30 Nov 2025
by Huw Turbervill
You don't really know how much you miss someone until they are gone.
Eighteen years as a club chair is an epic innings. And everyone at Beddington CC must be hugely grateful for all the work Andrew Tibble has put in since he succeeded Ian Hollyman in 2007. The former school principal will be standing down as chairperson at the AGM on December 14 (3pm), and whoever follows will have big shoes to fill.
“The club had hit dizzy heights in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, and I joined towards the end of that heyday,” Andrew told the Beddo Blog. “We won the limited-overs Decca Cup a couple of times, while the previous Beddo sides had won the prestigious London Evening Standard Trophy. I have remained a member of Beddington since then, save for 10 years spent in Essex in the 1980s.
“In 2007 after retiring from playing, I was approached by Micky Lewis about the chair job, and then the year after, Tony Cummins became president. There have been lots of changes in my 18 years in post and we are recognised as being in a good position on and off the field.
“Finances and events have been challenging over the years… things like needing a new roller, a non-turf pitch and new nets, and the burst pipes (twice!) and failing heating system. But there have been the rewards, like the Division One status of the 1st XI, and development of the junior and women/girls sections. We’ve been fortunate with the wealth of volunteers sharing the load having assumed various roles – and it is this time of the year that we look to refresh the ‘team’.
“The minimum that we expect of members, though, is to accept their responsibility with regard to payment of match-fees and sub. My single regret in stepping down is to leave my committee colleagues with this housekeeping aspect to be addressed.
“The change in the catchment area for new members has also been a massive challenge. Beddington used to attract bright lads/good cricketers from the grammar schools, but now so many pupils are shipped in from anywhere and everywhere, so we miss that regular feed. We work with local state schools, some of whom do not play cricket at school, while other clubs benefit from local independent cricket-playing schools in more affluent areas. We are therefore all the more proud of what we have achieved with about 250 juniors.
“We run five men’s Saturday teams, and not many clubs manage that. Our women’s and girls’ game are progressing well. We have done a phenomenal amount of work with primary and secondary schools and charities, and with a refugee group, who train and play under the label of Surrey Eagles. Other partnerships are sustained, like with Carshalton FC, and new ventures developed, for example Skillz Utd Junior FC, ACE, Surrey Cricket Foundation, charities and local schools, and Surrey Disability Cricket.
“We are fortunate to have two good cricket wickets, and we’d like them to be used as much as we can. The investment in the grounds and work of Jon Williams, our groundsman, is rewarded with what I believe still represents the best club cricket ground in the county.
“I’m not running away from the club! I’ll be here to assist, to offer advice as sought, and will still come and watch. The women and girls’ section needs to keep expanding, and we must keep improving contacts with local schools.
“One source of frustration over the years has been the maintenance and development of the clubhouse. The solution may be to redevelop the building completely, as has been achieved by clubs with perhaps greater finances, whereas to date we’ve focused upon repairs. The council have been supportive over the years as ‘landlords’, but our accessibility project – for which we have planning permission for a lift and accessible toilets, has been thwarted by a lack of finances again.”
Overall, though, it’s been a happy time for Andrew.
“I’ve been a member at the club for more than 50 years, and looking back today at club photos and/or history, I recognise the family aspect with familiar names stretching back over the decades as junior members, adult members, coaching and/or on a committee. That’s a family club, with president Antony Cummins as head of the family.
“I still love seeing parents and youngsters playing and watching the game at Beddington. I have often cited in my support for the game of cricket and of our club, ‘Where and how would I wish to see my children occupied for six/seven hours on a weekend, making friends and having fun in a safe and welcoming environment?’”