5 questions with John Reeve
(Originally published December 13)
How and when did you first join Acton?
I joined in 1979 aged 11. I first got involved with Acton whilst still at junior school. Steve Basterfield, Mark Moore and Michael Woulfe were school friends who played at Acton and I tagged along. School summer holidays were spent playing cricket all day. The ‘bat until you are out’ policy certainly made you cherish your wicket. Prior to that my only cricket was in the back garden with the family, with similar rules (except for my grandad).
As Chairman of the club, what’s your vision for the future?
I think we would need a bumper edition to fit everything in here. So, a shortened version….
I would like to see the current 1st team still playing together for next 5 years plus or minus the odd change due to age, form and fatness. The first team is what your club is recognised for so it is important that we become a strong side playing in Division 2 of the MCCL. The 2's and 3's should have the same ambition: around about top part of Div 2 and in the premier league occasionally, always being sides that oppositions know they are going to have a tough game against.
I would love to find a new ground for 3's and 4's. This is high on club and my personal agenda (not long now!).
The 4's is about cricket and FUNdamentals; something I hope Sven can keep serving up weekly for as long as possible. For this to happen we do need extra numbers of senior standard players not just bodies but people who want to play for and with Acton CC. I am sure now we have the nucleus of the next generation in place but we will need the luck and or hard work of getting the likes of Steve Jones, Ryan McKee, Donny Fyfe, Rupert Nell, Yasir Mehmood just walking through the door and adding to our home grown talents.
Cricket is a very time-consuming sport, so in order to succeed we need to somehow make it a social event that people enjoy and can bring their family and friends too: the more the merrier and that leads to more hours played, better results and less fuss from family and friends.
The Colts are in a strong position with boys and girls making district and county squads. A lot of members take this for granted but our colts are our life blood on and off the pitch. Don't let us ever forget that and show appreciation to Matty, Olly, Sven and the whole team who do and have made that happen.
Now my blue sky vision… Socially I would love to see Saturday evenings at the club with all my old and new friends and their families at the club enjoying the fantastic facilities and surroundings with banter, stories, laughing and having fun while the kids run around in the safety that is the Park Club, introducing them to the ways of the club and the wonderful people within it. It is something my children had and I wouldn't change that for the world. Hopefully somehow we can fully reignite that family spirit that makes Acton CC so much more than just a cricket club!
What’s your proudest Acton moment?
Come on guys how can you ask me that?! 34 years, over 1000 matches, so many moments… Chairman, Club Captain, 2nd Xl captain, taking club into the county league, maiden century,164 in a cup semi-final, making Matty Turnell’s best ever Xl, getting back into the first Xl in the premier division, captaining a league cup winning side, beating Ealing, Teddington, Finchley and Richmond in 2nd XI league games. And there’s so, so many more. I have been spoilt at Acton with our successes - I remember when Mark Saggers came to Acton a few years back and he had been playing cricket at Brentham for 20 odd years and had never won a trophy. Obviously, that wasn't because he was a bad player, but this really brought it home to me how lucky I have been. Please allow me my top three proudest moments:
Firstly, scoring a century the day after my grandad died at The Park Club the wicket had cracks similar to the WACA and I got hit more times than I care to mention but I was focused on one result only. I got there with some great support play by a very young Alex Brennan and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Secondly, after being 2nd team captain for 8 years getting recalled to the first team in the club’s first ever assault at the MCCL premier league. I know there were doubters and people against it. So, to turn up and take a 6-fer first up and to get our first win was for me a very proud moment and to continue the season in the side and let people see I wasn't just a fat old sod tossing pies up in the air was very fulfilling.
Thirdly, and without doubt the proudest moment for me was being at the other end when Matthew scored his maiden century. A first Xl league game vs Highgate. Not only that but turning the game from a definite loss and it being a last wicket partnership to boot made it all that much better. Not many parents will have or have had the opportunity to do this, I am very fortunate
Who has been your toughest opponent?
Again too many to really single out…
On a skill level, Ali Brown and Mark Butcher were outstanding for Cheam (ask Olly!). Ramprakash at Bessborough; Chris Lewis and Philip Defreitas at Sudbury Court, and that's just the England players. So I will have to go on a threatening option and say Jimmy (“do you know who I am”) Choudry who at the time was playing for Shepherds Bush. After getting out and Tags and myself giving him friendly directions to the dressing room he said he was going to shoot us both! He then sat on the balcony at Bush with his "alleged" gun tucked up his jumper. What a t**t!
What’s your all time Acton XI?
I couldn't possibly get this right and it would change on a weekly basis. To make it easier for myself, and to fit in with what makes Acton so great, my team will be made up from players the club has home grown and is a team I would enjoy playing in week in week out!
Team Manager: John Lodge
Scorer: Richard Palmer
Bar Manager: Arthur Harvey
Bar: Gwen and Maureen
Kit Manager: David Sear
Selection Panel (critics corner) Titch, Harry Deegan, Motters, Saucy and Albert Towner
Teas: Hunt Family
Umpires: Brian Page and Hugh Williams
1. Steve Basterfield.
2. Arron Taggart
3. Matthew Reeve
4. James Hunt
5. John Reeve
6. Keith Hunt
7. Ian Reeve
8. Alex Brennan
9. Jav Sahota
10. Olly Harvey
11. Matthew Turnell
All bar Matty Turnell have scored a century!
Clearly missed out some real talent here Dave Holland, Mark Moore, Robin Singh all worthy but not enough games under their belts. Sunil Ghumra, Ali Ahmed (no century) both injured or at work so not available for selection. Tom Forsdike and Palash Joshi both have loyalty suspensions in place.
I’m sure I've missed out plenty of others too, so apologies all-round!