LEAGUE NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER 2016
What kind of Sunday 3rd XI cricket do you want?
CLUBS attending the Special General Sunday Third XI meeting at Warrington on October 19 were asked to state the type of cricket they prefer to play in 2017.
A satisfactory turn out of 34 clubs spoke mainly in favour of continuing with the current five division regionalised league structure, although with the rules of selection relaxed in some way to allow young 1st XI players to take part and improve what is perceived to be their alternative discipline.
A number of other clubs spoke in favour of forming a friendly structure with up to 12 games per season because they were unable to commit to a full competitive programme, yet wanted Sunday cricket for their players. It was suggested that these fixtures would be set out by the league and structured in a geographical manner as far as possible, without any qualification restrictions.
Chairman David Humpage said after the meeting: “We need to find out which format clubs prefer next season. We shall be asking all clubs to respond to a questionnaire as set out below.
QUESTION 1: Would you prefer to play in:
(a)The current league structure or
(b)A friendly structure
QUESTION 2: How many teams would your club anticipate fielding in either category.
QUESTION 3: If it proves impractical to operate a friendly structure for numerical or geographical reasons, would your club in (b) be willing to take part in a league structure?
Clubs were asked to respond by e-mail to: by November 30.
Among clubs not currently members of the league’s 3rd XI Sunday set-up who were present at the meeting were Caldy, Frodsham, Oulton Park and Winnington Park.
PETER LAWSON TO STAND DOWN
David Humpage told the League Cricket Committee’s October meeting that Peter Lawson will step down for medical reasons from all cricket administration when he has completed the questionnaire project.
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER: p2
FORTIES WELCOME WHALLEY RANGE(RS)
A CLUB from outside the Cheshire county boundary was admitted to the Over 40s section for the first time at their Special General Meeting in order to complete four divisions of eight in 2017.
Chairman David Humpage told the meeting at Warrington on October 19 that Whalley Range were a sound, well-run club, but their admission had to be viewed as a one- off purely to enable the Forties to play more cricket.
Currently members of the Greater Manchester League, Whalley Range were given the unanimous support of the 18 clubs present.
They will operate as Whalley Rangers in the eight-strong North-East Division alongside Bowdon, Bowdon Vale, Brooklands, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Sale and Urmston .
It was agreed that Bramhall would move back to the South-East Division, also with eight teams alongside Alderley Edge, Bollington, Bredbury, Macclesfield, Offerton, Poynton and Woodley.
The Central and West divisions to remain unchanged.
The 2017 fixture dates will run from Wednesday, May 3 to Wednesday, August 3, with quarter-finals on Wednesday, August 10 or by Sunday, August 20 at the latest.
Due to player unavailability on the Bank Holiday, future Finals will be played in September.
Pink balls to be used
Clubs agreed to experiment with the use of pink balls in the first two and the last week of the season and for one other fixture to be mutually agreed. They will also be used by clubs in the quarter-finials and provided by the league on Finals day. The cost per ball was about £6.
It was resolved that only Reader cricket balls as provided by the league should be used in all other fixtures. This means that clubs from outside the league will have to obtain a supply.
In his annual report, Competition secretary Mike Talbot-Butler regretted the record number of 16 fixtures which had been conceded last season, compared with three in 2015. He urged clubs to try and strengthen their squads and to consider fielding nine or 10 men rather than cancel fixtures on the day of the match.
There had again been talk among clubs of creating separate competitive and friendly sections, but nothing positive had transpired.
Clubs should apply the age limit strictly as there had been another breach of the rule last season, involving Grappenhall, which had resulted in their forfeiture of 28 points.
He congratulated Neston on retaining the Finals Day play-off trophy and Warrington on their excellent match-day arrangements.
Robin Maddocks is Eggheads winner
TIMPERLEY stalwart Robin Maddocks was in the Bowdon Griffin pub quiz team which recently beat the famous Eggheads to land a £4,000 prize on BBC 2 television.
A retired police officer, Robin said: “We were treated like royalty; taxi to the station, train to Glasgow, taxi to the studio, an overnight hotel, then back home next day.”
The Griffin beat the Eggheads on the final question “What national newspaper does Chris Evans edit?” The experts did not know that it was the Daily Telegraph
Robin went on: “We were delighted as the Eggheads fielded their best team including the wonderful Kevin. The MC Jeremy Vine treated us well and was most professional”.
The Griffin, who play in a local quiz league, fielded a team of five plus a reserve who was Robin’s wife Sue, so the Maddocks went away with £666 each. They have used part to decorate the house, with a little left over for a holiday in Crete”.
The television programme was shown live - amid much joy - at Timperley Cricket Club.
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER: p3
Proposed changes to
League rules & regs
THE final 2016 meeting of the League Cricket Committee agreed on a set of proposals to put before clubs for initial consideration at the November Management meeting at Timperley on November 16.
