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Youth Devlopment Officer's
Report for Season 2010
In my Youth Development Report for the 2009
Season, I stated that it was very disappointing to record that
there was only one player in the Lancashire Under- 19s squad,
that player being Josh Tolley of Chorley. How things can
change in a season. The 2010 saw the Lancashire Under- 19s
team win the County Championship in fine style and it was
down, in no small way, to some excellent contributions by
young Northern League players
Even though Josh has now moved to Woodhouses
Cricket Club along with Sam Sweeney (also ex-Chorley), who
performed with credit for the Lancashire Under-19's during
2010, young players from our league such as John Huck and Alex
Atkinson (both from Netherfield), Greg Platten (Barrow) and
Ryan Smith (Morecambe) performed with distinction.
We also had the great news that Alex Davies, who
scored nearly 500 league runs for Darwen as well as playing a
leading role in their Readers Cup final success with a mature
innings at a vital time, had been selected for the ECB
Development Programme as one of the country's outstanding
cricketers at Under-17s level.
Another highly talented teenaged Darwen player,
Kamran Anwar, captured 50 league wickets during the season- a
tremendous achievement from a young player who has the
potential to develop into a top all-round player.
Yakub Bhamji (Darwen), Henry Thompson (Leyland)
and Liam Livingstone (Barrow) were also chosen as members of
the Lancashire Academy squad for the 2010 season.
In February 2010, thirty-three names were sent
to Old Trafford to give them a chance to attend Winter Nets in
the Indoor School and this resulted in a total of eight
Northern League players being selected for Under-19s
representative sides during the season.
In 2011, most of the 2010 squad will be too old
to be considered, and so there will be many vacant places to
be filled. The presence of the Lancashire Colts side competing
in the Northern Premier League has illustrated to our young
players what standards are expected for them to achieve county
level and I hope that clubs will give their young players a
fighting chance by nominating them for Under-19s
consideration.
Last season, because of a "log-jam" of
Lancashire County Cricket Club fixtures, a scheduled second
eleven fixture against Sussex at Hove under the floodlights
was taken on by the Lancashire Under-19s team. This was an
experience that I am certain, those players who travelled to
the South Coast will never forget and the fact that our young
players were successful was the icing on the cake.
The game in Sussex proved to me that the
distance between Under- 19s cricket and County Second Eleven
maybe not as big as some people may think. Minor Counties
cricket is most certainly well within the reach of our top
young players. This has been demonstrated recently by Barrow's
trio of teenagers, Liam Livingstone, Jonathan Miles and Greg
Platten, who have already represented Cumberland in Minor
Counties cricket and you only have to refer to last year's
Award News in the Handbook to see how many young players are
on the verge of the big time.
Performed with distinction: Barrow opener
Greg Platten
All clubs will, by now, be well aware of the
forthcoming match arranged between the Northern Premier League
Under-21s and the MCC. This will take place on Friday, 15th
July 2011 at Kendal Cricket Club. As requested at a recent
League Meeting, I should be pleased if any players who wish to
be considered for this prestigious game would forward their
details to me. This prestigious fixture will give an
opportunity to demonstrate just how strong are our young
players and it will give a chance for players who, in the
past, have not been fortunate to represent the League in
competitive cricket. Here's hoping for good weather.
In recent years the Northern League has not
entered a team in the Michael Roche Trophy, which is arranged
by the LCB. As per my request at a recent League Meeting I
shall be pleased to firstly learn whether the League Members
wish to compete at Under-15s level, and secondly, if there is
a coach prepared to run the team. I look forward to receiving
the League's opinion.
I greatly look forward to the 2011 Season when I
will have the opportunity of watching players of the quality
of John Huck, Alex Atkinson, Liam Livingstone, Jonathan Miles,
Greg Platten, Ryan Smith, Alex Davies, Kamran Anwar, Yakub
Bhamji and so many more that I don't mention here come to the
fore in another exciting Northern League season.
It was pleasing, also, to see two former youth
representative cricketers, Ben Simm and Chris Miller, perform
so well in 2010. Both are still very young in spin-bowling
terms but between them they captured 121 league wickets, Ben
edging out Chris by one wicket for the Castle Award- a fine
achievement. Richard Gleeson took 50 league wickets for
Blackpool for a second successive season, another landmark for
a highly promising young opening bowler who also made his
debut for Cumberland during the season.
Big youth successes:
Ben Simm
Chris Miller
We are all extremely proud in the League of the
way that Steven Croft (Blackpool) and Tom Smith (Chorley) have
become established county cricketers in recent years. Both
players received the award of their county caps in 2010 and
Steven was also chosen to represent England in the Hong Kong
Sixes tournament. These two players are fine role models for
what can be achieved through a combination of talent,
dedication and commitment and I am sure that there are many
more young players with our league clubs capable of following
in their footsteps in the years to come.
It was interesting to hear that professionals
such as Brett Pelser (Leyland) and Matthew Frith (Fleetwood)
were very complimentary over the talent and potential of many
of the young players in the Northern League and as we approach
the league's 60th anniversary we can be assured that standards
in this regard are as high as ever
Clive Henderson
Youth Development Officer
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