Moors Bar, N8
13th November 2018
Treasurer – Adrian Birchall
Chairman – Simon Clarke
Captain – Eiran Reilly
Vice Captains – Greig Powles, Andy James
Fixture Secretary – Matthias Winter
Match Secretary (Weekend) – Matthias Winter
Match Secretary (Midweek) – Guy Gibbs
Minutes – Jack Latimer
An autumnal evening ensured a warm and convivial atmosphere as a fair swathe of Tav’s hunkered down in Moors Bar, Crouch End. With the nights drawing in, a greasy mist of chip fat rose off fish suppers and settled on the air, lubricating proceedings along with the beer.
New members
Nish (to applause)
Brothers Immie & Oppie
Sachin (can’t we have Dravid) & Ragha
Max Nash
Ben Majid (adjudged to be “a good lad” from time spent on tour)
Malik Muligatawny
George McHugh
ALL CONFIRMED TO UNANIMOUS APATHY
Captain’s Report
Overall a good season, and a winning one (applause), with a mere 3 hissy fits recorded (3?!) – Harsh.
Platitudes aplenty to the effect of “strength to strength”, “playing for each other” and “more of the same going forward”.
Fixture Secretary’s Report
Matthias stepped in, to much gratitude
Beamers told to do one, didn’t like it, shrugs. Balance of fixtures redressed, which worked well. Some stronger sides were dropped (Beamers, Haringey Libraries), while new oppositions were added, including...
Plastics are a grand new oppo as we didn’t trounce them, the first of many calls to order amongst a din of derision.
Cardiff Primary School couldn’t make it, which is a shame, hopefully they’ll tour London again next season
though it’s a good sign that new clubs are calling for games/us being recommended to them.
T20s: Should be in a block? Too late in the season this year, blocks of 10 matches either side of solstice mooted.
The Highgate Irregulars match sounds like a thoroughly miserable affair with children including swearing, a father spectator standing in as umpire and acting the cuntunfairly, including no-balling a 12-year-old multiple times: two sides emerge in the debate:
Dave G “It was shite unpleasant but we should play them again”.
Cap “Should’ve left the field straightaway there and then when issues arose, wouldn’t playing them again” (paraphrased). PUT TO ‘ADVISORY’ VOTE: 5 AGAINST, 3 FOR PLAYING AGAIN. Barry suggests making them a fall back Matthias “T20s only” Simon “Leave it to Fixture Secretary, tell them they were unreasonable” (paraphrased).
Dion suggests playing South Hampstead; “kids but talented”; James “How’s the bar?”; Jack reminds team that we have a fine tradition of getting our arses handed to us by teams consisting of children, and that overall it’s a thoroughly character building process, if not an abject humiliation.
Matthias “Public Parks were decent venues”, Dave points out that the leagues may make our regular venues harder to come by.
Guy puts in a word for the St Anne Allstars as a particularly enjoyable fixture.
There’s a load of to-ing and fro-ing about whether or not staging fixtures half an hour earlier in the day will have any discernable effect on attendances/punctuality/et al, that reaches no satisfying conclusion and is mercifully drawn to a halt before the minute taker’s fucking hand drops off.
Treasurer’s Report
“Pretty much came out even, tours came out even, Subs were good”.
Dion suggests raising subs to initial derision, until James suggests using extra to pay for new kit. As all cricketers admit to being kit fetishists, ears prick up.
There’s a lively back and forth as Cap points out he paid several people’s, it’s pointed out that the team doesn’t actually need the extra funds and eventually…
PUT TO VOTE: Continuing the £25 subs wins, unsurprisingly
Dave G makes a point that Sub-Payers get preferential team spots, it’s pointed out that this already is the hierarchy, and that Matthias deserves a standing ovation for deftly managing game time expectations, while keeping those that are dropped happy that their turn will come.
Get the beers in
AND IT’S TIME FOR DRINKS.
Match Secretary’s Report
There were barely any struggles to put a team together, thanks players for taking droppings in stride, “long may it continue”.
Selection policy reiterated on hierarchy of subs paid
The policy, available online is a “good tool for fairness”
Last minute dropouts agreed to be a problem, a demerit point for on the day dropouts mooted, UNANIMOUSLY AGREED.
