There are just 50 days to go before the first draw of the Worcestershire Supporters' Association's Fifty-Fifty competition of the 2017 season.
More than 800 members participated in the four draws last summer in which the prizes range from £50 to £500 for each draw.
And Association chairman Andrew Jenkins reports that more than 500 people have already entered the 2017 competition with the numbers set to further increase now the new cricket season is underway.
The four draws will take place on Sunday June 25, Sunday July 30, Sunday August 20 and Sunday September 17.
The participants in 2016 came from all over the UK with 33% from Worcestershire towns and villages, 22% from Worcester city and its suburbs, 8% from Birmingham, Dudley and West Midlands, 7% from Herefordshire, 5% Gloucestershire and 4% Shropshire.
The remaining 20% or so were from Warwickshire 19, London 16, Staffordshire 13, Oxfordshire 12, and Surrey 8. Then, the sphere of influence spread widened to Northants 7, Devon 7, Cambridgeshire 6, Berkshire 6, Yorkshire 5, Wales 4, Cumberland 4, Cheshire 4 and Sussex 4.
Counties represented by isolated pockets of Pears supporters were, Bedfordshire, Bucks, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Kent, Northumberland, Herts, Suffolk, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. There were also Fifty-Fifty members in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Northern Ireland, and the islands of Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.
Association committee member Dave Kennedy has taken over the running of the competition which was the brainchild of the late chairman Ken Mills MBE.
It again costs £20 to enter and profits from this competition will, as always, go towards the Ground Improvement Fund.
Application forms can be obtained from Dave Kennedy c-o the County Ground, New Road, Worcester, WR2 4QQ and in the Association shop on match days.
Anyone wanting to enter the competition should make cheques payable to the Worcestershire County Cricket Supporters' Association (WCCSA).
The 2017 prize structure will be:
First prize – £500
Second prize – £250
Third prize – £200
Fourth-eighth prizes – £100
Ninth-12th prizes – £50
Supporters' Association annual memberships can also be renewed at £5 for adults and £2 for juniors Andrew Jenkins – also c-o the County Ground – with cheques again made payable to 'WCCSA'.