Voting on all changes will be made at the January Management /AGM at Bowdon on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. A list of the proposals includes:
O The President of Cheshire County Cricket Club shall no longer be Patron of the League
O League officers shall not be permitted to vote on changes to rules and regulations. This to become the sole responsibility of the clubs.
O An Executive committee to be formed comprising the Chairman, Deputy chairman and Secretary, meeting on an ad hoc basis to consider matters of strategic importance to the league. The Executive to refer all decisions to the Cricket Committee for ratification.
Captains committee
O A Captains committee of six members will consider all playing matters. They shall act as a bridge between the players and the Cricket Committee to whom it will make recommendations for change.
O In the Over 40s section, only balls approved by the league shall be used. Pink balls to be used for the first two weeks and last week of the season, plus one other to be mutually agreed; also from the quarter-finals onwards.
Finals Day to be staged on a Sunday date, rather than on Bank Holiday Monday.
Earlier starts?
O Due to increasing light problems, all Saturday match start times to be brought forward: alternative proposals to be put before clubs.
Clubs also given the right to bring forward starting times by up to one hour, with one week’s notice needed to notify umpires and league publications.
The following two proposals are being tabled by Warrington and seconded by Timperley. They do not have the support of the Cricket Committee:
O Fines should be levied at the rate of £10 instead of £15.
O All clubs shall be notified of the fines they have incurred on a month by month basis.
UMPIRE TONY MORRIS HONOURED
TONY MORRIS, the League’s longest-serving umpire (1979 – 2016) visited Lord’s on October 29 to receive an ECB Association of Cricket Officers (ACO) Honorary Life Membership.
He was presented with his award by the organisation’s retiring chairman Roger Knight, with Cheshire colleagues Alistair Davies, Martin Howe and James Emmerson looking on.
O The annual meeting of the League Umpires and Scorers Association is at Toft on Wednesday, November 9 (8 p.m.)
O Panel umpire Liam Spires recently suffered a heart attack, but is recovering well. The Association sent him a get well-card.
O Recruitment courses have been planned for the off season at Toft in November and at Oakmere in March with 25 pc inquiries so far coming from former players. Details from Geoff Young (e-mail: )
O A Walking Group has been formed by League secretary Geoff Wellsteed with the first outing planned to Hillbre Island off the Wirral coast on Thursday morning, November 10.
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER: p4
Club News
MACC CHAIRMAN’S AWARD
CHAIRMAN of Macclesfield Simon Griffiths has been named Cheshire East Council Volunteer of the Year and presented with a handsome trophy.
Organised by Everybody, a charity organisation attached to Cheshire East Council, the award recognises outstanding unpaid work in the community and Simon’s achievements heading up new ventures on the Macclesfield ground have been justly recognised.
Beating four other candidates, Simon is quoted in the October issue of the Club Newsletter: “I am really taken aback by winning this award which I dedicate to all the other outstanding volunteers at the club.”
Dave Frame has stood down as Macclesfield Forties captain.
New Davenham sponsors
DAVENHAM have announced a sponsorship deal with builders Stewart Milne Homes which will give them funds to buy for new coaching equipment.
Juniors co ordinator Karen Gallagher says the agreement will help the club purchase a new bowling machine, extra kit and more professional coaching time for their young boys and girls.
Davemham players will turn out with the Stewart Milne Homes logo on their shirts in 2017.
Timperley busy
RECRUITING early for the 2017 season, Timperley announce the acquisition of all-rounder Tyrone Lawrence and wicket keeper Chris Canning, both from Sale; also former Natal and Gloucestershire batsman Grant Hodnett, who played in the Moorside League last season.
Timperley also reveal that Kiwi all-rounder Dan Cooper who played for them in 2015-16 has settled in the UK and will become an ordinarily resident player next season.
Paceman Jack White, who took 38 Premier League wickets in 2016, will also be staying at Stockport road.
Toft Golf Day off
TOFT have postponed their annual Seniors Golf Tournament partly due to insufficient entries.
Organiser David Ward hopes to rearrange the event in the spring.
o Clubs are invited to contact Newsletter with news of any
close season developments.
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER: p5
£50 DEPOSIT TO ENTER CHESHIRE CUPS!
CLUBS will have to pay a returnable £50 deposit to enter the Cheshire Cup and Shield in 2017.
Organiser Peter Hayes felt badly let down by clubs conceding games in both competitions last season, often giving only a few hours notice and considered some safeguard had to be introduced.
“There are more than 130 clubs affiliated to the Cheshire Cricket Board, yet only 55 entered these competitions. Four later conceded in the cup and six in the Shield which is just not acceptable”, he said.
Clubs will be required to submit a £50 payment when they enter the 2017 competitions, the draw for which will be made in February. The money will be returned when the entrants complete their commitments to either competition.
Peter adds: “We are still without sponsors for both cup and shield. If any individual or company would like to contact me with a view to backing cup cricket in Cheshire I would be delighted to hear from them”.
