The 2026 AGM will take place at the clubhouse on Monday 23rd February at 7:30pm. Click here for the agenda.
Chairman’s Report 2025
I’m delighted to reflect on another full and competitive season at Thame Cricket Club and to share just how proud I am of what we continue to build together. The strength of this club has always been its people — our players, volunteers, coaches, sponsors and supporters — and once again that collective commitment has driven us forward.
In the Senior section, there were some outstanding performances across the board. Both the Women’s 1st XI and Men’s 1st XI delivered strong seasons, maintaining their Home Counties status for another year — a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the standards being set within the club. The 2nd XI also had a very positive campaign, finishing comfortably mid-table in Division 4. With the upcoming league restructure, they will compete in Division 3 next season — a great opportunity and one we look forward to embracing.
It was a tougher year results-wise for the 3rd and 4th XIs, both unfortunately facing relegation. However, the bigger picture remains incredibly encouraging. We are buoyed by the significant number of talented and committed juniors now stepping into senior cricket and competing strongly. The pathway is working, and it is clear that the future strength of the club is already emerging onto the pitch.
Our Girls’ section continues to grow impressively, both in participation and in playing experience. The development we are seeing is exciting, and it reinforces our commitment to providing opportunities for all. Similarly, the Junior section once again experienced strong growth, welcoming large numbers into our All Stars and Dynamos programmes. Seeing the ground full of young cricketers enjoying the game remains one of the most rewarding parts of the season.
Off the pitch, we have continued to invest in our facilities. The clubhouse received a complete refresh with a full repaint, and we were delighted to introduce brand new covers — a significant upgrade that will serve us well for years to come. These improvements simply would not be possible without the loyalty and generosity of our sponsors.
Once again, our sincere thanks go to J Bennett, Kubota, BP Collins, Farol and Haddenham Beer Festival for their continued support. We thoroughly enjoyed welcoming many of our sponsors onto the pitch competing with our Saxons side — a great example of the partnerships and friendships that underpin the club. I am also pleased to announce that all of our 2025 sponsors have committed to supporting the club into 2026, which is a huge vote of confidence in what we are building together.
I would also like to take a moment to offer special recognition and heartfelt thanks to Jackie and John Phippen, who have worked tirelessly over many years to support the club’s facilities and overall management. Their dedication behind the scenes has been instrumental in enabling the club to provide much-needed rental income through bookings and hire of our facilities — an increasingly important revenue stream that supports everything we do on and off the pitch.
Jackie has decided to step aside in order to support John more fully in his business, but we are incredibly grateful that she has kindly offered to assist our new Bar and Facilities Manager during the transition period and support the handover. That generosity of time and care for the club speaks volumes.
We are delighted to welcome Marcin Skiba to the club in the role of Bar and Facilities Manager. Marcin has already shown great enthusiasm for the role and we look forward to introducing him more fully to the membership in the coming weeks.
I would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Andrew Sherratt, our much loved and respected club umpire, who has decided to step down from official duties to spend more time with his family. Andrew has been a consistent and valued presence at the club, and his fairness, commitment and good humour will be greatly missed in the middle. Thank you, Andrew.
As we now turn our attention to 2026, it is shaping up to be another exciting year for the club. The momentum is building. Our juniors and their respective coaches have been non-stop post-season and throughout the winter, continuing development sessions and indoor training. The energy and commitment shown across the youth section has been outstanding.
Meanwhile, the senior sides are emerging from hibernation and are already back into the indoor nets, preparing with purpose for the season ahead. We are seeing an influx of talented cricketers joining the club, alongside our existing talent pool continuing to grow and thrive. That combination of new energy and homegrown development gives us real optimism.
We have high hopes for what can be achieved on the pitch in 2026. But equally important are our plans off the pitch — creating a safe, welcoming and fun-filled environment for all members and the wider community. Cricket is at the heart of what we do, but so too is friendship, belonging and enjoyment. We are determined to continue strengthening both.
Finally, a personal thank you to everyone who gives their time so generously — grounds team, committee members, bar staff, coaches, parents and volunteers. A cricket club only functions because of the unseen hours that so many put in behind the scenes. It does not go unnoticed.
I’m hugely excited about what lies ahead and very much looking forward to working with you all as we continue to grow, improve and strengthen Thame Cricket Club together.
Thanks
Tim
Tim Dabbs – Thame Town CC – Chair