Annual Report of the Bassetlaw Management Committee 2006 - 1
by Richard Martin, 20th November 2006

Uniquely the Annual Report begins with a list of 14 of the member clubs of the League: Anston, Clay Cross Works, ClumberPark, Cuckney, Eckington, Edwinstowe, Harthill, Kiveton Park Colliery, Mansfield Hosiery Mills, Thoresby Colliery, Waleswood Sports, Whitwell, Wiseton, Woodsetts.

It is sad to report that they are the only 14 clubs, and I apologize if anyone was present and didn’t sign the attendance list, to be represented at the meeting held on 10th October 2006 at which members of the ECB National Club Development staff, two of whom had travelled from Manchester and one from Birmingham, supported by one of our local County Development Managers talked to, and with, those present about club administration, promoting youth, recruiting volunteers, improving facilities and other ways to make a club more successful. It was lively, highly informative, and extremely interesting, and with goodies thrown in, in the form of DVDs, Videos and activity packs for junior cricketers. Notices of the meeting were sent to clubs five weeks before the event, and again one week before. One club, Notts. & Arnold Amateur, recorded an apology as officers had attended a similar event. How disappointing that 75% of our clubs didn’t respond.

A revised ECB Grant Aid booklet is due to be published in January, but one point was made abundantly clear; that any chance of ECB support for grant aid is dependant on a club having an active youth policy. It should also be noted that in July the ECB launched an interest free loan scheme under which a maximum of £50,000 is available re-payable over a maximum period of 10 years. Liaison between clubs and local schools has taken a step forward with the national body’s ‘Chance to Shine’ initiative under which £6,500 is allocated per club to enable coaches to go into schools. In Nottinghamshire in 2006 three clubs, Mansfield Hosiery Mills, Ransome & Marles, and Edwinstowe participated and in 2007 they will be joined by Mansfield & Pleasley, Farnsfield, and Notts. & Arnold Amateur.

In recent years the administration of the League has been made considerably easier and more efficient by the adoption of electronic mailing, and gone are the days when just addressing the envelopes to send out a newsletter to clubs would occupy an entire evening. Many clubs now have websites which, if properly managed, succeed in keeping their members fully informed, whilst putting out a positive image of the club likely to attract new members. There are also, I understand, a number of websites available to anyone to say anything, which carry negative and sometimes offensive material. I say ‘understand’ as I have maintained a policy never to read them, believing that anything worthwhile and positive for the good of this League will be communicated to the Management Committee via the Secretary in a proper manner. This year two clubs took commendable action against members who criticized umpires on a website, one being particularly appropriate as the punishment meted out was to umpire, rather than to play in, two pre-season friendly matches next year. A Code of Conduct concerning these matters is to be circulated to clubs with a recommendation that it be adopted, if one is not already in place.

Continuing on the theme of discipline, just three reports citing players from four clubs were received and dealt with by the Disciplinary Committee this year, a welcome improvement on recent seasons, but still three too many. Rule 7.4 now includes guidance as to the penalties likely to be imposed for different offences, but it should be noted that where a player honestly accepts fault the Committee has the discretion to suspend part of the sentence. In 1997 Barry Gibson offered £500 per annum to be awarded to the club who best demonstrated fair play and sportsmanship during the season and he maintained this until giving notice in April 2005 that he could no longer continue. As details for the award were already in print the prize last year was met from League funds and this will be repeated for season 2006 with the difference that the £500 will be shared between the three clubs with the highest marks. Therefore £250 will be awarded to Rockware Glass CC, £150 to Blyth CC and £100 to Lea Park CC. After ten years the Management Committee believe that, due to the shortage of umpires to submit marks, the process no longer has enough credibility to justify such a lay out and therefore propose to discontinue the award

The shortage of umpires during the season was evident further up the League than in previous years, and matches in the lower Divisions were frequently without umpires at all. The mathematics is straightforward. On most Saturday afternoons last season there were 53 matches requiring 106 umpires; with around 75 of the umpires on the list in the Handbook available; i.e. a shortfall of 30. Six clubs, led by Misterton with six umpires, exceeded an expectation of one umpire per team, nineteen other clubs attained that level, and therefore 32 clubs failed to fulfill their commitments. (Propositions from the Management Committee later on today’s agenda will offer initiatives concerning the problem).

With three different bodies currently claiming to speak on behalf of umpires and scorers, the organisation of match officials nationally is in chaos, and we are very fortunate that, in the Bassetlaw & District Umpires’ Association, we have an organization dedicated  to the well-being of local cricket. However it cannot do its job without the necessary volunteers prepared to officiate on a Saturday afternoon.

At the 2005 AGM a restriction on the number of overs each bowler may bowl was adopted into league rules and reaction during the season was mainly positive bringing a new facet to the captaincy of a team and a more balanced involvement of players. The adoption, by 44 votes to nil at the same meeting, of the rule requiring players to wear essentially all-white clothing was overlooked by some players and clubs, placing umpires in the awkward position of having to ask a bowler to change his shirt, or to wear a sweater to comply. A third proposition introduced compulsory submission of Captains’ Reports on the performance of umpires in Divisions One and Two and whilst this brought a response rate of 97% in the first half of the season it dropped to 76% in the second. It is hoped that these last two points will receive a better response in 2007.

To read part two of the report, click here.