Rookie Jill shocked to be our new captain

It’s going to be a baptism of fire for new club captain Jill Hatfield after Graham Brown reluctantly resigned due to his continuing injury problems, less than two weeks before the start of the season.

Chairman John Milsom immediately invited Jill - who had been looking to learn the ropes as vice-captain - to step up, even before she had experienced a single game as deputy.

And step up she has, quietly questioning what she has let herself in for, but with John’s full backing and the guaranteed support of a host of experienced players.

Graham’s decision came after his persistent back problems grew worse, and he told John he did not feel he could do himself – or the club – justice.

But he has promised to help Jill where possible, as have Jill Saunders, John himself and no doubt many others.

He said: “I’m not leaving the club. It’s just that I can’t play, and I can’t really do the captaincy any justice if I can’t play.”

John said: “Jill has to step up now. I wouldn’t have asked her if I didn’t think she could do it.”

Jill, who is starting her fourth season at the club, admitted she was a little apprehensive about her new role but pledged to do her best, confident of the support of senior members.

“I’ll do my best not to let the club down,” she said. “That is my priority.”

Change and consolidation

The new season is likely to be one of both change and consolidation.

While the person at the helm may be different, Haywards Heath still boasts a healthy membership and a growing number of social members.

And John is keen for them to make use of the all-weather surface, normally used during the winter months, throughout the summer.

Noting that several players had switched to social membership this year because of age or other limitations, he said: “I don’t want them leaving the club. I’d like them to try something slightly different."

On top of that, the club is now looking for people in the area to make use of the green-friendly wheelchair and ramp, purchased courtesy of a grant from Mid Sussex District Council.

Steps on to the green have already been installed and one or two players have tried out the bowling arm, also purchased in the past 12 months.

Another Chelsea visit

On the green, we will play around 70 friendlies, including visits by the Sussex VPs and The Friends of English Bowling, and there will be a rare second visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, right at the end of the season.

We have entered the Mid Sussex and John Spriggs Leagues, the Nicholas Soames Trophy, the Stewart Oxley, Edward and Gladys Rowland Cups, as well as the Tom Francis knockout competition.

While enjoyment is still the name of the game, John is keen for more players to step up – the newer ones by committing to more games and the established ones by trying their hand further along the bowling order and learning more of the art of reading the head, now that we have three qualified coaches in Jill Saunders, Anne Bosman and Bob Sutton.

County ambitions

John is also keen that experienced players honour the wishes of club stalwarts Doreen and Basil Kingshott by entering county competitions.

Doreen, a former Ladies’ singles champion and club secretary, sent a poignant message to the club following the funeral service for Basil – another dedicated former club champion – urging current players to follow in their footsteps and those of so many from past generations in representing the club on the county circuit.

She said: “I have already shared the love of the club that Bas had, and what he and I would now like to see, as a legacy, is more ladies and the men entering the county competitions and getting the name HH&BH back as it was in the late 1990s and 2010s.”

And then there is the prospect of increased competition for our club trophies.

John said: “We have some new people who are very good bowlers who are capable of winning cups in their first year. And I hope that might help attract more new bowlers to the club at our open days on May 17 and June 6.”