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Saints Announce Latest Signings

In preparation for the coming WDCU Premiership 2011 season, DMPS St Michael’s Cricket Club are delighted to announce the signing of two new players who they hope will help the club win this year’s League title.

New Zealanders Jamie Gibson and Corey Larsen both make long trips to join the Saints ranks this April and will play a significant role in the community. As well as Junior club sessions at Kingholm Park every Monday evening from 6.15 - 8.00 p.m., they will also be running free coaching sessions at Brownhall, Caerlaverock, Calside, Georgetown, Laurieknowe, Lochmaben, Lockerbie, New Abbey, St. Andrew’s RC, St. Michael’s, and Troqueer Primary Schools.

Both Jamie and Corey live in Wellington, New Zealand where they have just finished their studies and are taking a year out to travel the world and play cricket. Corey plays for Onslow CC 1st X1 in the Wilkinson Pearce Cup whereas Jamie plays for Eastern Suburbs CC 1st X1 in the same competition. In January both players represented Wellington Powerade Under 18 side in the New Zealand national competition in Christchurch.

Jamie said: "We’re really looking forward to the opportunity of playing some cricket abroad, both for the experience and competition. Hopefully we can play our part in another League win for Saint Michael’s Cricket Club”

Club Secretary Mike Lumb said of the signings: “We are delighted that both Jamie and Corey will be joining DMPS Saints for the 2011 season. Both lads come highly recommended due to their ability on the park, and just as importantly their coaching skills and character off it. We are equally delighted that they are keen to help us put something back into the community in the form of the schools coaching programme, and hope they play a big part in an enjoyable and successful season. “

St Michael’s realise that money is extremely tight for many families in the current financial climate and have put a freeze on their subscription costs for 2011. These range from £20 for junior and £50 for full senior membership.

The club will begin their official pre-season training in the next few weeks and are always on the lookout for new players to join the St Michael’s family. With membership fees between 37-77% cheaper than other weekend cricket playing alternatives in the town, it represents excellent value for money.

Please ring Derek Heron 07894 193 412 if you would like to discuss joining the club.

02/02/11

Brockwell is Bowler of the Year!

News has arrived via the Western Union website that our own Chris Brockwell has been nominated 2010 Bowler of the Year for Division II.

Chris is a left-arm off spinner who gets both turn and bounce and has a number of variations to play on, including a deadly quicker delivery. After a tremendous season, in which he shone with both bat and ball, it was eventually his 43 wickets at an average of 11.5 that caught the eye of the League officials.

All club members would like to congratulate the 'ginger destroyer' on his success, which follows on from his nomination as St Michael's First XI Player of the Year.

25/10/10

Saints' Aussies Farewell

St Michael's Cricket Club said farewell to this year's Aussie overseas players Mark Smith and Matthew Friend over a farewell barbecue and a last, less-than-serious cricket encounter for seniors and juniors on the new Kingholm artificial wicket last weekend.

Matthew and Mark (first and second from left) were about to jet off back down under following an extremely successful season, in which they played a big role in ensuring DMPS Saints promotion to Division 1 of the Western District Cricket League.

Also pictured is visiting Aussie Andy Murray, who coincidentally was one of Saints' overseas players in 2004 when the club last topped Western District Division 2 and also played for the same club as Mark Smith in Australia.

Completing the party are (from left) Sunday and First XI Captains Chris Brockwell and Derek Heron, and Raymond Marshall of sponsors DMPS Financial Services, who were among many club players and supporters who turned up to wish "Spanner" and "Friendy" on their way.

Club Secretary Mike Lumb later said: "The club has been very lucky to have been joined by two outstanding overseas players this season. Both made major contributions both on and off the pitch and were heavily involved in our junior coaching programme in local schools."

24/08/10

Last Friday St Michael's Cricket Club hosted its inaugural cricket festival for primary school aged boys and girls on a beautiful sunny afternoon at Kingholm Park, Dumfries.

This was a follow up to the free coaching the club has been providing in many local schools in both Dumfries and in and around Annan over the last several weeks. We are extremely proud that on average over 550 primary aged boys and girls have received cricket coaching on a weekly basis during this programme.

Close to 40 boys and girls representing six local primary schools took part in the Kwik Cricket festival, supported by 10 club coaches/members, and much appreciated coaching from Lea Tsui and Iain Martin of Cricket Scotland. Those attending took part in several games and also had specialised coaching on batting, bowling and fielding.

Certificates were awarded to all the boys and girls who attended. Batter of the festival award went to Harshit Morrisety (St. Andrews), bowler of the festival award went to Sam Rowe (Troqueer), and fielder of the festival award went to Gianni Copland (St. Andrews). The best represented school award went to St. Andrews RC Primary who had more than 20 pupils attend the festival.

