Cheshire County Cricket League Keeping you connected … DECEMBER, 2016 NEWSLETTER WISHES … A HAPPY CHRISTMAS & NEW VEAR TO ALL CHESHIRE CRICKET LOVERS When England’s ‘Baby Boycott’ played for Nantwich A SMART piece of research has revealed that Haseeb Hameed, England’s new opening batsman on the Indian tour, played six games in the ECB Premier League for Nantwich in 2014 while a 17 year-old at the Lancashire Academy. Hameed’s record with the Dabbers was as follows: Home to Bowdon on June 28: lbw Ashling 0. Nantwich won Home to Toft July 5: st Bajha b Lomas 44. Nantwich lost. Away to Alderley Edge on July 12: c Worrall b Foreman 32. Match abandoned Home to Urmston on July 26: lbw Sydall 1. Match drawn Home to Grappenhall on September 6: b Guest 7. Nantwich won Away to Bowdon on September 13: b Ashling 11. Nantwich won. That’s 94 runs from six innings, average 15.66 and twice dismissed by Bowdon’s former Glamorgan paceman Chris Ashling! Nantwich committeeman Neil Forster told Newsletter: “It was obvious from the moment Haseeb took guard in the first game that he was destined for bigger things. While he didn’t get any big scores for us, he showed against Toft and Alderley Edge that he was a class act. He always had a smile on his face and was very good to have around. We are not surprised he has done so well and expect him to come right to the fore next summer for England”. O Newsletter thanks League secretary Geoff Wellsteed for the stats. GW is currently in India watching the 4th and 5th Tests at Mumbai and Chennai - along with several other Cheshire colleagues - but won’t see the young Boltonian in action as he flew home to have a smashed finger operated on after his brilliant unbeaten 59 in the Test defeat at Mohali. Haseeb has now returned to India to watch the remaining Tests – there’s team spirit for you! DECEMBER NEWSLETTER: p2 Proposed changes to rules & regs THE November meeting of the League Management Committee at Timperley voted to allow a set of proposals to go forward for ratification or rejection at the Management and Annual general meetings at Bowdon on Tuesday, January 17 The full list of proposals - outlined in the November Newsletter - has been circulated to all clubs by League secretary Geoff Wellsteed. They can also be located on the league’s Pitchero website. O FINES incurred by teams in 1st and 2nd XI cricket last season totalled £1,230. A total of 41 fines at £15 were imposed on clubs in both 1st and 2nd XI cricket, principally for late reporting of results on the website. Joseph Holt T20 plans CLUBS at the League’s November management meeting indicated that they did not support any great change in the Joseph Holt T20 tournament in 2017. A suggestion by Nantwich to stage an early round involving 12 groups of three clubs on May Bank Holiday did not gain support and the mid-week format will be largely unchanged, although clubs will be reminded that they can switch to Sundays by mutual agreement, Finals Day is expected to be on Sunday, July 9 which steers clear of Cheshire county dates. All 36 clubs will be taking part including newcomers Bredbury St. Mark’s and Romiley. Rob Arnold is drawing up detailed proposals to put before the January management, meanwhile Secretary Geoff Wellsteed invites clubs to offer their ground to stage the event, which Toft did so successfully last season. FORTIES FIXTURES OUT FIRST 2017 League fixtures have been produced by 1st XI Competition secretary Ian Sharrock for the Over Forties section and are available on the websites. Forties cricket will again comprise four divisions of eight clubs, playing 14 fixtures each between Wednesday, May 3 and Wednesday, August 2. This will be followed by the quarter-finals featuring the top two teams in each division, the champion team having home advantage on Wednesday, August 9 or by Sunday, August 20 at the latest. The draw is: West winners v Central runners-up Central winners v West runners-up North East winners v South East runners up South East winners v North East runners-up. New club Whalley Rangers have been placed in the North-East division, with Bramhall reverting to the South East Division. Finals Day will be on a Sunday, probably in September. Offers for use of a ground are invited by the Competition secretary on [email protected] Next League president CHAIRMAN David Humpage told the November management meeting at Timperley that Mike Talbot-Butler was to be proposed as League President at the AGM at Bowdon on Tuesday, January 21, when John Bygate stands down after his two years in office. MTB replied that – like Donald Trump – he would be delighted to serve as president-elect for the next two months. DECEMBER NEWSLETTER: p3 2017 CLUB NEWS New Davenham