His e-mail address is:
Seven Cheshire starlets at Lancs Academy
SEVEN of the most promising young cricketers in Cheshire will be receiving top standard coaching at the Lancashire Academy at Old Trafford, which is headed by former Bowdon spinner Gary Yates.
In the boys’ section are County League and Cheshire Young Player of the Year Henry Dobson (Tattenhall and Denstone College), James Crawley (Oxton and Shrewsbury School), Alderley Edge duo Sam Perry and Ed Fluck, who both attend Manchester GS and Urmston all-rounder Callum Turner.
Admitted to the girls’ section are Emma Lamb (Bramhall) and Sophie Eccleston (Alvanley).
CHESHIRE AGM
The Annual Meeting of Cheshire County Cricket Club is at the Windmill Hotel, Tabley (by the M6 / A533 intersection) on Tuesday, November 21 at 7.30 p.m.
National Cup ko
ENTRIES for the Royal London National Club knock-out need to be in ASAP.
Competition secretary Aaron Campbell ()
says further delay is unwise as the draw is to be made in early-Decdember.
Geoff Wellsteed seeks help with Pavilions book
LEAGUE secretary Geoff Wellsteed is getting stuck into his third book, the latest to he entitled “Pavilions In Splendour”, which he hopes to publish in a year’s time.
Geoff expects to identify up to 150 past and present Cheshire clubs, 108 of them in the current pyramid, plus others operating in neighbouring leagues or are defunct.
To do so he needs help and cooperation, especially pictures of pavilions, together with words and memories of club players, with anecdotes.
He can be contacted by telephone on 0151 625 6470 or 07743 909 232 or by e-mail on . Geoff will acknowledge all able to help him and return any books, or pictures or other offerings
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER: p6
A winning tour at last …Sri Lanka in 2001
THE latest cricket tour to be undertaken by the Sandiway branch of Gulliver’s Travels was in February – March, 2001 to the romantic island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean.
With the 2001 edition of the League Handbook safely tucked away in the publisher’s office, we set off on a cold February day for Colombo via Manchester and (unfortunately) Heathrow.
We left in the knowledge that England were already trailing 1-0 in the three-match series, having been mauled by Marvin Attapattu’s double century in a innings defeat at Galle.
However, while there’s life there’s hope and we joined a group of 30 fellow-travellers’ at Colombo in time to take the coach up to Kandy. Even though this is only 90 miles distant, it took five hours of tough travel on busy, poorly-maintained roads.
Up in the central hills Kandy was literally a breath of fresh air and we were soon out elephant riding, and visiting centuries-old antiquities at Dambulla then to the main tourist trap, the Temple of the Tooth, where one of Allah’s molars is the main attraction. We queued for two hours to get a 10 seconds peep.
And so to the Second Test at the Sigiriya CricketGround where the crowd was almost 50 pc Brit. And Nasser Hussain’s men gave a fine display, winning by three wickets: SL 290 & 250; England 387 (the skipper 109) and 161-7 (Goughie 4-50).
Hot it may have been, but it was disappointing to see the England players shoot off into the cool of the pavilion at the close. That is, apart from Robert Croft, who did his bit for PR working his way through hundreds of us. I got a lovely picture of the Croftie giving Wyn a huge hug, which I have framed at home.
The Tuk Tuk Master
There was an amusing incident outside the ground afterwards, recounted by a member of Jack Simmons’s tour party, David Mortimer. The man himself was waiting with his large group looking forlorn a full hour after the end of play, when a Tuk Tuk Master approached him (a TukTuk is a 3-wheel, 3-seater taxi type vehicle infamous throughout Asia). He said: “Mr. Simmons, sir: I have plenty tuk tuks take you hotel”. To which tetchy Jack snarled: “A 50-seater, air-conditioned luxury coach will be here any minute to take us. Please go away!” A further half an hour elapsed and Mr.Tuk Tuk sees the Simmons group still waiting and says: “Mr. Jack; I now have 17 tuk tuks (note the arithmetic) to carry you back hotel inutmost comfort - shall we go?” Jack this time listens to his increasingly impatient group and off they went like a fleet of ships.
Another Kandy memory: When our bus got us back to our hotel, the entire staff waving Union Jacks was lined up outside to cheer us in. What a wonderful gesture …where else in the world would that have happened?
So it was 1-1 with one game to go, at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo. Before that I was invited to umpire a match between the English and Sri Lanka Press corps at the British Ambassador’s private ground. The Brits won thanks to a sparkling 75 from former Test batsman John Edrich, selected on the slim grounds that he writes an occasional column in the Daily Express!
The decider was a low-scoring thriller which England won by four wickets: SL 241 and 81 (Giles 4-11); England 249 and 74-6 (Thorpe a match-winning 38 not out to follow his 113).
So at long last we experienced our first overseas tour victory with England and were right there when Sky’s Sir Ian Botham congratulated Nasser in an interview which went round the world.
Our trip to Sri Lanka was memorable: we couldn’t praise the people enough for their friendliness and sincerity and can recommend a visit to see cricket - or just to sight-see and relax.