Head of youth coaching Davy Fallas said “We are extremely pleased with how our cricket festival went and it was great to see all the boys and girls enjoying playing cricket down at Kingholm Park. It was really encouraging to see 15 non-club members attend and we hope that they will look to continue to enjoy and play cricket every Monday night at our junior sessions.”

The club would like to thank DMPS, John Pagan & Sons, and Brammer UK Ltd for sponsoring the event.

01/07/10

Saints Achieve TOPClub Accreditation

DMPS St. Michael’s Cricket Club is extremely proud to announce that they have recently completed the Cricket Scotland TOPClub development and accreditation scheme for cricket club junior sections straight to Bronze Award level.

TOPClub is for all clubs which are committed to junior development and has been specifically designed to meet the needs of all Scotland’s cricket clubs. Club Chairman Sandy McNay said “For St. Michael's Cricket Club to achieve TOPClub accreditation at Bronze Award level is a fantastic achievement due to the hard work and forward thinking of our newly formed Junior Committee. This will allow youngsters to be integrated into a progressive and structured cricket programme for all age groups headed by a squad of qualified coaches”.

This view was supported by Iain Stewart, Cricket Scotland’s West Community Development Manager ‘’It’s great to see DMPS St. Michael’s attain the Bronze Award on our TOPClub programme so rapidly after signing up. The club has a real clear vision of how they will progress the junior set up and the club as a whole. In partnership with Chris Stewart the D&G Cricket Scotland Community Coach I am sure the club can attain the Silver Award before too long”.

26/02/10

Saints Achieve Sports Club Accreditation

St. Michael’s Cricket is proud to announce that they have recently completed the Dumfries & Galloway Sports Club Accreditation.

The scheme is about helping local clubs to be safe, effective and child friendly and to promote this fact. The Sports Club Accreditation Scheme is administered by the local authority Leisure and Sport section and has been endorsed by the Education and Community Services Committee of Dumfries and Galloway Council. It is an effective way to demonstrate to parents, schools and the wider community that St. Michael’s Cricket Club has achieved nationally recognised Minimum Operating Requirements in child protection and other key areas.

Club Secretary Mike Lumb said: “The club is proud to receive this award which indicates that we have demonstrated that we are fully equipped in every sense to look after youngsters and promote cricket to the young people of our local community”.

This view was supported by Andy McLean, Leisure and Sport Development Officer. “We are delighted to be able to officially acknowledge St. Michael’s Cricket Club as an accredited Sports Club through the Dumfries and Galloway’s Sports Club Accreditation Scheme.

"The club has been working hard over the close season to improve and enhance the standard of service they offer to membership and the wider community and this should demonstrate to parents, coaches, athletes and grant awarding agencies that they have met the operating criteria for Child Protection in Sport in key areas such as Club Management, Welfare, Club Development and Administration.”

11/02/10

Exciting Season Ahead?

DMPS St Michaels look forward to their league campaign in April in what already is shaping up to be an exciting and ambitious year for the whole Club.

Overseas player for the 2010 season Mark Smith will arrive for the beginning of the season and will no doubt be looking to have the same impact as his brother Glenn who plied his trade at Kingholm Park back in 2003.

Mark is a quick bowler who represented New South Wales U16s in 2000/01 and is currently Captain of Narara-Wyoming CC.

11/02/10

Super Shab is Bowler of Year!

Little-publicised news from the tail end of last season is that pace bowler Derek "Shabba" Rankine received the Bowler of the Year Award for Western Union Division II.

Paramedic Shab, who is a well known for his consistent length and direction and unflappable temperament, took 19 opposition wickets over the season at an average of 9.96, finishing with magnificent figures of 5 -14 in the last game of the season against Bothwell.

11/01/10

The Toowoomba Connection

The DMPS Financial Services St Michael’s squad was considerably strengthened last season by the arrival of Aussie first grade cricketers Randall Hart and Pat Sullivan from Toowoomba, Queensland last year.

Randall, is an aggressive, 26 year old top order batsman who can also bowl a brisk medium pace, while 21 year old Pat is a stylish wicketkeeper batsman. Randall was also named Toowoomba Player of the Year in the 2004/5 Aussie season, during which he made over 900 runs.

Toowoomba is well known to Saints’ followers as the home of two of their former overseas players, both of whom are known to Randall and Pat. Brad Spanner averaged over 140 in Saints’ Border League winning team in the nineties, while Brian May recently shared in a record-breaking, undefeated first wicket partnership of 454 for the South Brisbane club.

