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Secretary's Report for 2000
It was a relief that after the long drawn out negotiations the Northern League commenced playing as an accredited ECB Premier League.
As with all change, it takes time to settle into a new format with teams, umpires and spectators having to become familiar with new playing conditions.
At the end of the season all were able to comment directly to the ECB on the strengths and weaknesses of the new criteria and some modifications have been made by the ECB for next season.
The game will remain the same length but the maximum of 60 overs for the first innings has been removed.
The League Committee is considering changes to the length of the innings and points system for next season.
There are still differing opinions about the playing criteria imposed on the Premier Leagues by the ECB.The ECB have responded to consultation by making changes at the end of each of the last two seasons and there is every possibility that further changes could be made after the consultations at the end of the 2001 season.
Season 2000 was a triumph for Netherfield C C, who won the League pushing Darwen C C last year's champions, into second place.
They beat Chorley C C in the Nuffield Cup final but Chorley gained revenge by beating them in the Slater Cup final.
Netherfield's season was crowned by becoming Lancashire Champions.They beat Morecambe in the semi-final and went on to beat Ormskirk C C of the Liverpool Competition in a closely fought final.
They are to be congratulated on maintaining the League's high standards.
Chorley had a good run in the National K.O., narrowly losing at the quarter-final stage to Sheffield Collegiate, the eventual winners.
The 2nd XI championship was taken by Lancaster C C, with Morecambe C C winning the Blackledge Trophy and Darwen C C the Latus Trophy.
Leyland DAF C C won the Junior League with Blackpool C C runner up.
Both the Senior and Junior Representative sides reached the finals of the Manchester Evening News Inter-League Competition
Both games were badly affected by rain with the Senior side narrowly losing to the Lancashire County League but the Juniors beat the Ribblesdale League.
The League's thanks go to the managers of the League sides, David Higham, David Reddy and Clive Henderson for the time and effort they expend in running the sides.
David Callaghan, the St Annes professional dominated the individual performances with 912 runs (Ave. 60.8) and 60 wickets (Ave, 12.65) but the strength of the amateur contribution was shown by a new innovation this year.
We have to thank Rawcliffes of Blackpool who in association with the Evening Gazette sponsored awards for the leading amateur performances.
Mark Lomas of Blackpool C C scored 884 runs (Ave. 63.14), Peter Stephens of Morecambe C C took 53 wickets (Ave.17.84), Brian Tennant of Leyland C C took 17 catches and Jimmy Moyes of Netherfield C C had 31 wicketkeeping victims.
Tables published each week in the Gazette produced a greast deal of interest.
Next season the leading umpire will also receive an award based on the marks awarded by the Captains for the umpires performances.
Though much more will be wriiten elsewhere about youth cricket in th Northern League. It is important for the maintenance of the high standards already achieved by the League that clubs continue to develop and maintain strong Junior Sections with links with scholls so that talented young players can be attracted to the game.
Clubs are giving many young players who have learnt their cricket in their Junior Sections, the opportunity to test and develop their talents in Club 1st XIs
It is pleasing that perhaps the most outstanding performance this season by a Northern League player was a junior, Daniel Hagen of Lancaster C C. who made a record score of 165 for North West Lancashire ahainst Central Lancashire in the Lancashire U/16 Youth Coaching Cricket Fesyival.
County Clubs are again taking interest in a number of our young players.
Many will be pleased to hear that Leyland DAF C C are reverting to their traditional name of Leyland Motors C C.
Leyland C C have joined with B.T.R. of the Palace Shield and Fulwood Ladies to form a new club called Leyland Farington.
The new club will field teams at both Senior and Junior level in both the Northern League and the Palace Shield.
This is an exciting development with a great deal of potential.for the future.
The League wishes it every success.
A great deal of the League officials time this year has been spent working with the LCB to make progress in achieving the ECB's criteria for Premier Leagues to form a feeder league system.
As a first step, The Ribblesdale League were invited to become the main feeder league, but after careful consideration they decided that they did not wish to be involved.
The LCB Premier League Advisory Committee and the Northern Leaguedecided the only way of forming a main feeder league of adequate standard was to advertise for clubs to form a second division to the Northern League.
Advertising will commence at the start of the season.
The League Committee has modified the disiplinary rules to bring them into line with Hunam Rights Legislation.
The sactions available to umpires have been clarified and a new form for umpires to report indiscipline has been devised.
A rule has now been included that gives a club the opportunity to take its own disciplinary action, which will be ratified by the League Disciplinary Committee.If the Committee feel that the club's action is not appropriate then a League Hearing will take place.
The rules governing Cup competitions have been changed, introducing two rules based on ones that have been successful in the Lancashire Cup.
There is now a time limit for the completion of the overs in the first innings and rules have been introduced governing how a result is obtained if there are stoppages for rain.
The rules governing the eligibility of players for the Latus Trophy have been modified.
The Northern League was formed in 1952 and plans are being made to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.Events, including a reunion dinner are to be organised.
Netherfield C C and St Annes C C have established club web sites and the League has established one of its own.
We are grateful to Chris Banting of St Annes C C and Stuart Errington of Morecambe C C who have set up the site and to Gerry Wolstenholme who has agreed to keep the site up to date.
The League thanks Business Serve PLC for their support in setting up the site.
Details of the site and other cricket sites are listed in elsewhere in the handbook.
Cricket is an expensive game to stage and clubs have difficulty balancing the books so the League is extremely grateful to our Sponsors, The Bay 96.9 fm and the Lancaster and Nuffield Hospital, They have not only given financial support but in the case of The Bay have provided the League with publicity and help.
These sponsorships will continue and negotiations are taking place to increase and extend our sponsorship.
The League is grateful to the media who give us excellent coverage and support in all areas of our League and thank you to John and Judith Richardson for the efficient way the results of matches are distributed.
Th League recognises and thanks the large number of people, umpires, scorers,tea ladies and all the willing workers who keep the clubs going.
My thanks to the League Executive, League Committee, Club officials and all who through their cooperation and good humour have made my work as secretary as pleasurable as possible.
John Cooper
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