Last
update: Tuesday 8 February 2010
15:19 GMT
County return to the Hill
Northumberland County Cricket Club will once again stage a three-day minor counties game at Denton Bank.
The game against Bedfordshire is scheduled to take place from Sunday 4 July to Tuesday 6 July.
Learn to drive and aid the Hill
Thinking about driving lessons?
Well, enrol with L & N Driver Training and help raise money for Benwell Hill Cricket Club. For every lesson undertaken by club members L & N Driver Training will make a donation to Benwell Hill Cricket Club.
For more information contact hopperk@blueyonder.co.uk or visit the website at www.landn-drivertraining.co.uk.
Hill off to the seaside
Benwell Hill have been drawn away to Tynemouth in the first round of the ECB National Club Championship. The game will be played on Sunday 16 May. The winners will be at home to either Gateshead Fell or Easingwold in the next round.
Junior Fixtures
Under 18 and under 15 fixtures have now been published and can be found here.
Winter Nets
Indoor net sessions start on Sunday 7 February at Westgate Community College Centre for Sport, West Road. The sessions which cover a seven week period up to an including Sunday 21 March, commence at 5.30 pm and finish at 8.00 pm. The cost is £15 for the seven sessions.
The postcode for the Centre for Sport for all you Sat Navies and Google map types, is NE4 9LU.
2010 Fixtures
The fixtures for the 2010 season have been published and can be found here. The season gets underway on Saturday 24 April, although the C Division starts two days earlier.
The first eleven once again entertain Newcastle on the opening day of the season before Ali Maiden's side encounter reigning champions Chester-le-Street at Ropery Lane, and former champions South Northumberland at Denton Bank.
The second eleven start the season with the same opposition but also have the small matter of the George Coates Trophy final, which was held over from last season, where they will meet Newcastle at a venue and date yet to be confirmed.
As already stated the C Division commences on Thursday 22 April when the Hill begin the defence of their league title with a trip to Percy Main. Dave Archbold takes his third eleven to Stamfordham in the West Tyne League and Andrew Dawson's captaincy of the NEPL third eleven starts with a trip to Hetton Lyons on Sunday 25 April.
2010 Twenty20 Fixtures
The group stages of the NEPL Twenty20 cup have also been drawn and will take place over five Friday evenings starting on Friday 28 May. The Hill have two home ties with Blaydon (4 June) and Newcastle (18 June) providing the opposition. Graeme Race's charges will travel to South Shields (28 May), Tynemouth (11 June) and South Northumberland (25 June).
Cricket Archive
The Cricket Archive website has undergone a major revamp and thanks to further sterling work by the Hill's David McKay you can now access Benwell Hill scorecards back as far as 1984. The Centenary Year of 1983 will appear very soon. It's a website well worth a visit!
Season Review 2009
The Season Review of 2009 (pictured below) has now been published and is FREE to all members, including Junior Members and is available at the Bar in the clubhouse on production of BHCC Loyalty Card (Junior Members excepted).
As luxurious as it is glamorous, this 32 page full colour brochure contains the thoughts and musings of the respective captains together with the views of the Junior Coaches.
Those members who live outside the area should email their relevant details to Benwell Hill Cricket Club and the club will post their copy out to them at no charge.
Non-members can purchase a copy at a cost of £3.00, which includes postage.
Benwell Hill at Flickr
You can now view a number of images from last season by following this link or by clicking on the Flickr logo below right. More images will follow soon.
Zohaib makes maiden first-class ton
Congratulations to Hill professional, Zohaib Khan who scored his first first-class hundred on Friday 4 December for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd versus Karachi Whites in Karachi.
Zohaib, who has been enjoying a fine domestic season with the bat this winter, made an unbeaten 129 on Friday batting at number three and added another 14 on Saturday before falling for 143. He then quickly shifted to his bowling duties to take two of the three Karachi wickets to fall before the close. He now has over 400 first-class runs this winter and has also picked up 13 wickets to pass 50 career first-class wickets.
Hopefully he will save a few runs and wickets for when he returns to Denton Bank in April!