Greg moots No Membership without Subs? CARRIED.
Dave G suggests membership cards, kicked down to any other business.
Matthias states he is unwilling to continue position to howls of disapproval; Guy willing to continue as Weekday Fixtures Secretary, but unwilling to take on the weekend fixture list…
Election of Officers
CAPTAIN: Eiran Reilly to continue.
VICE CAPTAIN: Greg admits to not playing much. Andy puts hat in ring; Matthias nominates Dom (“Thanks but no thanks”); Unit is mooted as candidate. 3 Official Vice Captains voted in: CARRIED. Greg Powles, Andy James, David Geensen (Andy gets rather emotional, supported by teammates, all very touching, besides the inappropriate touching)
FIXTURE SECRETARY: Matthias raises hand to hearty applause
MIDWEEK FIXTURE SECRETARY> Guy Gibbs.
WEEKEND MATCH SECRETARY: James ask for clarification of duties: Teas, weather updates, oppo liaison, ensuring team inc. selection, the whole shebang. Barry points out it’s too big a job for one all year. Dave S and James to split Weekend Match Secretary duties throughout year with Guy as a fallback: CARRIED. (Andy continues to get more emotional, more touching scenes, appropriate and otherwise)
TREASURER: Adrian Birchall to continue.
CHAIR Simon steps down and Andy James steps in.
Tour
Dave S gives details of potential Crotia Tour: 20th September includes a 3 team tournament: fly Thurs, play Fri & Sat/Sunday, return Monday. Island of VIZ (includes Johnny Fartpants and Fat Slags references abound) Estimated costs: £150-200 + Accomodation (£40/50), same club is location for all games; £600 all in.
Dave G gives details of potential ‘Rebel Tour’ to Holland, although wants numbers up front as was embarrassed by lack of take-up last time out.
Simon suggests Bath Tour as cheaper alternative, which EVENTUALLY leads to a vote which ends with Bath 4 Votes against 6 for Amsterdam
It’s agreed to let Dave investigate enthusiasm for Holland while keeping Bath as a fallback.
Nets
Matthias explains what a nightmare winter nets were last year, that the take-up for pre-paid places limited to 12 led to not enough batting or too many no-shows. He suggests that we rent a school hall as it can facilitate some much needed fielding practice while being cheaper, even if the surfaces are a pile of shitesubstandard.
Weekend Nets are suggested and promptly shouted down in favour of continuing during the week.
Decided to keep booking lanes, ideally with good/rubber surfaces, falling back on schools when required, with Matthias taking the lead on finding the best alternatives.
AOB
CHRISTMAS DINNER
You should all be tucking into to it as I type this so won’t bother typing it up as the luster of this task is fading fast.
WEBSITE
Tom takes responsibility from Si, much to the latter’s delight.
CLUB KIT
Dave G moots the popular idea of a new Club Kit and quickly finds himself as the new Kit Secretary with responsibilities for sorting out a badge, costing it up, etc.
MATCH BALLS
Everyone generally delighted with the season’s balls (huh-huh-huh), Matthias will order again.
CHRIS MEMORIAL BENCH
£300 raised, North Mid are on board, just need to run design past them, applause.
FINALITY OF UMPIRE’S DECISION
“It’s alright to be unhappy, but no dissent to be shown”;
Jack points out that while this should be enough, that the pointed piss-taking”banter” months after decisions are handed down leads to an onerous atmosphere around umpiring that should be avoided. GENERAL AGREEMENT.
Captain posits that we’ve “been too generous with lbw’s”. It is pointed out by Dave G that we are, in fact, LBWs given in our favour outnumbered those given by us 3 to 1.1/3rd behind the league average for handing out decisions.
Aymon suggests umpire and scoring courses so that more people feel equipped to take on roles; Si agrees and points out that club will pay for courses from coffers. Barry & Jack agree to take umpiring course for next season.
FEMALE PLAYERS
As a final point of order Jack asks for clarification on the club’s attitude to female players, to which Cap responds with the laudable ambition to make the Tav’s “as inclusive as possible, we don’t want to put off anyone, especially younger players and women, we want to foster a community spirit around this club”. Welcome words indeed and a fine note to end proceedings on.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minutes based on an original manuscript by Jack Latimer