It is my pleasure to present this report as the 2005 \ 2006 cricket season was a stellar year for Wanderers cricket club .A record four senior sides each made the grand final in their respective grades with the 4th grade number 2 side reaching the semi finals. The inclement weather on the grand final weekend did not unfortunately allow the games to proceed with the end result being 3 premierships were awarded to Wanderers in A, Reserve and Fourth grade, owing to the club being minor premiers in these grades and Third grade being runners up. This unprecedented strong showing across all grades culminated in Wanderers being the winners of the prized TCI Club Championship for season 2005 \ 2006.Our junior players had a most enjoyable season with all players performing creditably within their various grades and several sides achieving good ladder positions at seasons end. Well Done to all concerned.
The players in all grades are to be commended for the excellent seasons cricket with there being some outstanding individual performances. Our A grade captain Darren Frakes was without doubt the premier batsman in Townsville. His season’s total of 727 runs at an average of 72.27 runs per innings gave him the distinction of the T C I batting aggregate. This figure did not include centuries he compiled whilst representing Tropic North and Queensland Country. Congratulations. Paul Collins also produced many fine innings in both Reserve and Third Grade for which he received the T C I batting Trophy. Many other fine individual game performances aided the club to its best ever season. The club committee thanks you for the effort during the season. To all those players who assisted the selectors by making themselves available for multiple games over many weekends well done. Congratulations to Bradley Stout on his selection in the Australian Indigenous XI and to our Queensland Academy Of Sport members Andrew Martel and Isaac Ling as well as Jamie Heit on their fine achievements on making Queensland U17 and Open Schoolboy sides.
To all the junior players who were selected for Townsville and or North Queensland I congratulate you on your personal achievement and would like to see more junior players graduate into the senior ranks over the next season. Several club members acted as coaches and managers for these representative sides for which the club is grateful for their time and effort. Our junior base looks set to further expand over the coming seasons, which is a very healthy sign for our club.
As with all clubs, the on field performance represents a small section of the overall activities undertaken by club members. There are many people who perform essential behind the scenes tasks who I would to thank personally for their endeavours during the past season. There has been for a considerable number of years a dedicated band of raffle ticket sellers who every weekend help raise much needed funds for the club.To those gentleman a large vote of thanks. To the parents who offer any form of assistance during junior cricket games whether it be scoring umpiring etc please keep up the good work. The junior coaching ranks have swelled over the past season as more sides are entered into the junior competition and the need for coaches has increased with this growth. To all the coaches your efforts have been fantastic and I applaud you for a job well done.
The senior playing group has been well served by the various grade captains and coaches over the past season and their ability to produce players at times when playing numbers where down on some weekends was extraordinary. To each and every one of the ladies who helped selling raffle tickets, running the canteen, scoring, and the myriad of other jobs that occur around the club a very big thank you. The contribution by all these volunteers is invaluable and essential to the efficient management of the club. The elected committee underwent some changes during the course of the season with resignations by a number of committee members owing to a variety of personal reasons. To Scott Breen and Lydia Castek thank you for your contributions during the season and also to those on the committee who continued to assist the club for the diligent manner in which they approached their tasks. A special thanks to our Vice President Bob Lauro for his work with the junior section and for his efforts as TCI Vice President over the last 2 years
To our club sponsors we thank you for your involvement over the past season and we look forward to a continuing relationship for next season. The Centen as our major sponsor we wish to acknowledge for allowing the club to build on our raffle base with the club now conducting raffles on Friday nights and Sunday lunchtime.
(PS helpers and or drinkers always welcome)
Our junior cricketers have benefited financially by way of the excellent junior support program offered by QNI to its employees devoting their time to junior sport for which we thank you.
To efficiently manage any sporting club is today a much more complex operation than say 20 or even 10 years ago. The advent of new government regulations i.e. Food Handling, GST requirements including BAS statements, Liquor licensing controls, insurance requirements and new smoking regulations and adherence to these regulations must bring about a change in the way the club operates. We must, in my opinion, run the Club on a strict business format. We have no option if the club is to be as successful off field as it was last season on field but to put into place business systems that have been properly investigated and planned to ensure there is a smooth continual operation of the club during inevitable changes of office bearers. It is essential that operating records are available for all committee positions within the club so that the new office bearer can continue to efficiently fulfill the duties that position requires. As with any business training of people in preparation for any role within that business is paramount to the ongoing well being of the entire operation. The roles of assistant treasurer and assistant secretary have been created as training
roles so people can understand what is involved in the two roles within the club.
With the success of last season I have no doubt that the club can continue to prosper on field if we again recruit successfully, in both senior and junior sections, and if we carry on with our coaching development. Off field there are a considerable number of projects and tasks that need to be undertaken over a time frame of approximately 2 –3 years. These include the upgrading of the canteen area to make it much more customer and user friendly and comply with food handling regulations, provision of a new refrigeration system for the cool room, a ride on roller, and new training equipment. These projects can all is achieved however there is a financial cost to all of these programs. All club members can assist in bringing these initiatives to fruition and the one of the easiest ways this can happen is by the paying of membership fees - subscriptions promptly, a situation that has not happened in the past, but I am sure is a situation that will be rectified this season.
I have no doubt that a decision made by the committee to hold the junior and senior presentation night on the same night was a highlight of the year. The numbers that were present on that night was a definite vindication of the committee’s decision. From all reports all those who attended had a very enjoyable night and this event will become a regular occasion for the club members.
In conclusion I wish everyone associated with Wanderers Cricket Club Inc all the very best for season 2006/2007 and look forward to the future development and strengthening of the club.
Peter Wiltshire
President
