The all-day free event at our Burtonhole Lane home always takes place on the Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend and is a highlight in the club's summer cricketing calendar.

All Mill Hill Village members, past and present, as well as their friends, are invited to attend.

The format for the day is as follows:

1200: Arrival of players and welcome breakfast

1300: – Commencement of matches
Front Pitch – President's Select XI vs Club XI
Back Pitch – A themed inter-club game (theme TBC; in recent years themes have included over 30s vs under 30s and a Rest of the World XI vs an Asia XI)

1600: Lunch/tea. Snacks and refreshments will be available throughout the day but the main food options will be served during the innings break, probably around 4pm.

1630: – MHVCC cricket nets official opening by the outgoing president, Richard Downes

1645: Matches recommence

1900: Post-match analysis and refreshments

The event is free for guests and players (no match fees will be taken). Players who want to take part should contact the club through Mill Hill Village’s Director of Cricket Phil Smith to confirm their availability.

Smith talked to millhillvillagecricketclub.co.uk about the changing nature of President’s Day at the club over the years: “This used to be an all-day event, with cricket starting at 11am. A sit down, several-course lunch was served at 1pm with wine, port - the works. Getting motivated to go back out after this was always a challenge! A sumptuous traditional cricket tea was then served between innings or at an appropriate juncture after that. Times change though and all-day games seem to have gone out of fashion and have more or less died out in recent years."

Smith added: “This will be Club President Richard Downes’ last President’s Day after four years in the role. Presidential terms used to be three years only and stayed this way until a few years back, when we changed the constitution to enable longer/indefinite terms.

'The club is all about the people and the lifetime friendships forged. It is also my local club, which I think makes it extra special' I Richard Downes
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Smith added: “It is traditional for the club president to fund a proportion of the catering and available refreshments and I’m pleased to say that this is a tradition that Richard has upheld very well.

“There are no match fees levied for players, so this is the one day of the year when we effectively pay members to play - albeit in food and beverages!

“This largesse also helps to attract a few visitors, generally in the form of past members who tend to pop in throughout the day, to catch up with old friends and to enjoy and partake in the president’s hospitality.”

For more information about President’s Day, email info@millhillvillagecricketclub.co.uk.