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Secretary's Report for Season 2006
Carnforth from the North Lancashire and Cumbria Cricket League were accepted into the League giving a total of fourteen clubs for the 2006 season. This was welcomed as it not only eliminated the blank Saturday but also was a step towards achieving the aim of attracting enough clubs to enable the League to split into two divisions and introduce promotion and relegation.This policy of expansion is being actively followed.
An earlier starting time of 1 p.m., the simplification of the form of the game and the clarification of the application of the slow over rate rule proved popular with both players and spectators.
It was surprising that in spite of long periods of good weather more match days than usual were complete wash outs.
After a period when the League has been dominated by one or two clubs it is pleasing that for the last four seasons there has been a different champion each year. Morecambe took the honours this season with Kendal runners up. Morecambe completed the double as did St Annes last season by winning the 2nd Division Championship with Lancaster runners up.
The Thwaites Cup was played as a knock out rather than the league cup format of previous seasons. Darwen won the Cup beating Blackpool in the final. The final due to postponements because of the weather was played without professionals after the normal end of the season. Lancaster won the 2nd Division Cup by beating Morecambe in the final which was some compensation for narrowly losing the League title to them.
The Thwaites 20/20 Cup, now an official league competition was won by Darwen who defeated Lancaster in the final. In. this competition the clubs in the first rounds are zoned geographically which produces fixtures between local clubs played on weekday evenings. Some clubs have shown that this is an ideal opportunity for fund raising and publicising the club in the community.
Darwen reached the final of the Lancashire Cup and demonstrated the strength of the League by just losing in the final over of a well-contested game with Bootle.
Leyland and Farington won the 1st Division and Carnforth the 2nd Division Fair Play Trophies which are based on the Umpires' marking of teams.
Individually, Ian Austin of won the batting averages and broke the St Annes batting record with Andrew Mercer of Darwen heading the bowling. Gareth Cordingley of Darwen took most catches and James Ellis of Fleetwood was the leading wicket keeper. In the Second Division D. Welbourne of Lancaster (812 runs) and G. Maje of Morecambe (1005 runs) each brke their club batting records.
There was a larger than usual turnover of professionals during the season with many clubs having to find sub-pros for injuries, transfers to Counties and call backs for National squads of their contracted professionals. Amongst the leading professionals were B. Asad of Preston (1148 runs), J. Khan of Lancaster (947 runs) and A. Amla of Barrow (913 runs) each breaking their Club professional records. A. Ashraf of Darwen scored 941 runs and best average of 85.55. S. John of Chorley took 65 wicket and the spin of P. Harris of Fleetwood took 31 wickets at an average of 14.58 before he left for Warwickshire.
The League is pleased with the success of young players who developed their cricketing skills in the League. Tom Smith (Chorley) has figured in Lancashire's championship side and is spending the winter at the academy in Australia, James Anyon (Preston) has played a number of games in the County Championship for Warwickshire and Steven Croft (Blackpool) has had a number of one day games for Lancashire.
Clubs are reaping the benefits of running thriving youth sections. The cost of the higher level coaching qualifications is a major issue with clubs.
The Northern League Umpires Federation continues to serve the League well with just about enough umpires to cover all commitments. The League is grateful for the help of umpires from other Leagues to cover the occasional shortfall. The Umpires' Federation welcomes new recruits. Training courses are available.
Though umpires have reported some offences against the code of conduct this season, records show that there has been a dramatic drop in the number over the last five years. We are convinced that this is related to making clubs responsible for carrying out an initial investigation and imposing their own disciplinary action after the League has validated it. If the League feels that the club is not taking appropriate action or the offence is of a nature that it is inappropriate for the Club to act on then a League disciplinary hearing is convened.
The League has always recognised the efforts, hard work and enthusiasm of the many people who work on or off the field to keep the game of cricket thriving in our communities and our thanks once again go to them all.
However, this season there have been two events which highlight this involvement.
First the untimely death of Peter Lamster, Chairman of Darwen C.C., whose work and influence at Darwen C.C. is legendary and is chronicled elsewhere in the handbook
The other is the illness of Roger Harrison whose interest in cricket was combined with his interest in statistics. He was always noticed on grounds as the Blackpool scorer but few perhaps realised what detailed records he kept of the statistics of each season including the performance of individual clubs and players. Roger was naturally the hub through which scores, results, league tables etc were kept up to date and distributed to the press, ceefax etc. Roger's illness highlighted what a service he had performed for the League.
The League is extremely grateful to John Kettlestring who stepped in and managed the results service for the League. John is also transferring Roger's records of past seasons on to the web site which will be of interest to present and past players and will be a lasting tribute to Roger's interest in the game.
The League once again thanks those who help keep local cricket in the public eye, The sports staff of the Radio Lancashire and Radio Cumbria, The Lancashire Evening Post, The Blackpool Gazette, The Westmorland Gazette and other local papers.
The Web site has become an important source of communication and information and thanks go to John Kettletring and Chris Banting for the work they do. Gerry Wolstenholme's writings enhance the web site and club programmes.
After many years of additions and amendments the rules had become difficult to use and have been reorganised.Their content is the same apart from some changes to wording that do not alter the intention of the rule and changes introduced at the AGM
Leyland Motors battle to survive has failed Originally part of the social club of the Leyland Motors Company they eventually became victims of the financial complications arising from the closure of the company. They were a founder member of the Northern League. It is sad when a long and proud history of high standard cricket comes to an end remaining only in the records and memories of players past and present.
An account of the history of Leyland Motors C.C. by Gerry Wolstenhome is included in the Handbook. Happily the future looks promising with a new club forming Leyland Motors C.C. joining Leyland and Farington C.C. to play as Leyland Cricket Club at Fox Lane.
The League wishes the new venture well certain that it will serve Leyland and the surrounding district as a centre of cricketing excellence. Unfortunately this means that for the 2007 season we are left with an odd number of clubs, consequently one club will be without a game each match day. However the problem is solved for the 2008 season.
The League is seeking not only a replacement but additional clubs that will allow the League to form two divisions and introduce promotion and relegation.
John Cooper
Secretary
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