Full scorecard can be found here.
Captains elected for 2010
Ali Maiden will lead the first eleven once again after a highly successful first season in charge during 2009. He led the Hill to fourth in the NEPL and was also the leading runscorer in the side. Graeme Race will continue as his vice-captain and skipper the cup sides.
David Haxon deservedly keeps the second eleven captaincy job after piloting the seconds to their highest NEPL finish of third in 2009, he has a new vice-captain with Matt Hynd taking over from Joe Thompson who has left the area.
The two third elevens have new appointments too. Dave Archbold, like David Haxon, can point to a highly impressive third place in the West Tyne League as the reason for his continued tenure of the Saturday third eleven with David Ladd giving support as vice-captain.
On Sundays Barry Pearson appears to have confirmed his playing retirement at 39, by passing the NEPL third eleven captaincy mantle onto his vice-captain in 2009, Andrew Dawson with Ross Marley stepping up into the vacant vice-captain spot.
These then are the men to lead the Hill into the next decade!
There will always be a part of Pakistan that is forever Benwell Hill!
As the bleak mid-winter approaches in England far away in Islamabad two players who have donned the Hill colours are facing each other in Pakistan's First-Class competition.
Habib Bank Ltd are top the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy after four matches and feature both Taufeeq Umar (Hill Pro 2005) and Shahid Nazir (Hill Pro 2001-4) in their squad (and Havesy has a pair of HBL trousers!). Taufeeq is playing in the match in progress (3rd-6th Nov) against our current Pro Zohaib Khan. It seems HBL are on top after two days. Zohaib made a belated start to the Domestic Season in Pakistan in the last match against Khan Research Labs, but it seems he was intent in making up for lost time.
He made an important 42 in the first innings, before being promoted to No.3 in the second innings where he blasted a 19-ball 43 to help his side Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd to a two wicket victory. He also played a hand with the ball by getting through 21 second innings overs for just 27 runs.
Khan Research Labs maybe could have done with picking Yasir Ali (Hill Pro 2006) who has been appearing for them this season. Perhaps, his last innings failure against HBL did not help his selection - he was caught by Shahid Nazir off Danish Kaneria for just 1! There is a corner of Pakistan . . .
Satistics Updated
The statistics page has now been updated to reflect the 2009 season.
Subscriptions for 2009-10
Subscriptions for 2009-10 are now due. Members who renew their subscriptions will in turn recieve their new loyalty card which replaces the existing card.
The existing card expires on Saturday 31st October 2009 and will no longer be valid thereafter.
Junior Presentation 2009
The Junior Presentation Night took place yesterday (12 October) in a packed club lounge as a wonderful evening culminated with the presentation of individual awards for 2009.
Young Durham starlet Scott Borthwick was on hand to present the trophies after a tough question and answer session with the Hill's very own 'Parky", Baz Pearson.
Our picture above shows this year's winners, who were: Chloe Johnson (under 11 - front left); Euan Graham (under 13 - front right); Tom Denham, who was unable to attend due to university commitments and his award was accepted by younger brother Jack, (under 18 - back left); Fenwick Frisken (Tom Hounsome Shield - back, second from left); Johnny Turnbull (under 15 - back, second from right) and Andrew Jewitt (Alan Evans Shield - back right). More photographs can be found here.
Thanks to all of those who participated, particularly Anne Frisken who provided the buffet and Martin Avery who took the photographs.
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New players and
new members welcome
New players - junior and senior - are always welcome at Benwell Hill Cricket Club.
The Club caters for cricketers of all abilities from Minor Counties standard to recreational level - if you are keen enough you will find a team to fit your standard.
During the season club practice takes place on Wednesday evenings from 6.00 pm and new players are most welcome to come along and try-out before committing to joining the club. The fee for senior players in 2009 is £58 and for juniors is £30 - for that sum you get full access to the club and its social and playing facilities for the year.
For those who simply wish to watch the cricket and enjoy a pint whilst doing so, we offer social membership at £18 per annum. | 
