Junior Cricket

Junior Girls: New Opportunities to Play U11s in 2024

Outdoors training starting Monday, 6 May @ 5.30pm – First Introduction Session Free!

2024 Fixtures Update Coming Soon

U15 Girls 2023 Fixtures:

Sunday, 30 April – Epsom (a) – 10.30am start – Effingham win 83/4 to 70/6

Sunday, 7 May – Ashtead (a) – 11am start

Monday, 29 May – Horsley & S (h) – 9.30am start

Tuesday, 6 June – Epsom (h) – 6.30pm start

Monday, 12 June – Leatherhead (a) – 6pm start

Tuesday, 20 June – Leatherhead (h) – 6pm start

Sunday, 25 June – Horsley & S (a) – 12pm start

Wednesday, 5 July – Cheam (h) – 6pm start

Sunday, 16 July – Ashtead (h) – 9.30am start

The last weekend of April saw the U15 girls win their opening match of the 2023 season – an away visit to Epsom, recording a score of 83/4 to the hosts’ 70/6.
On a broader note, the match also saw the debut of the new women and girls’ kit, in the club colours green and gold.

2023 U10s Surrey Softball South League Winners!

2023 was a great season for our U10s, who won the U10/U11s Surrey Softball South league!
Having won 8 of their 9 games, the team faced a winner-takes-all decider against a strong Dorking U11 side, and it went right to the wire, ending up in a nail-biting tie off the final ball of the season which was enough to top the league!

Huge well done to all the players: Aurelia, George, Jacob, Jake, Lucie, Max, Millie, Nathan, Oscar and Sam. The U10s’ coach, James, said: ‘The whole squad have been brilliant since the start of winter nets, taking on board everything Tom and I have been asking them to do. Thanks very much to all the parents as well, for ferrying the kids around, helping out with the coaching, scoring, and more. It’s been a great team effort and roll on the U11s season!’

Our Youth Development Programme has cricketers as young as 5 years old and junior teams play in the Surrey Junior Cricket Championship. Matches normally take place on Sunday mornings with the occasional midweek game required to avoid fixture congestion.

Each age group has a dedicated manager who handles all aspects of running the team from planning coaching sessions on a Friday night, selecting the squad for the matches, running the team on match day and communicating with players and parents.

We want our junior cricketers to have a wonderful social and sporting experience and we aim to achieve this by giving every player:

• A clear route through the age groups and into senior cricket
• Varied and fun coaching to develop cricket skills and understanding
• The feeling of being part of a fun and family orientated club

Junior Cricket Philosophy

In the Junior Section at Effingham Cricket Club, our aim is ensure an enjoyable and collaborative spirit where the emphasis is on sportsmanship, equal participation, skill development and celebrating the success of individuals, team and club. The Club is a strong supporter of the ECB Codes of Behaviour. Emphasis is placed on safety and showing respect towards teammates, club officials, umpires and opponents.

1. Learning sportsmanship is the guiding principle for all junior cricket teams. The Spirit of the Game should be embraced by players and coaches.  Sportsmanship should always prevail over winning.
2. Encouraging participation is key.  This is fundamental to all of our teams from U5s up to Under 16 level.  It is everyone’s responsibility to encourage all players, to ensure the team operates as a team of equals and that we are inclusive.
3. Skill Development.  All players should be given the opportunity to receive quality advice and compete at an appropriate level to enhance their skill development.
4. Celebrate Success.  Success comes in all different forms in cricket – from a half-century to a first catch. There is no better way to build a team and club than to celebrate the achievements of all players (including the opposition).

Mini Cricketers

The U5 – a fantastic hotbed of future club players, made up of a broad mix of boys and girls, with and without any cricket experience.

The main aim is to foster a long term love for cricket, providing early guidance on how the game should be played and in what spirit and giving all children a sense of belonging at their first cricket club.

The group trains on Friday evenings from 5.30 – 6.30, a very popular evening when all parents can gather, enjoy warm summer evenings, a BBQ and the convivial surroundings of the club, whilst being able to watch their children have a great time – a true family night.

We are always looking for more like minded kids and parents to join us and get involved with the club. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by email.

A very special place

“I began playing junior club cricket aged 11 for Beverley/Canterbury Pilgrims CC, and was lucky enough to be involved in the Sunday 1st X1 senior team the same year. The team was filled with experienced and very competent club cricketers who immediately gave me an opportunity to open the batting, rather than “graze in the outfield”, despite having more experienced players that could fill the position. Their support and encouragement gave me a fabulous start, a tangible sense of belonging to a great club and some life affirming memories.

We want the ECC Junior section to be a very special place to begin playing cricket. To that end, we are blessed to have a club that is brim-full of like minded people that are determined to make sure that cricket is absolutely for the many, not just the naturally gifted (of which we have plenty). Personally, I believe Junior cricket is a space where we have an opportunity to nurture a life long passion for the game, played in the right spirit and in the right way. The aim is to guide our players to achieve their absolute best, to understand how they contribute to their team and respect the contribution made by others in the team. As junior cricketers follow the Effingham CC pathway leading ultimately to Senior cricket, these principles will be with them all of the way.”