Captain’s Report
Last year’s tour was another blessed generally with good weather and lots of runs. We had a healthy influx of new players, who we hope will be playing again in 2012, and the continuing trend of next generation Sou’Westers contributed widely to a successful tour.Perhaps the cricketing highlights were Harry Thomas’ maiden fifty for the club at Cerne Valley, a successful chase of over 250 to win at Sidmouth and young Sam Kennedy’s 6 for 81 at Axminster. We were again well supported by Presidents past and present and our thanks are largely due to them for our provision of not only our own umpire and scorer but also, on a number of occasions, our host’s as well.
We enjoyed our new accommodation at the Cathedral School in the centre of Exeter and we shall be returning there in 2012. Unfortunately, a prior booking by a visiting choir precludes our staying there for a few nights in the middle of the tour, but school accommodation is difficult to find these days, and the first class hospitality and popular location of the Cathedral School were too attractive to miss out on for the disruption of the few residents.
It is sad to record that we have lost three long standing members of the Club, Peter Yates, for whom an obituary appears separately, and Joan Alexander and Sarah Henderson who, with their families, spent many happy years supporting Sou’Wester tours.
Martin Oliver