IF there is one team that deserves to enjoy some success on the cricket field it is Young Men’s Social Club. For so long the whipping boys of local cricket, the club have shaken off that tag and are starting to establish themselves as one of the top teams. Last weekend they tasted success in the Central Counties when they upset cup holders Devonshire Rec. in the final.Interestingly the man whom they thank for both that achievement and for lifting the club out of the doldrums, player-coach Charlie Marshall, stood unselfishly in the background as the team lined up at the trophy presentation.

But his contribution to the team over the last three seasons cannot be denied. Club secretary and cricket manager at Social Club, Dennis Hart, certainly appreciates what the veteran Cup Match player has brought to the team.

“He has a instilled a professional type commitment in the players and as a result they are training harder and trying their best to change their overall physical play on the field as well as their mental approach to the game,” said Hart who has endured the hard times over the years with both the club’s cricket and football teams.

“Obviously it’s an ongoing process and there is still quite a bit to be done but when you consider where we’ve come from in the last three seasons — this would be Charlie’s fourth season — when our aim was basically surviving to show that we belonged in the Premier. We ended up just missing out on a Belco Cup place (they came fifth).

“Last year we were runners-up to Southampton and with a little bit of luck could very well have won the league. This year the beginning we’ve had is pretty good, we just lost out on the Belco Cup which was a bit sad because they guys wanted to win it in their first year in it.”

Travelling to Devonshire Rec. last Saturday the players were determined not to be denied. The champions were heading for a total in the region of 250 when Rec. captain Dean Stevens made a decision that would change the course of the match. Stevens was on 69 at the time and in full flow with some 17 overs still remaining when he called for a quick single and was run out at the striker’s end by Terry Thomas’s direct throw.

Devonshire Rec. were kept to 184 in 44 overs, after which Marshall’s 54 took Social Club to the brink of victory when he and nephew Jemeiko Marshall (31) shared in an important stand of more than 70 for the fifth wicket. Now the club is hoping the victory will propel the team to even greater success, namely the league title. Certainly the club is backing Marshall and the goals he has for the team.“The club is very delighted with the turnaround of the team,” Hart assured. “Quite a lot of it goes to the credit of Charlie and what he has instilled in the players. If there was such a trophy for Coach of the Year he would have gotten it hands down.

“In a way he has stamped his attitude to cricket on the players. The guys have realised that we can’t rely on one or two people to do it, that we have to do it as a team. And you’re a bit more of that as the time goes by. Once upon a time people were saying it was only Charlie doing this, that and the other, but one can’t say that anymore. Yes, he still gets his big knocks but there are other guys getting big knocks as well.”

This season Social Club welcomed the return of Glenn Blakeney, and although he was missing on Saturday, they still managed to win comfortably.

“Glenn first came to the club because he promised his grandfather that he would play for the club his (grandfather) played for at some stage in his career,” said Hart.

“He also wants to help us with the youth side of things, to make sure we have this legacy right down the line. Charlie started it but obviously can’t do it all by himself.”

Up until the 1960s Social Club were a prominent club in local cricket. Even after that time they produced good cricketers with Dexter Smith and Hasan Durham both coming through the junior ranks before moving on to more successful clubs. Hart admits that with other clubs like Devonshire Rec, Boulevard, Western Stars and North Village in close proximity it is difficult to attract youth players in both cricket and football. Their past success on the football field has also been well documented.

“At one stage we had probably the premier junior (football) programme, but we ended up losing it as a lot of the kids went out to Dandy Town to play,” said Hart.

“In the last couple of years, we’ve put together another junior programme which is not just sports based but also education based and this is where we are putting our focus right now. We’re trying to put education up front, the footballing side of it is secondary but at the same time we’ve ended up producing a nice young team.

“We’re slowly trying to put the sports programmes back where they should be. We’re trying to make sure the foundation is laid and then we are going to have some kids come through in the long run.”

It was the cricketers themselves who took the initiative to get Marshall to the club a few years ago. “Some of the younger players in the team did it,” Hart revealed.

“They came to us asking for permission to find a proper coach for the team and we readily said go for it. We, the executives, said let’s see where this goes because for a long time it seemed that this was the thing to do, to go out on a Sunday and play a little cricket. It didn’t appear to be an overly serious thing. I know they were committed but it was more fun-based than anything.”

After Marshall was approached by the players he met with club officials, took the the players in couple of training sessions and made the decision to join them. The former Bermuda international was already in his 40s at that stage but the move has extended his playing career. He is still playing in his mid-40s and enjoying himself as was seen on Saturday.

“He asked questions as to what were our expectations and at the time we felt that in three years we would like to know that we were really competitive, probably knocking on the door of gaining promotion and then see where we can go from there,” explained Hart.

“The very first season he put together an undefeated round and won the First Division. We’re way ahead of our goals, when you think that we became competitive fairly straight away.”

Marshall’s signing attracted the likes of Kevin Hurdle, Kenny Phillip, Blakeney and Jemeiko Marshall in the first year. Nakia Smith, Dennis Pilgrim and Terry Thomas have also joined.

Hart is equally excited about the club’s home-grown players. Jaymo Durham was the leading wicket-taker last year and looks a good young prospect.

“I can’t understand why he didn’t even get a look-in, to be asked to train for any of the (national) squads,” said the secretary.

“They talk about the development of cricket and here is a young guy who you can groom to make him better and you leave him in the wilderness.”

Hart reminds that Social Club produced outstanding cricketers like ‘Pop’ Richardson, Ken Richardson, Dane Brown and Nolan Walker.

“We had some good teams in the past and we’re trying to get back there now,” said Hart. “God willing, and keeping old Charlie around, I think we’ll get there.”