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Junior League Secrestary's Report Season 2000
The fact that the Northern League became a Premier League on the 48th season of its existence, it semmed to me that it has taken an awful long time for the powers that be to confirm what we have all known for decades.
The Northern Cricket League is the Premier League, and it is good to report that the younger members of the competition proved, yet again, that they are more than a match for other leagues in the North West.
The Inter-League season began later than usual on June 11th at Blackpool's Stanley Park ground against a formidable Bolton League.
As usual the majority of the Bolton side had County representative experienceand, in many peoples eyes, they were strong favourites to march into the semi-finals of the Manchester Evening News Competition.
For seven of the Northern League side it was their Inter-League debut, but in a tense low scoring game they all played like seasoned veterans.
Batting first, on a slowish track, the home sides score of 123 for 7 appeared far from adequate and knowing the opponents potential it seemed that the Northern League would have to bowl out of their skins even to make a game of it.
In the first innings, a splendid example was set by Daniel Hagen (Lancaster) with 45 and Chris Watkinson (Blackpool) with 29 not out, and, but for a spirited sixth wicket stand of 27 by Richard Rounding (Leyland DAF) and Aaron Wall (Blackpool), the game would have been beyond recall.
However, we should not have worried, as our bowlers were on top form and were far too good for the Bolton batting
line up on the day.
James Anyon (Preston) started an outstanding Inter-League season with figures of 2 for 19 from his 10
overs and he was well supported with the new ball by Karl Marsland, who had 3 for 29.
The pressure on the Bolton batsmen was maintained by spinners Zac Taylor (St Annes) who conceded only 10 runs from his 10 overs and Captain and "Man of the Match", James Aspinwall (Leyland DAF) with the magnificent return of 8.5 overs, 5 maidens, 5 wickets for 11 runs.
To beat our good friends from the Bolton League is always an achievement but, to come out on top on this occaision was a good a victory by the representative team as I can remember in my years as manager.
The first game in the Royal and Sun Alliance North West Colts Trophy followed two weeks later at St Annes.
On a wicket made for batting we were invited to bat first and the spectators were treated to a splendid display of positive batting in totting up a score of 257 for 6 in the allotted 50 overs.
Excellent knocks of 41 by Ian Cordingley (Darwen) 31, from Chris Watkinson and 29 in 26 minutes by Aaron Wall contributed to the excellent total but the innings of the day was by Stephen Croft who unfortunately run out attempting his 100th run.A sad end to a wonderful innings but I'm sure he will enjoy many more centuries during the coming years.
If we thought the game was in the bag at tea, we soon found that our opponents from the Derbyshire and Cheshire League were no push over.
It took excellent returns from James Anyon - 4 for 28, and Zac Taylor - 3 for 28 and tight support from the other bowlers to restrict the opposition to 188 for 9 at the close.
A win by 69 runs was very satisfactory but the fact that we did not earn an additional point for taking all 10 wickets would prove to be very costly before the season was out.
Our annual fixture against the Lancashire Under 17 Squad was held at Preston's West Cliff ground, on the 29th June, and again we were to prove that we are up there with the best of them.
Again, Stephen Croft showed his undoubted class with 91 and he was ably supported by Darwen opener, Mark Hadfield (50) and Chorley's Kyle Dixon with 21.
The score of 196 for 5 in 69 overs bowled did not appear too be too impressive but figures of 14 overs, 3 for 27 by Zac Taylor set the trend for the other bowlers and Lancashire hung on to the close, scoring 109 for the loss of 5 wickets.
Game four saw us entertain the Saddleworth League in the semi-final of the Manchester Evening News Trophy, again the venue being St Annes.
Our opponents batted first but the bowling of Zac Taylor (7 for 11 in 8.2 overs) and James Anyon (2 for 15) proved too good and a total of 71 all out was overhauled for the loss of two wickets by the home team.
The second round robin game in the North West Colts Trophy was on Warrington Cricket Club's impressive ground against the Cheshire County "A". The pitch however, proved to be very slow and run making proved to be difficult.
Our bowling attack performed well with Stephen Croft (3 for 25) and Rhys Williams, with figures of 10 overs, 6 maidens, 2 wickets for ameagre 5 runs leading the way.
Consequently our opponents only managed 135 for 8 in the 50 overs allowed.
The Northern League reply was also some what pedestrian but double figure innings from four of our six batsmen saw us home safely with some five overs to spare.
The next game turned out to be our final one in the North West Colts Trophy for another year.
