Happy New Year! As Chair of the Club Cricket Conference (CCC), I look forward to another exciting year filled with opportunities to celebrate and support the sport we all cherish.

Firstly, I am delighted to reflect on a remarkable event that rounded off 2024 in style: the CCC Annual Lunch at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. This year’s gathering, held on 26 November 2024, has been widely hailed as our best yet!

Highlights from the Day:

• A Record-Breaking Attendance: Over 550 guests joined us, making this our largest lunch since the Centenary Year.
   
• Special Guests: Football legend Kevin Keegan shared his inspiring journey, while Leshia Hawkins, ECB Managing Director of the Recreational Game, participated in a lively Q&A session with our charismatic MC, Roger Dakin.
   
• Heartfelt Thanks: I had the privilege of expressing gratitude to our CCC President, the incredible organising team led by Charlie Puckett and our sponsors, including John Poore and Colin Buckle.
   
• Celebrating Tradition: A tribute video encapsulating the CCC’s legacy over its 100+ year history was unveiled, highlighting our enduring commitment to club cricket.  You can view the video here.
   
• Supporting Our Community: A special acknowledgment was made to the Club Cricket Charity for their vital work in enhancing the health and wellbeing of players.
   
• Photos of the lunch can be found here. 

2024 Fixture Highlights:

The CCC celebrated a thrilling 2024 season, marked by standout performances, nail-biting finishes, and unforgettable experiences. Here are the season's highlights:

1. Representative XI vs. British Police CC
   Raheem Sher lit up the season with a sublime century, scoring 100 of CCC’s 208 runs—our only centenary of the year. While the total seemed modest, disciplined slow bowling and sharp fielding secured a ‘comfortable’ 66-run victory.  See results here.
    
2. Representative XI vs. World Sports Xchange (WSX)
   In a rain-affected game, the CCC bowlers were the stars. Despite a faltering top order, Saihaj Jaspal's gritty 61 propelled CCC to 184/9 in 40 overs. The WSX batting line-up, featuring five left-handers in their top seven, struggled against CCC’s off-spinners George Duke (4/34) and Bilal Butt (2/26). WSX were bowled out for 158 in just 27 overs, leaving CCC with a 26-run victory. See results here.
    
3. U-25 XI vs. Foresters Academy
   This encounter delivered edge-of-the-seat action. Jack Feather’s unbeaten 82 at No. 6 propelled CCC to 256 in 50 overs—a competitive score at Harefield CC. Despite Foresters cruising past 200 with five wickets in hand, the fall of their centurion triggered a collapse. Spinners Yash Lakhani (3/25) and Muhammad Hameed (2/36) bowled CCC to a thrilling 11-run victory with three overs remaining.  See results here.
    
4. Representative XI vs. Sri Lanka Touring Side
   CCC Coach Mark Stear assembled a mixed CCC/Herts League XI to face a Sri Lankan touring side, including eight players from their national Test squad. While CCC was comprehensively outplayed, the game offered an extraordinary opportunity to test skills against world-class competition and provided invaluable experience.  Club Cricket Conference Representative Teams.
    
5. The Conference Cup Final: Banstead vs. East Molesey
   The Conference Cup Final capped off the season in style. For a detailed account of this gripping contest, visit our website: The Conference Cup Final 2024.  The Conference Cup Final 2024. 
   
   For clubs wishing to enter The Conference Cup for the Bertie Joel Trophy, for 2025 - please click here.
    
6. National Asian Cricket Council (NACC)- MCC v NACC men and Women fixtures, Women’s and Girls playing initiatives, Grounds training programme, Counties and Parent pilot, supporting deaf cricketing community and many more!  See here. 
    
7. The Sovereign Trophy: A Competition for our Affiliated Leagues
   Please see here for a report, and some photos, of the 2024 Final. Invitations for the 2025 competition will be sent out in February.

 
Looking ahead to 2025, I am inspired by the progress being made towards unifying the CCC across England and Wales under the leadership of David Collier OBE and the NCC Board of Directors. Together, we are paving the way for an exciting new era.

From vibrant matches and initiatives led by Stan Nicholson, Mark Stear, and the National Asian Cricket Council, to standout moments such as a warm-up match against the Sri Lankan international touring side, 2024 has been a year to remember. It was truly rewarding to witness the passion and dedication of the cricket community.

Thank you for your continued support, and here’s to another fantastic year for the CCC! Let’s make 2025 even more memorable.

Warm regards,
Parveiz Aslam, MBE
Chair, Club Cricket Conference