allstars and 8-11 for the Dynamos we have seen some very exciting talent on show and we will be continuing these programs after there official finish date to ensure they all get all of the cricket that their enthusiasm demands. 

The league junior season has officially finished apart from the under 13’s finals day to be replayed on 8th August and what a season it has been. The under 11’s led by Paul Marsh made it to finals day at Hayfield where they were beaten on the day, but the achievement of finishing top of the division is a great one and everyone involved should be immensely proud. The under 15’s matched this achievement but unfortunately were again beaten on the night but were very unlucky in having by far the worst of the conditions to contend with. Both Matt Blood and Matt Parker have driven huge improvements throughout this age group, and this has fed down the ages and throughout the club. 

The under 13’s have also made it to finals day and were well on their way to beating Hayfield before the rain intervened. This is to be replayed at Dinting on Sunday 8th August with Woodley waiting to face the winners in the final. A great season from everyone involved and Matt Parker and the coaches are immensely proud of everyone involved. 

Considering that just 3 years ago our junior section was limping along with 1 team to now see 5 junior teams and a team at every age group appearing in finals day after finishing top of the division is testament to the hard work put in at the club and we’re now seeing the benefits of this. 

The ground has looked immaculate all year around and Matt Coleman was rewarded for his hard work by winning the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation volunteer of the month for June and will soon be enjoying a day out at The County Ground, Derby where he will work alongside the head groundsman for the day before enjoying a days cricket there. Very well deserved for Matt who has worked tirelessly through the wettest Spring in living memory and a very dry early summer to prepare up to 6 different pitches a week is astonishing! 

The committee have been working hard in the background ensuring the clubs infrastructure is as good as it can be. We have improved junior coaching nights by arranging for food vendors to be present and the ice-cream man coming down for the end of practice has been extremely well received by juniors and senior alike. 

The bar has been busier than ever and up until recently with only table service being allowed it has been very hard work. Vicky Harrison has led her staff in ensuring that everyone is hydrated, and the bar has been Covid safe for all to enjoy. 

Further improvements are planned between now and the end of the season and well soon be sitting down to finalised details of our Bonfire night and Annual Club dinner."