Club watch

Kookabuura Club of the Month
When Simon Jones fizzed his fifth ball past Virender Sehwag's nose on his Test debut in 2002 at Lord's, his father Jeff Jones wasn't surprised. Ten years earlier Simon was scaring batsmen twice his age in South Wales for Dafen CC. Jones Snr would have been proud - he helped create the nationally admired Dafen youth policy, which has helped Dafen win Club of the Month.

Dafen have excelled on and off the field since 1974 after they initiated a youth programme to get local youngsters from 11 upwards to play regular cricket and receive specialist coaching. It has spawned several first-class players, including Glamorgan's Dean Cosker, Tony Cottey, Geoff Holmes, Steve Barwick, Wayne Law and Northamptonshire's Steffan Jones.

Jones Snr says the success of Dafen's youth policy is based on sound financial management, good facilities, specialist coaching and a local recruitment policy that guarantees Dafen usually get the pick of the local talent.

"The early pre-season training in March is a big factor in the success of the youth policy," says Jones. "The kids' techniques are refined early on and we get more time for one-on-one coaching. Bringing them in early also brings them closer together; having strong bonds of friendship is really important, and you always see the kids who meet at cricket playing football together in the village during the winter."

Today the club hasn't forgotten its roots in the local community and a promising crop of youngsters is fast emerging, all keen to follow in Simon Jones' footsteps. Jones Jnr, who still returns to offer advice and coaching, started attracting attention from counties as a 13-year-old playing for Dafen.

His father remembers the shock of several opposing batsmen who mistook his youth for easy runs. "Simon's first ball would whistle past the batsmen's nose," says Jeff. "That was always followed by the batsmen getting together in the middle with a look of shock on their faces and conferring."

Dafen CC win a Youth Kit bag from Kookaburra, comprising three junior bats, three pairs of junior pads and gloves, a pair of keeping pads and gloves and six balls. All monthly winners will be entered into the overall Club of the Year award to be announced in the November issue. The winners will receive the kit bags plus 16 Kookaburra shirts embroidered with their club badge, a bat signed by Graham Thorpe and a chance to meet him.

Cockspur Club Cricketer of the Month - Ahmad Elech
The Cockspur Club Cricketer of the Month returns this year after a successful 2004, and TWC invites you to send in nominations.

A record-breaking innings of 222, including 19 sixes, from Ahmad Elech, of Ealing CC in west London, has won him the June Cockspur Club Cricketer of the Month award.

Ahmad's huge innings came in the Evening Standard Challenge Trophy, and is a record for that competition. Coming in at No. 3, Ahmad helped Ealing to 440 for 6 in 50 overs - five runs short of another competition record.

"I started off slowly," says Ahmad. "My first hundred came in the 37th over. After that it was unbelieveable, especially the last five overs. I was trying to hit six sixes in an over; I managed three sixes in each of the last two overs."

Ahmad is having 2nd XI trials with Kent and Worcestershire, and is hoping to break into county cricket.

May's winner was Grant Humphries right of Bridgend Town CC. He was presented the award by club president Charles Griffiths.

The monthly winners will be put forward for the Cockspur Club Cricketer of the Year.

Monthly winners receive a bottle of Cockspur VSOR rum, an award certificate and a Woodworm bat. The overall winner will receive all that and more - including a Woodworm makeover and an invitation to the Club Cricket Conference annual lunch later this year.

If you would like to enter, or nominate a club or person someone for entry to either of these awards, please write or email us, providing your contact details, the reasons for your nomination (including the dates and performances you would like considered) and details of your club Please send your entry to:

Cockspur Club Cricketer of the Month / Kookabuura Club of the Month
The Wisden Cricketer
1.4 Shepherds Building
Charecroft Way
London, W14 0EH
clubcricketer@wisdengroup.com