Our opponents, the Cheshire Cricket League, entertained us royally at Weaverham Cricket Club and quite honestly, on paper we should have walked the game, but of course, as we all know, cricket is played on grass not paper.
Batting first, we consistently lost wickets throughout the innings, with no one, other than Mark Hadfield and Kyle Dixon really troubling the scorers.
In fact but for an absolutely blistering innings late in the order by James Anyon (51) the game would have been all over by 5 o'clock.
As we all thought, our score of 152 all out never looked like being enough and the boys from Cheshire passed our total for the loss of 7 wickets with some 6 overs in hand.
I mentioned earlier that our failure to take the final wicket against the Derbyshire and Cheshire League would be costly and so it proved.
With that extra point we would have qualified for the semi-finals instead of the Cheshire County League "A", who topped our division.
In a tight game they overcame the Liverpool Competition by 9 runs in the semi-final and went on to win the final at Neston Cricket Club on the 3rd of September against the Ribblesdale League.
Three weeks earlier, the Ribblesdale League had been in another Inter-League final, namely the Manchester Evening News Trophy against ourselves at Preston.
the weather was dull, in fact it never really got properly light all day, and the Ribblesdale League wisely elected to bat first.
Again, our bowlers performed admirably with two wickets each for Anyon and Williams and three for 37 for James Aspinwall who again captained the team with great imagination and style. (If only he had been available for all our matches.).
The score of 161 for 9 looked like being just too many for us considering the light situation and a wicket that got slower as the games progressed.
.How,ever, we hadn't counted on our lower order batsmen.
Due to overs lost because of rain, we were chasing 145 and in possibly the darkest conditions I've ever seen at a cricket match, James Anyon (42 not out), Aaron Wall (18) and 16 not out by Fleetwood's Carl Wilkinson saw us home with four overs and four balls to play.
The Ribblesdale League team deserve a mention for their display of excellent sportmanship in playing in such difficult conditions.
It was not only batsmen who struggled in the dark.
So our first year as a Premier League saw our younger members leading the way with an excellent win in a major Inter-League competition, and it is very evcouraging to report that of the 22 players who represented the League at Under 18 level, 16 are still eligible for selection in the coming season.
The Under 15 Representative team managed by Dave Reddy, had a very disappointing Michael Roche Trophy through no fault of their own.
Round One should have seen us entertaining the Manchester Association and Dave ensured our team would be well prepared by holding squad sessions in the weeks building up to the first game.
Unfortunately, a few days proir to the match, the Manchester Association withdew as they were unable to raise eleven players.
Somewhat unsatisfactory, In the semi-final we met our close neighbour The Palace Shield and I think, mainly due to lack of practice, we were second best on the day.
Unfortunately , the Palace Shield went on to lose in the final so we didn't even have the satisfaction of losing to the competitions eventual winners.
Ah well maybe next year.
Our domestic competition suffered for two reasons during the 2000 season.
The weather was a major factor why several games were not completed but our loss of the Nat West Sponsorship was the main reason for concern.
Being a Premier League, it is an ECB requirement that the league maintains a meaningful domestic league and competes with other leagues in the top level competition.
To do this, it is imperative that a sponsor is found sooner rather than later, as the cost of such a demanding youth programme increases each year.
As in the 1999 season, the league competition was a bit stop, start affair, mainly due to postponements because of the inclement weather.
Blackpool and Leyland DAF earned a place in the final by overcoming Netherfield and Fleetwood respectively in the semi-finals and on a dull day at Stanley Park in a hard fought, low scoring game, Leyland DAFs young side won through to be Champions of the Northern League in the Millenium Year.
It would be very remiss of me if I did not record in this report Daniel Hagen's wonderful achievement of scoring 165 for North West Lancashire against Central Lancashire in the annual Lancashire Under 16 Cricket Festival.
He was deservedly presented with momentoes by Frank Henry, representing the Lancashire Youth Coaching Committee, and the Northern Premier League at our Annual Dinner.
This was the highest individual score ever recorded in this long running competition, and when you look back at all the Test and County players who have played in the Festival you realise that Daniel must be able to play abit.
Finally, thanks are due to all those who work hard each year for the benefit of Junior cricketers throughout the league.
Special mention must go to our Chairman Ken Wilton, Roger Harrison, Dave Reddy, plus of course, the clubs who hosted the Inter-League matches, namely St Annes, Preston (Both twice) and Blackpool who also hosted the domestic final.
I look forward to the 2001 season when I'm sure we will build on our success of the Millenium year and prove that we surely are a Premier League.
Clive Henderson
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