LV= Insurance Pride of Cricket Awards 2023: Vote for your Club Hero

Dozens of entries were received for the LV= Club Hero award for 2023. The Pride of Cricket Awards judging panel has whittled the entry list down to a shortlist of eight names. Read their nominations and vote for your favourite...

Dozens of entries were received for the LV= Club Hero award for 2023.

The Pride of Cricket Awards judging panel has whittled the entry list down to a shortlist of eight names.

Voting is open until Monday, July 31, 2023 at 4pm.

THE SHORTLIST

Andy Maggs, Bradley Stoke CC

Cosmo Taylor, Baldons CC

Andy Wiles, Swindon CC

Rachel Sheppard, Coalpit Heath CC

Christopher Sharp, Staplehurst CC

Ron Williamson, Thornham CC

Sarah Harry, Ropley CC

Matthew Goddard, Church Eaton CC

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Andy Maggs, Bradley Stoke CC

Andy is in his 12th successive year as chair of Bradley Stoke CC in north Bristol.

The club has grown under his stewardship to offer an additional Saturday team (now five), the introduction of a women's section, two under-11s teams, a girls' under-11 softball team and an under-19s team, additional teams at under-13s and under-15s, and from this season, free and inclusive table cricket aimed at SEND children and young adults.

Andy is also the club's bar manager and licensee, making regular trips for stock, dealing with appliance repairs and replacements, updating pricing and ensuring the bar is staffed. He is also deputy groundsman, covering holidays.

"The number of projects and initiatives Andy leads and has led, often alone, is startling and exhausting just to contemplate," clubmate John Rivers says.

Andy has been responsible for a project to kit out the club in uniform shirts; he located replacement ground equipment; he has secured grant and loan funding; he negotiated with the club's landlords to reduce hire costs; he updates social media and generates promotional literature for the club; he implemented automated membership registration; he organises the club's annual presentation. In general, he is a critical presence at Bradley Stoke.

"Andy's energy and wide ranging skillset would be very difficult to replace should his battery ever run out," John says.

"His passion for the club is evident by his relentless commitment, and the club will be forever indebted to his contribution."

Cosmo Taylor, Baldons CC

Baldons CC had shut down many years ago with the pavillon and square falling into disrepair. 

During lockdown, Cosmo tirelessly re-built the club from scratch and there is now a thriving village community club with a full fixture list involving all ages and abilities.  He has even found time to involve some Afghan asylum seekers who are currently staying in local accommodation while their applications are being dealt with.

Cosmo has personally reconditioned the square and is now working with a committee from the village to rebuild the pavillon.

Having single-handedly raised the funds to buy a portable cricket net, Cosmo organises weekly practice sessions for both adult and youth players, and has a number on the team who have played cricket for the first time as a result of their involvement with the club.

Cosmo is 24 and has a full-time job.

Andy Wiles, Swindon CC

Since Andy approached the club wanting to get more involved four years ago, he has become a key pillar in the running of Swindon CC.

In a short space of time Andy has run the under-19s, has been membership secretary and revolutionised the role with a new 100 per cent digital approach, and is now vice-chair.

Outside of his official roles, he has made a major impact in several areas, including: becoming a key sponsorship contact and generating crucial revenue which has helped redevelopment of the club's facilities, and establishing live match streaming and monetising the feed – resulting in cash and profile for the club.

Not afraid to get stuck into hard graft, Andy spent a large chunk of the winter maintaining Swindon's grade-listed pavilion, including painting, filling, sanding, installing a new TV: jobs that a lot of people take for granted.

Finally, Andy is helping to preserve the club's history, by framing some of our extensive memorabilia and also helping to restore a number of historic hand-painted wooden signs.

Clubmate Daniel Harris said: "Andy has become a key part of our club through his hard work off the field. He is quiet and understated, often operating in the shadows or when club members are not around to see, but he really deserves recognition for his selfless volunteering and indefatigable work ethic.

"He would be an asset at any club, but we are so lucky to have him at Swindon CC."

Rachel Sheppard, Coalpit Heath CC

The weight of nominations for Rachel shows how much she is valued by her community.

Her work at Coalpit Heath has been invaluable in growing all facets of the club, but particularly the women's and girls' sections.

Rachel set up the women's softball team and over three years has coached and managed their progress. Her successes are visible by the fact Coalpit Heath now have women playing in an indoor winter league and a Hundred competition.

She has been critical in the establishment of the North Bristol Girls' Hub, an initiative involving seven local teams including Coalpit Heath. Rachel started conversations about how the clubs could usefully pool resources to give girls the opportunity to play against each other at under-11 and under-13 levels.

Her work has included fixture organisation and securing sponsorship for the hub's kit.

And Rachel has also had a massive influence on the digital presence of Coalpit Heath. She has taken charge of the website and social media channels, generating a regular stream of content to put Coalpit Heath at the heart of the community. What's more, a leafletting initiative which she quarterbacked resulted in 15 new signups for 2023.

