Division Two
| Club |
P |
W15 |
W12 |
D4 |
D1 |
L |
NR4 |
BP |
Pts |
| Netherfield |
15 |
2 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
140 |
| Lancaster |
14 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
136 |
| Morecambe |
15 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
25 |
131 |
| Chorley |
15 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
25 |
120 |
| Blackpool |
15 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
27 |
110 |
| Darwen |
15 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
21 |
108 |
| St Annes |
14 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
24 |
105 |
| Barrow |
15 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
21 |
97 |
| Kendal |
15 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
17 |
83 |
| Leyland |
15 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
26 |
83 |
| Preston |
14 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
18 |
81 |
| Fleetwood |
15 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
3 |
17 |
75 |
| Carnforth |
15 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
2 |
31 |
75 |
As we have had no cricket to report, let us have a look at some cricket literature recently published that may well interest readers.
Firstly published by The Library at Old Trafford is an essay bound in plastic folder that is entitled Old Trafford's Century by Neville Cardus. It was originally written in 1957 to celebrate the century of Lancashire's county ground and it has been reprinted in a limited edition of 150 copies with a new, engaging introduction by Lancashire Honorary Librarian Barrie Watkins.
Cardus tells us of his first visit to Old Trafford as far back as July 1899 and he takes us through A C MacLaren, J T Tyldesley, Cecil Parkin, Ted Macdonald through to Cyril Washbrook, Brian Statham and Malcolm Hilton. In between he remembers his attendance at the 1902 Test Match against Australia, remembered for being poor Fred Tate's match when that player not only dropped an important catch but was then last man out when England were just a few runs short of victory.
Cardus's text is still as riveting today as it was then and Barrie Watkins' introduction adds to the charm of the publication. Cardus was known to wax lyrical on the game and this prompted John Major in his recent book More Than a Game to remark, "Cardus often gave reality a little help from his charitable imagination, if he does the beneficiary was cricket." There is no doubt about that!
The essay is available from Barrie Watkins at Old Trafford.
And speaking of Cardus, there is another publication published by Lancashire CCC Library and edited by Bob Hilton that gives an insight into the great man. It is entitled My Dear Michael � Cricketing & other extracts from Neville Cardus's letters to Michael Kennedy, 1959-74.
Kennedy and Cardus had two things very much in common, music and cricket and the letters reflect their interests so Cardus is writing about Stravinsky with as much enthusiasm as he is writing about Harry Pilling.
Michael Henderson provides an introduction and he makes a salient point when he writes, "Nowadays some sportswriters employ wit. Some can even make you laugh. But Cardus got there before everybody else and managed to connect cricket to the world beyond the boundary, which is why he matters. The sad thing is, were he growing up today, he might be lost to the game altogether." His delightful, romantic style is such that this may well be true, but fortunately he wasn't lost to the game and here is a selection of writing not seen elsewhere and it gives a superb insight into Cardus the man.
It too is available from the Library at Old Trafford.
It was a sad day when Darwen's Peter Lamster passed away last season and in his memory there is a book Birch Hall Memories - A Tribute to Birch Hall and Darwen Cricket Club that has been excellently edited by Andrew and Chris Rigby.
Contributions are many and varied. There is, quite rightly, a Cordingley Corner, Pearls, what else, from Paul Rodden, memories from that evergreen Darwen legend Dave Bonner, a tribute to Enty, a collection of Who Said That? items that the reader is left to attribute, a final tribute to Peter by John Dewhurst as well as lots more interesting material for all Northern League fans. And the cover has a reproduction of an excellent painting by Simon Painter. The book is available from the club at Darwen, pick one up when you are there, you won't regret it.
The Lancashire Yearbook 2007 once again does the county proud. As well as the usual match reports, statistics, career records, averages et al, there are lots of good articles to enjoy. Editor Malcolm Lorimer provides a potted but sufficiently detailed history of 150 years of Old Trafford, Keith Hayhurst provides details of new acquisitions for the Lancashire Museum as well as the happenings of the Lancashire Players' Association and sadly, obituaries of former players Bob Berry, Ken Cranston and John Sullivan, while Andrew McGlashan writes an interesting, and thought-provoking article on Club v Country, a subject on which every cricket follower undoubtedly has a view.
The Yearbook is available from the shop at Old Trafford and from the mobile shops when the county are playing at any of the outgrounds, eg Blackpool in September, weather permitting!
Finally Paul Smith has written his autobiography that is perhaps appropriately entitled Wasted? An unofficial sub-title is The Incredible True Story of Cricket's First Rock 'n' Roll Star.
Smith was a rising young star with Warwickshire and at one time was touted for England honours. He appeared in two Lord's finals, winning the Man of the Match award in the 1994 Benson & Hedges victory over Worcestershire when he took 3-34 and made an unbeaten 42. But in 1997 it all went wrong when he was banned for drug taking and this effectively ended his career. He felt that he was made a scapegoat while other, more-favoured players were allowed to continue their careers. As a consequence he sadly lost his house, his marriage, his children and his job.
How to go? He decided there was only one way and that was to use his experiences with inner city children, teaching them that they had no need of drugs and violence and, in America, guns. He now works with the Prince's Trust in Britain and with downtown youths in Los Angeles, not afraid to visit them in the more violent areas, in some of which he is the only non-black person allowed.
Described as "a modern morality tale with no holds barred" the book is an entertaining read, for, as well, as taking the reader through the disaster of his fall from grace, he discusses the problem of being a professional sportsman, match-fixing in cricket and what it was like to play alongside such as Brian Lara and Dermot Reeve.
The book is available from most bookshops but can be purchased direct from the publisher Know the Score Books Limited, 118 Alcester Road, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7NT.
