General Committee Election 2021 - Essex Cricket
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
General Committee
Election 2021
Six nominations have been received for three places on the General Committee and an
election will take place. The election will be by way of a postal ballot and the ballot paper,
together with a pre-paid envelope, is enclosed herewith.
The ballot paper should be returned to Birketts Solicitor’s office in the enclosed envelope
to arrive no later than last post on Monday 14 June 2021. The result of the ballot will be
announced at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 16 June 2021.
Each candidate has been asked to provide brief details of their age, length of Club
membership, business career and connections with cricket. These are printed overleaf.
The names of the Members proposing and seconding each candidate appear on the ballot
paper.
You should not vote for more than three candidates as this will invalidate the ballot paper.
(*) indicates that the candidate is a sitting member of the General Committee.
Peter Edwards London
Age 39; Peter is passionate about the Club he has supported ever since his days as a KEGS schoolboy in
the 1990s.
His memories stretch back to Graham Gooch’s final years and go on to include Alastair Cook’s debut
in 2003, visits to away matches at Headingley, Durham and Edinburgh and the glory trail of the last five
years.
He thanks those Members who voted for him in 2019 and subsequently passed on their ideas and
questions about the Club. Since then, of course, Covid-19 has changed the way we live, work and watch
cricket. Peter said he knows Essex’s players, officials and volunteers have done their utmost to keep
members informed and lift everyone’s spirits including, of course, by claiming the Bob Willis Trophy.
Essex’s Committee works hard and Peter aims to build on this via the following:
• Regular Committee ‘drop-in’ sessions during the season.
• More women serving on the Committee.
• Increased communication with Members, especially with regard to updates on the ground, security and playing staff.
The Club’s finances have been managed carefully but, as the nation begins to emerge from the pandemic, several challenges
remain for the game. Peter hopes to bring the skills learnt as chief executive of London Community Credit Union, a lender with 50
staff, owned entirely by members.
Before taking up this role, Peter worked as a financial and political journalist, which included time at City A.M. and as a regular
commentator on Sky News and BBC radio. He also spent nearly a decade volunteering with rough sleepers in three UK cities and
two years serving on the Business Development Committee of Essex County Cricket Board.
He is a graduate of York and Edinburgh universities. He said he hopes his professional background and love for Essex qualify him for
a Committee role.
Vicky Ford MP Chelmsford
Age 53; Some of you may know Vicky as the Member of Parliament for Chelmsford, but you may not know
that she is a life-long cricket lover.
As well as Vicky being a “cricket widow”, her children played age group cricket for Saffron Walden CC, so
she has seen first-hand the important role played by youth and league teams in contributing to our local
communities and building the future of the game.
In Westminster, Vicky has been the Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cricket,
where she is lucky to work with Lord Haselhurst, another great supporter of Essex cricket.
It is a huge privilege to represent not only the great county of Essex, but Chelmsford itself, the
Headquarters of Essex cricket.
As the MP for Chelmsford, Vicky sees herself as a vocal advocate for the County Cricket Club at a time of great turbulence
and threat to the county game. She can represent the views of the club to Ministers and Parliamentary colleagues and help to
resolve difficult issues. Vicky is also an advocate for women’s cricket. As well as last year’s great victories for Essex Cricket, she was
proud to see the England Women win the 2018 tri-nations final at Chelmsford.
Prior to working in politics, Vicky had a career in infrastructure finance where she led projects across the UK and Europe. If elected
to the Committee, Vicky will also contribute her understanding of financial planning & business.
* Paul Harvey Hertfordshire
Age 48; Voted by the Members to the General Committee 4 years ago. Former Essex 2nd XI player, Essex
U19 Captain, Essex U19 ‘capped’ player and Young Player of the Year. Paul represented Essex at every
age group from U11.
Paul has a distinguished club career, representing Essex League, Essex Board, MCC, Club Cricket
Conference, Berkshire and played in multiple Essex Premier League winning teams for Wanstead and
Fives and Heronians.
During the years that Paul has been on the General Committee, the Club has seen outstanding success
on the field with back-to-back County Championships, the T20 title (including the double) and promotion
from Division 2. He is committed to achieving further success both on and off the field.