Updated 07/04/10

Overseas Player Departure

Please note that the Club has dispensed with the services of Sovan Kumar Basu.

Our judgement of his cricketing ability was backed up when we contacted the two English clubs he previously played for but did not mention in the CV he submitted to us.

10/05/08

Gildersome Off to Flying Start

Gildersome Junior Taverners successfully launched their World Record Attempt from a dew laden Kingholm Park this morning.

The Yorkshire youngsters arrived from their hotel in Gretna in plenty of time for a gentle warm-up immediately after the pitch had been marked out.

The format was a fifteen minutes batting each with the St Michael's youngsters, resplendent in their new polo shirts, taking first strike on a 'wicket' that offered considerable assistance to the bowlers.

After amassing a relaxed 19-2 in what seemed rather longer than fifteen minutes, the St Michael's youngsters then kindly allowed the visitors to win by missing a series of run out opportunities as some stylish batting by Gildersome took them to a comfortable 26-1.

The youngsters had time to demolish a series of bacon and sausage rolls, sponsored by David Fallas Planning Consultancy, before the Gildersome bus rolled away from the Kingholm at 9.40 with our best wishes, hopefully in plenty of time for their next game in Carlisle.

The remaining youngsters then enjoyed a single wicket competition, which was jointly won by Chris Lumb and Tom Kennedy-Moffat on 21, with newcomer Ross Fergusson (20) close behind in third place. (C. Brockwell 2-0-12-0)

The highlights of the Gildersome World Record Attempt can be seen on BBC2 Sportsround at 11.45 a.m. on Saturday 14th April.

Thanks are due to all those who helped out on the day.

13/04/07

Well guys, that’s the cricket season gone...

Would like to say thank you to the cricket club for everything you have all done you have made my stay one that I will never forget about and I will take home things that I never thought I would. Scotland = Rain which then = Pub ha ha.

Thank you to Dunk. I wont forget the team talks after we have batted first and all out for our usual 125 or when we bowl first and drop 5 to 10 catches he he. You have been a great person to get to no mate thank you for letting me have the chance to come here. Weel done skip see you playing next year.

Sandy thank you very much for everything you have done for me. I wont forget it at all mate you have been a great help to me and thank you for all the help getting me here and the help while I was here. Won’t forget the sandy laugh mate - one to remember.

To Mike Lumb and his family well what can I say. You are a great friend mate. Thank you for all you have done for me. I would be still here if it wasn’t for you and your family. I owe you heaps thank you so much a true friend thank you. I won’t forget our game playing Dumfries mate. And I will always remember the famous Mike Lumb saying Read it in the paper"

Harry Potter, well mate thank you very much for all you have done. Thank you for everything mate. You have been a great friend and a real big help - not just having a place to stay and everything like that but when times were tough and great mate. Thank you heaps mate.

And to everyone else thank you so much for the great times I will never forget. I have had the time of my life and great memories to have forever. To everyone thanks for the cricket and hope to keep in touch with you all for many, many more years.
Oh yeah, thanks for knowing what to do when it rains. And my Kiwi friend just 2 beers for you mate haha.

Thank you all - season over.

Ben, the Aussie friend of Noidea

31/08/07

Poppy Feathers Nest

No, this man isn't looking for a lost cricket ball in someone's garden or eyeing up the local talent - it's former Saints overseas star and terror of Western Union Division II Andy Murray surveying his new deluxe property just up the Narara coast from Sydney.

Four bedrooms, snooker room, pool, ducted air conditioning - sounds ideal for an international housewarming party. Apparently Andy will be over in the summer for a flying visit, so he'll no doubt be taking bookings. Harry and Matty are saving up already.

14/02/07

Email from Craig Nel

"To all at St Michaels cricket club,

I stumbled across your fantastic website which I have been following with great interest. Good to see that some of the old boys are still putting into the club (Kim Bellwood, Sandy McNay Derrick Rankin).

Since leaving St Michaels I returned to my home town of Nelspruit and played my cricket there. I played and eventually captained the Eastern Country Districts side for 8 years. I had a game for the South African Country districts side against Bangladesh in 2003 albeit 12th man. I am now just playing club cricket for Sabie cricket club which maybe someday you could put together some funds and tour South Africa (lots of Rands for your Pound)

Good luck for the rest of your season and congratulations on your new club house. I would like to send a South African country districts one day shirt for your club house.

Thanks again for my wonderful stay.

Craig Nel

PS Married with 3 children"

12/07/0

St Michael's Cricket Club Website by Colin Taylor

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