Copdock pavilion named after Martin Taylor

August 29, 2021

MARTIN Taylor said it was ‘a great honour’ to have the pavilion at Copdock & Old Ipswichian Cricket Club named after him.

A ceremony was held at the club on Sunday to mark the occasion, which had been delayed for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 58-year-old joined the club at the age of 14 and has held a variety of roles as both a player and volunteer.

He played for the club’s U15 and U17 junior sides before progressing into the 2nd XI, playing regularly for both the 1st and 2nd XIs until the age of 49.

A medium pace bowler and middle-order batsman, Martin is the club’s seventh highest all-time appearance-maker with 484 and eighth highest all-time run-scorer with 6,483.

Martin, who also played for Suffolk Over-50s for one season, got involved in coaching the junior section at Copdock in 2005 and subsequently obtained his coaching qualifications.

“In my first full season we had 70 children, and 15 years later we now have 250 plus involved!” he said.

Martin also started helping with the grounds work at the Old London Road venue, which club chairman Nick Meakin described as “probably the best cricket ground in East Anglia” and it regularly hosts Suffolk county fixtures at all levels.

Spending 18 months working for the ECB as Suffolk’s Cricket Development Officer enabled Martin to learn about various developmental work and how to access funding.

He left that role in 2010 to work full-time at the cricket club, where he is head groundsman and has responsibility for the club’s trading and sponsorship, as well as coaching the U11s.

“This is a special place for both me and my family and it has been a big part of my life for a very long time, so to have this bestowed upon me is a great honour.”

Martin Taylor (left) is pictured outside the pavilion with Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC Chairman Nick Meakin (right) at Sunday’s ceremony.

 

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