As we enter the second year of the Cornoavirus pandemic, Paul believes that stability and Committee experience is imperative to
navigate the Club through this unprecedented and challenging time.
Paul also feels his business skills and experience are increasingly relevant as the ECB are placing greater emphasis on ‘skills-based’
Boards. Paul has a proven track record of business success, having held executive board positions in PLCs, private equity backed and
privately owned businesses with turnover of over £500 million year and is currently co-owner and director of a £55 million a year,
counterterrorism and risk management business.
Paul brings a strong combination of passion, experience and expertise, an Essex playing career and up-to-date knowledge on the
running of the Club and would be honoured to continue to represent the Members.
* Ronnie Irani
Chelmsford
Age 48; Ronnie is a former Essex and England Cricketer who moved from Lancashire C.C.C. to play for
Essex C.C.C. in 1994. He made his England Test and One-Day International Debut in 1996 and quickly
gained cult status at Essex and became Club Captain in 2000.
Professionally he scored over 20,000 runs and took more than 650 wickets during a fantastic career and
won 5 major titles for Essex County Cricket Club as a player and captain. Ronnie remains a “popular”
figure at Chelmsford to this day. He announced his retirement from First Class Cricket at the end of the
2007 season.
Ronnie is currently Chairman of the Cricket Committee at Essex CCC which he first took up the role in July
2015 during a major re-construction of the Club.
During this period of 5 full cricket seasons Essex County Cricket Club has won;
Division 2 County Championship 2016
Division 1 County Championship 2017, 2019
T20 Cup Winners 2019
Bob Willis Trophy Winners 2020.
Ronnie would still like to remain on the General Committee, as he considers it a true privilege in helping his Club in any way he can.
Baiju Solanki
Leigh-on-Sea
Age 50; Baiju is father to three children and has lived in Essex for over 48 years.
Baiju has previously served three years on the Committee during which time the Club gained promotion
from Division Two.
He has been involved with club cricket as player and administrator for over 28 years and played for
Southend-on-Sea, EMT CC and Hadleigh & Thundersley CC.
Currently President of South Essex Cricket Board (since 2012) and has been Chairman of the Southend
Cricket Festival, Secretary of Southend-on-Sea and EMT CC from 2005-2013, during which time the
Committee raised £160,000 for the refurbishment of the Southchurch Park Pavilion.
Baiju is an entrepreneur, running his own training and coaching business since 2007. Previously he was a Psychology Lecturer and
Sales Director, named Southend Business Man of the Year in 2010 for helping small businesses and author of a business book.
Baiju feels that his small business experience and awareness of the power of social media and cricket experiences, will bring fresh
ideas and a modern approach to the Essex C.C.C. General Committee, which is especially needed in these times of change with the
domestic game.
Kate Walters
Swindon
Age 65; Kate has been watching Essex Cricket all her life with her family. She first became a Junior Member
and then a Life Member at 14, this was before any trophies were won and the squad of players was very
small. She has watched Essex play on all their home festival venues and visited many away grounds, a
total so far of over 60. Kate has certainly seen many changes over the years to the Club and watched all
the different formats of the game.
With the interest of Women’s cricket on the increase, Kate feels that a woman on the Committee would
be advantageous and bring a female Member’s perspective to the group.
Prior to her retirement as a Primary School Head Teacher, she also taught many sports including cricket
to both boys and girls. She is a strong believer of encouraging children from an early age to participate in physical activities and
watch live sports. Kate is also an avid West Ham supporter.
As a Head she was comfortable with meeting people and being an active member of committees. Her role saw her recruiting staff,
in charge of budgets and updating premises, with her organisational skills being her main strength.
Kate is married with a grown-up child. Living in Swindon, she is ideally placed to attend many away fixtures and has family members
living in Essex to stay with during the home games.
The Cloudfm County Ground New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0PG 01245 252420 www.essexcricket.org.uk administration@essexcricket.org.uk Essex County Cricket Club @EssexCricket @essexcricket
You can also read
