“When I first became a captain, selection was a case of sitting at the bar on a Tuesday night and physically calling everyone on the club’s landline number to see if they were available. Once I’d got my eleven, I handed the phone over to the 2nd team captain”
Getting Into Cricket
As a young child I hated sport, cricket in particular! My grandad and I would joke with my dad about how boring cricket was, but that all changed when I went to secondary school. A few memorable teachers got me into football and then cricket, so my dad took me to his old stomping ground, Dunlop CC. After a season there, where I learned the basics, I moved to Corley CC with my friends from school. I remember getting a certificate by David Tuckley, the then 2nd team captain, for my first 50. I think that certificate is still up on the wall in my mum’s house now!
Old School Cricket Club
Back in the mid 90’s, Corley CC was essentially a clubhouse and a field, maintained for free by voluntary members. There were a lot of ‘old heads’ around, very few women (except the tea ladies of course), and to my knowledge only one junior team. It was a pleasant environment for those who frequented it, but the level of cricket was relatively low compared with other clubs in the area. The ambition was always there but rarely seemed to be acted upon due to a range of restraints, namely financial.
First Team Debut
I made my 1st team debut at the age of 13 and remember vividly being 9 not out batting at 7, and getting the Solihull Municipal pro out lbw with my very first delivery. From there on there was no looking back and I guess I became part of the furniture at Corley CC. Here we are, 26 years on and I’m still plugging away in the 1st team as club captain, albeit at a slightly higher weight and certainly a little less athleticism!
Club Structure
Survival for single sport clubs has never been easy and we have had to be proactive and act fast on many occasions over the years. Forming a management committee was the best thing we ever did in my opinion. Having caring people prepared to invest their time into a long-term plan had huge advantages. We were able to access grants and loans for infrastructure, facilities and machinery, but probably most importantly we could invest in our youth.
Top Dogs
We have had a number of chairmen over the years but two of the longest-standing ones had a clear vision which was essentially to turn our club into a family club. Some of the things we did over the years seem trivial now, but things like swings and slides, ladies’ toilets, a range of drinks and sweets behind the bar etc have all helped towards making other stakeholders feel welcome, not just the senior players.
Becoming A Captain
Having played for the 1st team for some time, I was asked to become first team captain during my first year at University in 2001 at the age of 19. It was an opportunity which I snapped up. I remained as 1st team captain right through to 2017 and still now reside as club captain. Over the years I have had the luxury of being able to captain some very good players, some of whom have been a delight to captain and maybe one or two who were slightly challenging. My skills as a captain on the field got better with experience naturally but man managing was the most important thing for me. Over the years, we haven’t had many senior players leave for other clubs and I’d like to think that there are clear reasons for that, with Corley being so well run in the main and such a lovely pace to be. That said, captaincy is a thankless task and is not for the faint-hearted.
Family / Friends Support
I have been ably supported by my wife, Natalie, over the years. Having a partner who supports you and believes in you makes such a difference and she is as much a part of Corley’s transformation over the years as anyone else; she has been amazing!
You also find that you build friends for life when you remain at a club for some time. I have had some great support from both those older and younger than me over the years, especially on occasions when things got tough.
How Captaincy Has Changed
When I first became a captain, selection was a case of sitting at the bar on a Tuesday night and physically calling everyone on the club’s landline number to see if they were available. Once I’d got my eleven, I handed the phone over to the 2nd team captain. It was a far cry from nowadays, where it’s all very simple over WhatsApp / text / fancy apps. Captaincy was also far more individual back then I found - you were on your own!
Nowadays, with the media coverage that we get, everyone is a lot more knowledgeable about the game, so you often find three or four voices on a pitch and a lot of help or support if you need it. Years ago, this wasn’t the case, and it was all down to the captain.
Spirit Of Cricket
For me, this is the most important aspect of cricket without fail. After a couple of years as captain, when I was bigger, stronger and a lot more confident, I felt like I pushed the boundaries of the spirit of cricket now and again. It has taken me a long time to rebuild relationships with clubs and opposition players since my mid-twenties and these days I find myself turning up at venues where I am greeted warmly and the atmosphere is very pleasant (there’s a lot more grey hairs floating around however!). If I could change anything from the past, I would have respected the opposition a little more and probably not taken it quite as seriously as I did. The spirit of cricket is still very much alive, and it should very much stay that way.
Loyalty
I’ve accumulated a fair few runs over the years and have been asked to play elsewhere, often at a higher level on multiple occasions, sometimes to get paid, sometimes just to play a better level. Despite even my dad’s urgings, I never felt the need to move.
I’ve been labelled ‘big fish in a small pond’ many times, but that has never phased me, I know my limits and would rather spend my weekends with people I know and like whilst helping to build and improve the club I love. In a world where everyone seems to be out for themselves right now, the world ‘loyalty’ is often under-used and under-represented.
Great Memories
Some of the events that have occurred at Corley over the years are quite simply unpublishable but a few memories that stick in my mind over the years are: The Lashings Game 2013, The Jonpaul Mcgrane dance, John Wilson’s beamer, every teammate’s first 50 or hundred, cup final wins, radio station broadcasts, themed nights, junior league wins, Tom Randle’s 18th birthday party, my 30th birthday party, Stuart Higgins first ever 6 and awards nights. Most importantly for me though, I got to bat out in the middle with my dad Barry, my brother Matthew. and my stepson Jack. My other son James is only eight years old, so I have plenty of time to continue investing in the youth and look forward to still trying to be good enough to compete with him and Jack in 5 or 6 years’ time.
Youth Section
Putting the focus into the youth section is the best thing any cricket club can ever do. Not only does it create your future players, without having to pay or beg them to join, but also they come with parents, friends and families too, who are often willing to help out in voluntary capacities and if not, well, they are often putting money behind the bar! Our club fixture list is absolutely jam-packed, and it is very rare there is a date in the summer where our ground is available. It’s a fantastic position to be in, but it doesn’t come easily. You need some committed head coaches and enough coaches to cover a full section - recruit, recruit, recruit has been our philosophy.
With the ECB’s Allstars and Dynamos initiatives, cricket is starting to thrive again, like it did after the 2005 Ashes. Long may that continue!
In Summary
My 26 year journey at Corley CC has not been straightforward, but it has been hugely rewarding. It fills me with pride when an old member comes to see the club as it is now and gasps at its renovation. I have had the pleasure of working with some quite brilliant people over the years, which has really helped turn the club into what it is now - a thriving family club with a strong youth section and high aspirations. Here’s to another 26 years…..
Paul Williams (Willo)
Corley CC Club Captain, August 2021
