Every year we try to provide an opportunity for a good young overseas cricketer to spend the summer at Ashley. It’s great for the club to have someone helping out with the coaching, as well as strengthening the first team and inspiring the juniors with his performances.

The host families that have provided accommodation in the past have often formed lasting friendships and have even sometimes visited the player in their home country.

The club supports the host family by reimbursing expenses and ensuring that the player has a clear understanding of what is expected from him, whether that’s fitting into family life or looking after himself independently, coaching the kids, or house sitting while the family is away on holiday, for example.

Invariably it’s a positive experience for the player, the hosts and the club, so we hope that a host family will be able to welcome our chosen player for all or part of the coming summer.

We would like to make an offer to Kiwi all-rounder Sukhjit who has finished his school education in Hamilton, New Zealand and spent last summer playing for Blyth CC in Northumberland. This is what they have to say about him:

“He is a great bloke and a fantastic cricketer and I have no doubt that he will be a huge asset to your club. On the pitch, he was a great performer, scoring over 1000 league runs and taking over 40 league wickets.

He was equally impressive off the pitch. He threw himself into life at the club, supporting with training and ground preparation and was a large factor in our U15 side winning the County plate. He was happy to give his time to support others with the development of their games too.

He worked in a cafe owned by our main sponsor, and they were very impressed with his commitment, reliability and work ethic.

We put him up in a house which he treated with the utmost respect, keeping it clean and tidy.

In short, all at the club loved having him with us. We would have loved him to return, but it's only right that he challenges himself at a higher level.

Andy Clark, Vice-Chair, Blyth CC”

Since his summer in Northumberland, he’s been back at home in NZ working in a warehouse. He’ll be returning to the UK on a visa that allows him to work so, when he’s not helping out at Ashley, he’s hoping to find a job perhaps in a warehouse or pub/bar/café or supermarket. (If any members have an opportunity for him, we’d be delighted to hear from them.)

If you might be interested, we would love to hear from you with some degree of haste so that we can confirm the signing of this excellent young cricketer who also seems to be a very fine young man. We think he will be a super addition to the Ashley family. Please get in touch with Steve Busby or Brian Birtles or any of the Committee for an informal chat.

Many thanks!