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Junior League Secrestary's Report Season 1998
Whenever any cricket follower thinks back to the 1998 season a four letter word will leap to maind RAIN !
Although there didn't seem to be a tremendous number of games fully lost due to inclement weather, watching and playing cricket each week could hardly have been described as pleasurable, and even on the dry days, wickets neither helped the bowlers nor the batsmen.
Come to think of it the groundsman's lot is not a happy one either, and I sometimes wondered how cricket had survived in this "green and pleasant" land.
The "Nat West" sponsored Junior League was again split into two zones and considering the weather it was a good job that each division was no bigger.
For example, Morecambe and Lancaster attempted to play their fixture on three separate occaisions and still finished up sharing the points.
The Southern zone was won by Darwen with Fleetwood in runners up spot and the Northern group was headed by Kendal with Preston making the fourth semi-final place.
With Preston beating Darwen, and Kendal getting the better of Fleetwood in the semi's, the final eventually took place at Preston on one of the few sunny days of the summer, ironically on the Saturday after the League season had closed.
Kendal proved to be too strong for an emerging Preston team and Sean Stuart is to be congratulated on bringing together a very competative and sporting side.
"Man of the Match" was Kendal's Stuart Parkin and we were delighted to welcome Helen Hayes, Nat West's Public Relations Officer, to the match who kindly agreed to present the Trophies.
On the Inter-League front, it was possibly the busiest I can remember.
If the weather had not intervened there could have been 13 matches, but the L.C.B 2 Day Competition was cut short with only one of the three scheduled matches taking place.
From a financial point of view, this was most probably a good thing as the competition cost the Junior coffers of the Northern League over �400 as it was not possible to obtain a sponsor to meet the costs.
Not only was it an expensive excerise, it was extemely difficult to field strong teams during a period when the L.C.B Festival matches and County games were taking place.
It was nearly impossible to find someone to manage the team during normal working hours and it seems because of these problems we will have to think long and hard before we agree to take part in similar competitions in the future.
For once, our Under 15 representative side failed to make progress in the "Michael Roche Trophy", losing in round one to the Southport and District League.
We have entered this competition again for 1999 season but at the time of writing there is still a vacancy in the Under 15 Management position but it is hoped that this will be filled before to long.
We again had a successful run in the North West Colts Trophy with wins against the Glossop and District League (Atul Sachdeva - Preston - 3 for 9, Nassar Afsar - Leyland DAF - 3 for 12, Luke Phillips - Lancaster - 47 not out) and the Derbyshire and Cheshire League (Nassar Afsar - 5 for 16, Atul Sachdeva - 3 for 12, Chris Liptrot - Leyland DAF - 2 for 12, Ben Harrison - Preston 30, Atul Sachdeva - 29) earning us a place in the semi-final at Sefton Park Cricket Club on the 16th August against the eventual winners of the Trophy, the Liverpool Competition.
Despite excellent performances by Chris Liptrot - 3 for 14, Jabbir Namajee - Blackpool - 2f or 22 and stern resistance with the bat by Neil Dasgupta - Leyland DAF - 37, Gareth Evans - St Annes - 34 and Luke Phillips 34 not out, we were. unfortunately. second best on the day.
Not so, however, in the Under 18 Inter-League competition sponsored by the Manchester Evening News.
After easily overcoming the Lancashire County League ( Adam Cotton - St Annes - 4 for 11 and Nassar Afsar - 4 for 19, Atul Sachdeva - 2 for 4, Captain Andrew Mashiter - Morecambe - 41). we entertained the much fancied Bolton League at St Annes on the other sunny day of the summer in the final.
Good bowling performances by Ben Harrison - 3 for 25, Joe Davies -St Annes - 2 for 10, Adam Cotton - 2 for 22 and Atul Sachdeva - 2 for 25 restricted the Boltonians to 136 all out on a slow wicket.
Our reply was held together by Luke Phillips with another score in the 40's and we ran out worthy winners by 2 wickets.
Man of the Match was Bolton's Chris Barrow for a tight bowling performance (1 for 11 of 10 overs.) and 18 not out,but my man of the match was Atul Sachdeva with 2 for 25 off 10 overs and 25 vital runs in quick time when it looked like we might just fall short of the target.
I think it is worth recording that the strength in depth in this League is confirmed by the fact that 32 young players were considered good enough to represent the Northern League in 1998.
Other points worthy of note are Jabbir Namajee's 6 for 57 against Lancashire Under 17's at Windsor Park, Chorley in the annual match.(Unfortunately he stiil wasn't considered good enough to make the County side).
I feel I should also mention the performances of unsung hero Nassar Afsar during his two and a half seasons representing the League.
Having played in twelve matches his record is quite outstanding and reads 106.2 overs, 18 maidens, 270 rons conceded and 30 wickets to his name with an average of 9 runs per wicket and 2.54 runs per over.
Considering he started his Inter-League career as a very late replacement, his record is one of which he must be justly proud.
It is very satisfying to note that our League continues to produce high class young players such as Duncan Whalley (St Annes), Gareth White (Netherfield) and Atul Sachdeva who have all recently played 2nd XI County Cricket, Atul being the top wicket taker for Leicester 2nds with 33 wickets in 6 matches.
Leyland DAF's Duncan Catterall managed to fit in an AXA League and County Championship debut for Worcestershire during a very busy and successful season with his club and, of course we are justly proud of our England Young Player of the year for 1998. Andrew Flintoff.
Praise must go to all the club junior coaches and managers for their efforts and achievements in producing such high quality players.
Finally a few "thank you's", Thanks must go to our Junior Section Chairman, Ken Wilton for all his outstanding work, Roger Harrison and Gerry Thomas for all their much appreciated efforts, Under 18 Captain Andrew Mashiter, team managers, scores, umpires, caterers and of course groundsmen and lastly the clubs who hosted the Inter-League games, Preston, Lancaster, Chorley Fleetwood, St Annes and Blackpool.
I will close by hoping for a hot, dry summer in 1999 and look forward to recording even more top perfomances and successes in next years handbook.
Clive Henderson
Assistant Secretary (Juniors)
National Westminster Bank
Northern Junior League
Tables 1998
Group 1
| Club |
P |
W |
L |
N/R |
Pts |
| Darwen |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
| Fleetwood |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
| Chorley |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
| Leyland DAF |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
| Blackpool |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
| Leyland |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Group 2
| Club |
P |
W |
L |
N/R |
Pts |
| Kendal |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
| Preston |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
| Morecambe |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
| Netherfield |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
| Lancaster |
4 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Championship Play - Offs
Semi - Finals
| Darwen |
90/8 |
lost to |
Preston |
96/9 |
| Kendal |
131/8 |
beat |
Fleetwood |
118 |
Final
| Preston |
58 |
Lost to |
Kendal |
141/7 |
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