SUCC - Freshers 2018-19

Welcome to SUCC!
In your first weeks at University you will be bombarded with new information and experiences and therefore some people can miss out on goings on at SUCC early in the year. Others of you may be interested in a number of clubs and societies and will be looking to be sold on which one to join. I can promise you that joining SUCC will be one of the best decisions you will make at University. If you don't see us at the Bunfight during Freshers Week then contact us through this website or on Facebook and you are sure of a warm welcome into the club.

Information on Socials and  Tour can be found by clicking the links. 

Importantly, unlike many other large AU clubs, we do not have trials to enter the club. Everyone is welcome! We have many members who play serious County and Premier League cricket at home but similarly we have many members who are, in their own words "village", and everything in between. Our 1st XI playing BUCS Premier League West and our 4th XI play in the bottom University division so there is cricket for all and if you pay your subs, you're in. 

However, as will become clear, the club has far more to offer than just on field matches...
Joining the club
Details of the taster session (designed for all abilities) will be circulated widely and after that the club will start netting regularly at the Ageas Bowl. Sessions are open to all who have paid their subs. Subs are £100. This pays for all winter training and coaching, travel for all SUCC training and matches, entry into indoor and outdoor BUCs leagues, access to St Cross Symondians CC training facilities and a qualified coach for pre season week, umpires to officiate all matches and training equipment provided by the club, so certainly represents good value for money.

Check out our susu page for further information and to pay subs!

https://www.susu.org/groups/cricket-mens

The club has two training squads through the winter - imaginatively named Squad 1 and Squad 2.
 
Squad 1 is made up of players we believe will be making up the majority of the 1st and 2nd XIs in the summer term, whilst Squad 2 is made up primarily of 3rd and 4th XI players. These are only training squads, however, and there is movement between the squads throughout the winter and being in Squad 2 wont stop you from playing for the 1s or 2s in the summer if your performances are strong. The 2013 1st XI captain Ed Nichols and 2017 and 2018 1st XI regular Charlie "Ned" Dale started their SUCC career in Squad 2 as have many other 1s and 2s stalwarts so don't be put off. 

The aim of these squads is to give players a chance to net at the Ageas Bowl with people of similar ability so that all get more out of the session.
Indoor Cricket
Indoor Cricket takes a new and exciting turn this year with the introduction of the inaugural Wessex Indoor Premier League (WIPL). Moving away from the South Hampshire Indoor Cricket League for the first time, the WIPL will be a franchise based, IPL style indoor tournament providing greater opportunities to experience Indoor Cricket throughout the winter months. For those already accustomed to the challenges of the indoor form of the game, it is also a fantastic platform to showcase your ability in the lead up to both BUCS against other Universities and the highly anticipated Varsity in March. In 2018 it was the turn of Portsmouth to make the short journey to Southampton and in front of a large crowd packed into the terraces of the old sports hall the 2s and 3s secured victories, enough to secure overall success despite a 1s defeat. All in all, Varsity proves to be one of the most eagerly anticipated days in the University calendar and 2019 is set to be no different. 
Stash

When you do turn up to lectures, you'll notice that a decent amount of students will be plastered in 'stash' from their club or society. At SUCC we don't like being outdone on that front and offer a wide variety of kit, including:

Playing shirts
Hoodies
Jumpers
Baggy Caps
Training shirts
Shorts & trackies
Social Shirts
Ties

And much more. This year Praveen Bhatti will be in charge of making sure that we have the best stash in Wessex, with Club Towels a recent addition last year.
Though some of us will spend a disgraceful percentage of our student loan on club kit, the only compulsory items of kit to buy are a playing shirt (roughly £30) and a club tie (£15). A baggy, possibly the best bit of kit going, is mandatory for aspiring first team players and strongly recommended for everyone else.


Pre-season
In early April, SUCC brave the often cold temperatures for Pre-Season week. We come back to uni a week before the start of the summer term and have a week of intensive training at local Southern Premier League side St Cross Symondian's ground, as well as matches during the week.
 
There are regular social events and this week is a great way to get into the mood for the season.
BUCS Season
It can feel a long time coming but come April everything gets a bit hectic! We run 4 sides in BUCS competition, the 1st XI and 2nd XI will come up against each other in 2019 playing in the BUCS Western 1st division, while the 3rd XI play in the Western 2nd and the 4th XI play in the Western 3rd in 2019. 1st XI and 2nd XI home matches are played at Premier League ground St Cross Symondians whilst the 2s, 3s and 4s play at the University sports ground, Wide Lane. Away trips are generally in minibuses down to the South West and matches are generally played on Wednesdays and Sundays. Matches are 50 over limited overs contests.

Cricket Week
The SUCC year ends with Cricket Week. SUCC leavers take on the MCC at the St Sross Symondians cricket in an all day game and there are various inter-club matches. In this week there are numerous social events and the AGM, and this caps off the year in style. AGM is held every year at the prestigious Ageas Bowl Hilton Hotel sweet.