"We are a small club and don't have large numbers of people supporting the different aspects to make the club work and thrive" clubmate Michelle Clark said.

"Therefore, when someone like Rachel comes along, I strongly feel that she should be recognised for efforts. She is indeed a club hero - she is Coalpit Heath Cricket Club's Hero."

Matt Bradley, Clanfield CC

Matt is a crucial figure at Clanfield on multiple fronts, both on and off the field. But it is his work in setting up and running the club’s women's section which earns him a place on the Club Hero shortlist.

In 2021, Matt set up the W10 team at Clanfield, going into the community and encouraging locals to give cricket a go. He gives up every Tuesday evening to coach the women's team, supports them at all their games and offers one-to-one sessions to build confidence.

He writes a training plan every week to ensure the team get practice in all disciplines of the game, with many of the women having never previously picked up a bat. He also presents a weekly coaching video so those who can't make training can keep up at home.

In 2022, Matt worked with the Hampshire Cricket Board to establish an indoor league, which Clanfield went into win.

The club now have 25 women training regularly.

"Without Matt I have no doubt that the women's team wouldn't be successful," his clubmate, Emma Hart, said.

Christopher Sharp, Staplehurst CC

Chris has scored for Staplehurst CC for 50 years!

A reliable figure within the club, his presence in the scorebox is a familiar comfort to members of all generations.

Chris has also sat on the club's cricket committee and is the current vice-president, but it is his commitment to detailing the match action for more than five decades which sets him apart.

Ron Williamson, Thornham CC

Ron has been the spearhead at the front of Thornham's determination to survive and thrive.

Despite multiple challenges, not least having to move the ground to a new site that started out as arable land on a slope, the club has gone from strength to strength thanks to four brand new wickets, new nets, the introduction of Dynamos and All Stars programmes, excellent playing and spectating facilities, and a general welcoming air.

There is provision for all ages, and the club has become an important asset of the local community.

At the head of all this has been Ron.

He has been heavily involved in securing funding, running the day-to-day grind of a grassroots club, encouraging family participation, and keeping Thornham together.

His nominator, Nick Peirce, said: "As a family, we first chanced on the vitality of Thornham in 2013, as a 'blow-in' parking up in the area for the summers. As a family heavily involved in the game, both through my work and with two children embedded in the cricket pathways elsewhere, we have felt eternally blessed for discovering friendship and community provided by this extraordinary club.

"Whenever, we return to the area Ron makes you feel as welcome as anyone could want," Nick said. "There are no airs and graces, everyone is important. The club never misses a beat and is ever pushing to improve and offer more to all.

"Ron is the heartbeat and as far as I can tell lives and breathes his lifeblood into its successful running. I have seen many clubs over my travels and memberships elsewhere but have never seen more done with less."

Sarah Harry, Ropley CC

Player, scorer, coach, cricket mum: Sarah is invested in the sport.

Her involvement with Ropley stretches from helping run the social media for the club's women's section to shuttling children to matches.

Her biggest contribution is as a coach. Sarah manages Ropley's All Stars admin, looking after 45 kids and the programme's activators.

She plans the sessions, sets up, clears up and, perhaps most importantly, curates the playlists which form the soundtrack to the sessions.

A level two coach Sarah also helps coach the U16 girls team - both for summer and indoor winter training.

"Sarah is the heart and soul of the club and a big part of the reason Ropley Cricket Club has a thriving women's and girls' programme," her nominator, Beth Cazalet, said.

Matthew Goddard, Church Eaton CC

Matthew is the personification of a great volunteer. Church Eaton CC, a modest village club, has relied on his selfless nature time and time again.

Matty is the club's scorer, coaches the minis, is the secretary, runs the website, sorts the laundry, and takes turns running the bar. On top of this he also jointly runs Church Eaton's development squad, which is the club's pathway for youngsters to make the step into adult cricket.

When the club nearly folded a few years ago, he was one of a tiny number who stayed to right the ship. Church Eaton went from struggling to put out one team five years ago to now putting our two adults XIs on a Saturday, two on a Sunday, and teams from under-nines to under-16s regularly. The mini section, of which he is one of the coaches, regularly has 35 kids turn up on a Friday evening.

Somehow, Matty still finds time to play as much as he can as well.

There is added context. Matty suffers with severe dyspraxia, which badly affects his coordination and balance. It limits his cricketing ability, but he never lets it stop him, always putting up his hand to help fill a squad (he had joint most appearances for the 2nd XI last year).

Clubmate Rab Cooper said: "His love of cricket is truly infectious, and his general attitude and wit often cheer us on.

"Unofficially, our end-of-season 'Clubman of the Year' award is called the 'Matty'. Take from that what you will.

"Every club needs a Matty."