sponsors GO ahead DAVENHAM chairman Bob Floyd has taken time off from supporting Huddersfield Town this winter to seal a sponsorship deal with builders Stewart Milne Homes which has made funds available to help the club’s growing junior section. A bowling machine, new kit and extra professional coaching has been made available, says junior co ordinator Karen Gallagher DIDSBURY HAPPY PROMOTED to the ECB Premier League as champions of Division One, DIDSBURY have expressed satisfaction with their officers by re-electing them all, as follows: Chairman and treasurer Duncan Anderson; secretary Tim Hughes; 1st XI captain Nick Anderson; 2nd XI captain Shahaz Qasim; 3rd XI Sunday captain Mark Dowse; 4th XI Sunday captain Tony De Weever. Macc chairman’s award CHAIRMAN of MACCLESFIELD Simon Griffiths has been named Cheshire East Council Volunteer of the Year and presented with a handsome trophy. Organised by Everybody, a charity organisation attached to Cheshire East Council, the award recognises outstanding unpaid work in the community and Simon’s achievements heading up new ventures on the Macclesfield ground have been justly recognised. Beating four other candidates, Simon is quoted in the October issue of the Club Newsletter: “I am really taken aback by winning this award which I dedicate to all the other outstanding volunteers at the club.” Dave Frame has stood down as Macclesfield Forties captain. MARPLE ENJOY GOOCH FORMER Essex and England captain Graham Gooch was guest speaker at MARPLE’S Sportsman’s Dinner in mid-November. The club’s efficient PR man Mark Brook reports: “Goochie was excellent and I can highly recommend him. His knowledge of the game and good humour thrilled us all”. Marple are planning a 30th anniversary celebration of their sole First Division title success, during the 2017 season. Sale’s Brooke Guest joins Lancs OUTSTANDING SALE wicket-keeper/batsman Brooke Guest has signed a professional contract with Lancashire for 2017, but expects to be regularly available for the Dane Road club’s County League matches. A former Australia Under 19s player, Guest scored 1,097 runs in all cricket for Sale last season and also appeared regularly for Lancashire 2nd, figuring in their team which beat Somerset in the 2nd XI knock out final at Old Trafford. DECEMBER NEWSLETTER: p4 Club news contd … Timperley recruits TIMPERLEY have signed all-rounder Tyrone Lawrence and wicket-keeper Chris Canning, both from Sale, also former Natal and Gloucestershire batsman Grant Hodnett, who played in the Moorside League last season. Kiwi all-rounder Dan Cooper who played for Timpers in 2015 and 2016 has settled in the UK and will becomne an ordinarily resident player next season. Paceman Jack White, who took 36 Premier League wickets in his debut season is staying at Stockport Road ALL CHANGE AT URMIES RELEGATED URMSTON have lost the talented Parkinson brothers: Callum has signed a contract with Leicestershire and is to play in the Greater Manchester League for Egerton, while Matthew, currently in Dubai with England Lions, is also being steered towards the GML by Old Trafford. Other 2016 stalwarts Bradley Yates and Sam Oldham have both left. Lancashire 2nd opener Calum Turner becomes the club’s youngest 1st XI captain. He is currently playing Grade cricket in Australia following his recovery from a ruptured spleen. Returning to the club are Lewis Jackson from Leigh and Samit Panda, who has been playing for Edgworth. Wicket-keeper Steve Espley is to lead the 2nd XI. Two girls named in the Lancashire Under 11 squad are Maggie Buckley and chairman Rob Arnold’s daughter, Jenny. Neil Cross joins Upton UPTON have made quality addition to their playing strength for next season’s First Division games in Neil Cross, the former Wallasey, New Brighton, Oxton, Bowdon and Cheshire all- rounder. Former 1st XI captain Andy Roberts becomes Cricket chairman at Old Greasby Road, while 4th XI captain for the past 20 plus years Ian Bruce has been made an Honorary Life Member. Cheshire Leagues merger news A MEETING of the UKFast Cheshire League management committee at Holmes Chapel on Tuesday, December 8 was due to hear up-dated news on the proposed merger with the Cheshire Alliance. The officers of both leagues have met several times and approved detailed plans, but these have yet to be approved by the respective managements DECEMBER NEWSLETTER: p5 Cheshire v Staffs T20 Challenge to be launched in 2017 AN interesting new fixture on the Cheshire County Cricket Club 2017 itinerary is to be an inaugural annual T20 friendly against neighbours Staffordshire. The first game will be played at Whitehouse Lane on May Bank Holiday Monday, May 29, alternating to a Staffordshire ground in 2018.