Another season has come and gone and the 4th team can feel rightly proud of our progress from the previous season.

My two aims at the beginning of the season were simply to win more games than the previous season and be able to field a team every week. The first was achieved rather more easily than the second. We comfortably won more games than the previous season and finished the season winning as many as we lost. The second was at times a sight more difficult. It was however achieved with plenty of help from Dennis and Paul Tosters who could always conjure up a player from somewhere and a mobile phone bill that saw T-Mobile profits soar. The only real gripe I have had this season is that too many people pick and choose which team they will and won't play for. Having sat on the selection committee for the last two years this is possibly the biggest point of debate each week and makes what should be a straight forward and easy job very tedious. I would also like to thank Gooders, Ozzie and Tosters for using 'common sense', (I suspect this is the first and only time Gooders and common sense have ever been used in the same sentence), when taking players from the 4th team.

The progress made by all of the colts such as Rob Gibbens, Dan Millward, Dominic Hammond and Chris Oliphant helped us win much more than I thought we would at the beginning of the season and with a little luck it could have been even better. It should also be noted that Craig Raddon, Graham Flower, and Jake Scott all started the season in the 4th team and ended up playing significant roles in the promotion of the 2nd and 3rd teams; this is where the true value of this team lies. It is still my view that the 4th team should not be measured by how many wins we achieve but rather by how many players it gives an opportunity to progress upwards and ultimately make the club stronger.

The single biggest difference from last season, with all due respect to those who played either this season or last, was having a bowler who would invariably take early wickets and put pressure on the opposition from the start. Mike Edwards was excellent throughout not only with his bowling but his competitive spirit from start to finish. His never say die attitude is just what the team needed.

I would like to thank Dennis Dowsett, Mike Garner, and Paul Cripps for all their help during the season, be it captaining in my absence, umpiring, or just general help with all the jobs that need doing each week. Penny for ensuring that I had the correct forms and paperwork for the season and gentle reminders of things to do, such as captain's reports!!

Finally I would like to wish whoever succeeds me as captain next season all the very best and hopefully an even more successful than this year.