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Norfolk Cricket Society Author Talks - UPDATE 13

27-10-2020: No notice yet of any further meetings, although the one remaining postponed event (Richard Murphy) is yet to be re-scheduled.

Any queries, email Norfolk Cricket Society's Rob Kelly at rob.kelly@live.co.uk.

Further details and an up-to-date list of future talks are available on the Pitch Publishing website -
https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/content/new-virtual-cricket-talks-series.


The background information for this event and the programme are below:

26-05-2020: This is a summary of the follow-up email that the Norfolk Society's Rob Kelly has sent us:  

Really pleased to confirm that the first Pitch Publishing author talk will take place this Friday, please see below for further details and instructions on how to login on your computer via Zoom.

I'm hoping that Pitch Publishing will also be producing a flyer soon which I'll forward on as and when I receive it.  

NEW VIRTUAL CRICKET TALKS SERIES

To help cricket fans get a regular fix, the cricket team at Pitch Publishing has launched a new series of virtual cricketing talks and Q&As, open to members of the UK cricket societies.

The events will feature Pitch's cricketing authors and run on Friday evenings at 7.30pm, kicking off on Friday 29th May with former Sussex and Middlesex batsmen and now umpire Ian Gould, hosted by BBC cricket commentator Mark Church.

Over the years our authors have regularly appeared to speak at events up and down the country, and many had agreed to appear this year. With this in mind, we have launched a new draft schedule through until the end of November 2020.

For the first three weeks, they will be every Friday with Mark Church in the host's chair, with Ian Gould followed by Dr Colin Shindler and Aussie-based author Ashley Gray, each talking on the respective subject matter of their books to kick off the series.

The programme will then move to a fortnightly format, with Mark Peel, Tim Brooks, Andrew Murtagh, Richard Clarke, Richard Murphy, Franklyn Stephenson, Nick Greenslade and Luke Fletcher all set to appear before the end of November.

10-09-2020: PROGRAMME UPDATED

  • 29th May
  • 5th June
  •  
  • 12th June
  •  
  • 26th June
  • 10th July
  • 24th July
  • 7th August
  •  
  • 21st August
  • 11th September
  • 25th September
  • 9th October
  • 23rd October
  • Gunner: My Life in Cricket - Ian Gould hosted by Mark Church.
  • Barbed Wire and Cucumber Sandwiches: The Controversial South African Tour of 1970 - Dr Colin Shindler hosted by Mark Church.
  • The Unforgiven, The Missionaries or Mercenaries? The Untold Story of the Rebel West Indian Cricketers Who Toured Apartheid South Africa - Ashley Gray hosted by Mark Church.
  • Cricketing Caesar: A Biography of Mike Brearley - Mark Peel hosted by Mark Church.
  • A Corner of Every Foreign Field: Cricket’s Journey from English Game to Global Sport - Tim Brooks
  • If Not Me, Who? The Story of Tony Greig, the Reluctant Rebel - Andrew Murtagh
  • Last-Wicket Stand: Searching for Redemption, Revival and a Reason to Persevere in English County Cricket - Richard Clarke
  • England On This Day: Cricket History, Facts & Figures from Every Day of the Year - Richard Murphy  POSTPONED
  • My Song Shall Be Cricket: The Autobiography of Franklyn Stephenson - Franklyn Stephenson  POSTPONED
  • The Hollow Crown: The England Cricket Captains from 1945 to the Present - Mark Peel
  • The Thin White Line: The Inside Story of Cricket's Greatest Fixing Scandal - Nick Greenslade
  • Tales from the Frontline: The Autobiography of Luke Fletcher - Luke Fletcher hosted by Dave Bracegirdle.

The next event can be accessed via a web browser (Google Chrome is recommended) or you can download Zoom's software or phone/tablet application.

To join, a clickable link to the Zoom Meeting will be provided, along with a Meeting ID and a Password.

If prompted please enter your name and society e.g. ‘John Smith, Essex Cricket Society

Any queries, email Rob at rob.kelly@live.co.uk

Once the event begins at 7.30pm, you will be given access into the “room”. There will be a Q&A session, and to ask a question, you will need to use the raise hand option (located in the participants panel, at the bottom), and the host will open your camera and microphone and prompt your question.


A Virtual Cricket Club - UPDATE 2

27-10-2020: This is the latest email from Simon Hughes with details of the next meeting.

Hi All
Just canvassing support for the Stuart Broad evening this Thursday (29th) in aid of the Professional Cricketers Trust.   The virtual cricket club is £6 a month membership but that is for FOUR LIVE EVENTS and this is the only club of its kind enabling you to meet and greet and chat with the real stars of our game.   We have a private audience with them from 7pm and you can ask questions direct to them during the event.   We have had great feedback for ou first two evenings with Angus Fraser and Joe Root.
One or two extracts here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD_IelhFz2M.

Please join our club and get your weekly cricket fix and a chance to win signed memorabilia.
Join at https://www.patreon.com/theanalyst1.

See you there!  Cheers Simon


Ray Smith and the Second World War

23-10-2020: This is the email from Dr John Broom regarding research for his new book:

I am currently writing a book about cricket during the Second World War, to be published by Pen & Sword in June 2021.   I have read a lot about the exploits of the British Empire XI, a team captained by Ray Smith during the final years of the war.   General biographical information about Smith seems thin on the ground.  After his retirement in 1956 he seems to fade from history.

So I would like to get in touch with anyone who could tell me more about this player.  Also anyone with a good knowledge of Essex cricket during the war.   I have included information in my book about the various experiences of Ken Farnes, Brian Castor, Stan Nichols, Trevor Bailey, Dickie Dodds and Harry Crabtree.

Kind regards,

Dr John Broom

If you can help, you can contact him at johnbroom@aol.com.


Richard Clarke (Author)

17-06-2020: Richard is an ECCC member and has been following Essex for around 40 years.  Born in Loughton, he grew up in Epping/North Weald and now lives in Hertfordshire.  

His early career was in sports journalism working with most of the major newspapers, and is now a sports digital consultant.  He worked on all aspects of media at Arsenal football club for 13 years, before moving to Major League Soccer in the US working for Colorado Rapids.  Since returning to England, he worked for the Premier League, Bundesliga, Uefa and Dugout, and has just finished a spell with the Indonesian Football League.  He is now working with the Arabian Gulf League in the UAE.

He is scheduled to be the guest speaker on the 7th August in the series of author talks (see here), and he will be publishing his new book towards the end of July.   For more details about the book - click here, and for more about the author - click here.


River Gate Entrance Temporary Closure

17-08-2020: Pictures on the homepage show the works are at an advanced stage, but the entrance remains closed at this time.  
We will update this notice when more information becomes available.


The Essex Cricket Society Tie

The Essex Cricket Society Tie

19-12-2019: The Essex Cricket Society Tie in Navy Blue with a Gold bar is on offer to members for £5.00 each.  

If you wish to reserve one, please email your request to info@essexcricketsociety.uk.
Click here to see a larger image.