Mill Hill Village Cricket Club will play Paddington CC on 19th July in honour of Ron Bunning
Mill Hill Village Cricket Club will hold its annual memorial game in honour of colts founder Ron Bunning on Friday 19th July taking on Paddington.
The eagerly awaited T20 clash, starting at 5.30pm, is the crown jewel of Mill Hill Village’s Cricket Week, which this year will feature at least 11 fixtures in just six days. Mill Hill Village will field as full a strength side as possible against the always formidable Paddington team.
This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the memorial match, and supporters are urged to come and cheer on their teams.
Ron Bunning’s son, Chris (pictured, back row, far left with the Paddington team after the 2021 memorial game), shared the significance of the event.
“Dad passed away in 2001 and we have been playing this match in memory of him every year since 2002. Dad first played for Paddington CC in 1947 and continued until the late 1980s. At Paddington, we only played on Sundays and bank holidays, and Dad joined Mill Hill Village to play on Saturdays. Sons Dave and Richard both played for Mill Hill Village also.
“While Dad was there, he and Vince Holohan started a colts section around the early 1970s and many ex-colts have represented the Village since then.
“The colts section continues to function and thrive, and many ex-colts are now in one of the four adult teams that Mill Hill Village put out on a Saturday in the Herts league. So the annual match is to remember Dad’s contribution to both Mill Hill Village and Paddington over many years.
“We look forward to seeing everyone again on Friday 19th July.”
Mill Hill Village’s junior section is indeed thriving, with the newly launched Under 10s girls team, Mill Hill Finches, and teams spanning Under 11s to Under 17s. The club also continues to host Dynamos and All-Stars Cricket successfully. Hundreds of youngsters have come through since Ron Bunning and Vince Holohan started the colts section, many forming a lasting bond with the club.
Director of cricket and head coach Phil Smith said: “The Ron Bunning memorial game against Paddington is definitely one of the best social events of the year. We usually get a great turnout, including a load of old boys come who like to relive past glories!
“It’s also nice to celebrate the setting up of the junior section. I joined it in 1979, about four or five years I think after Ron and Vince first instigated it. The juniors section is on an upsurge at the moment, with seven junior teams all competing in our area’s higher divisions. On our Friday night training sessions, we generally get 60-80 kids, with up to around 100 on our books. The juniors season is just drawing to a close and it’s been a successful season where we’ve won more games than we’ve lost and generally finished second or third.”
Mill Hill Village Cricket Club hopes to see as many members and supporters as possible for an action-packed tribute to a club legend.
For information about youth cricket at Mill Hill Village, visit millhillvillagecricketclub.co.uk.
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