Minutes of meeting held at Ripley Castle - Friday, January 20, 2012

Meeting opened at 19.30 with Sir Thomas Ingilby in the Chair

1. Committee Members Present
Graham Hyde (GH), Tony Whittaker (TW), Sir Thomas Ingilby (SIRT), Bob Skaith (BS) , Bill Kitson (BK), Eric Houseman (EH), Chris Newton (CN), Ian Sunderland (IS), Isabel Peel (IP), Tricia Heard (TH), Martin Blackham (MB), Justin Park (JP), Anton Lodge (AL), Peter Crack (PC), Ken Coad (KC), Luke Bickers (LB), Craig Robson (CR), Ben Drummond (BD)

2. Apologies for Absence
Paul Ellis (PC), Steven Coombs (SC), Alex Houseman (AH)

3. Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 8th November 2011
have been circulated and were accepted as a true and accurate record.

4. Matters Arising
None

5. Reports from League Officials
Reports have been circulated

Correspondence and Secretary’s Business (Tricia Heard)
• Since the last meeting in Novermber 8th
• BEDALE Div 9 fixtures are not yet finalised though I expect to have this sorted our by Mondays Meeting.
• Ouseburn Cricket club have asked that we help them with two members who will attend level 2 Coaching Course.
• This was agree by our treasurer.
• Roger Deakin died on January 15th and the funeral took place on Tuesday January 24th. I represented the league on that day.
• There were at least 4 committee members present and also 4 umpires.
• You also know that I will relinquish my title of LEAGUE SECRETARY at the end of this season after 20 years.

Treasurers Report (Bob Skaith)
• Deposit Account balance is £7888.82, deposit account remains unchanged
• All cheques paid and bills paid.
• Baldersby have not paid their fees from last May. This has been chased. The club is to be given a deadline and then will not be part of the evening league in 2012.
• A list of junior indoor league clubs who have not paid their fees has been circulated to Bill and Val Kitson. There is about £2k outstanding.

Umpires Report (Graham Hyde)
• 14 candidates have now passed their ECB ACO Level 1 Umpires’ examination. This is a really good achievement from a wide cross section of people across the Nidderdale League.
• With only a couple of exceptions, all candidates are available, at least, for evening Cup fixtures as many are still actively playing the game.
• It is hoped that Ian Sunderland will return to the League panel in 2012, to be joined by newly qualified umpires, Brian Hunt and Paul Ellis. Peter Wright returns from the York Senior League.
• Barry Nickels, Guy Smalley and Peter Wright attended a Level 1 Tutors Course on Saturday 21st January. This mean that the local branch of the YCB ACO are building up a good training knowledge base to offer further training courses over the coming years.

Cup Competitions and Evening League (Ian Sunderland)
• Dishforth have confirmed a ground share arrangement with Wath & Melmerby.
• Email from Steve Wilson detailing Having difficulty with the Dishforth Sports Association.
• John Downey email - Lofthouse & Middlesmoor will be unable to field a team and have resigned, leave two places available. Fixtures will need adjusting, although efforts to fill these places will continue.
• Preliminary round again required in Peter Bentley
• Provisional draw completed for all cup competitions.
• Date of finals and location to be advised asap. Need to decide at tonight’s meeting subject to recommendations from Ground Committee – facilities important. Need to contact finals host to explain format and requirements.
• Format change agreed at AGM – 16 x6 round 1 then 20 x 6 round 2 thereafter. Email from Roger Garner (Thirsk 3) clarifying if maximum 4 overs per bowler in round 1. My initial thoughts - five overs still needs a minimum 4 bowlers. If we said 4 overs max that would need another rule change.
• Reiterate message at AGM - Any issues with fixture clashes/ground availability should be resolved with the opposing club. If any changes are agreed it is imperative any changes advised to Cup Secretary and Umpires Secretary.

Ground Committee Report (Ben Drummond)
• Nothing to report other than to discuss the point 6 of the Agenda.
• Any decision to stage three finals at one ground should be made by the Management Committee not the Ground Committee.
• The Ground Committee has already put forward the names of three clubs to host these finals and if this day does go ahead, then it should be played at one of those recommended grounds with Sharow being given the first option, followed by Knaresborough Forest and then Arthington.

Child Welfare (Isabel Peel)
• Several clubs have been in touch with new child welfare officers. New courses will be required. These will be advertised on the Sports UK web site to fill spaces.
• All clubs have so far been funded to attend. This will continue. Ripley Castle to provide a venue. Those officers who book but do not turn up will be charged.
• IP will not be in attendance at the pre season meeting. Captains should be reminded to check the ages of young players. The results sheet has been amended to ask for junior age groups. Clubs will be asked to supply the age group of players when registering players at the start of the season.

Disciplinary Committee (Anton Lodge )
Nothing to report except to welcome Luke and Craig to the Management Meeting.
Little Ribston has supplied a person for the disciplinary panel.
A final discussion took place regarding the Dacre Banks/Shane Wills incident in 2011. The setup of disciplinary panels will be revised in 2012 to enable no conflict of interests at hearings.

Junior League Representative (Ken Coad)
• Following health problems in 2011, Ken Coad had reported that he was now in a position to return to an official role for 2012. Ken and Paul Ellis therefore met in November and agreed to propose that the duties by split and Ken take the role of Junior League Chairman and Secretary and Paul take the role of Lords Taverners/Coaching Chairman and Secretary. This was proposed to Sir Thomas, and to the Clubs at a belated AGM in December, and was approved.
• Team entry forms for the 2012 season have been issued with a deadline entry date of 1st February. 24 hours until deadlines for entry to the junior league. Only 12 clubs have been registered. A new entry has been received from Masham for an Under 11 pairs team.
• All officials have been elected with Mick Dawson taking on the position of U9/11 age group.
• The next junior League Committee meeting will be held at Knaresborough CC on Thursday 16th February at 8.00pm

Six Aside Junior Indoors (Bill Kitson)
• The disadvantage of sending reports out early is that last minute developments can render it inaccurate or out of date.
• The season is progressing well but we are losing playing hours where clubs cannot raise a team due to other sporting commitments. These are hours we can ill afford to lose and this can call for the fixtures to be revised. With the volume of entries likely to increase next season it will become more difficult to accommodate them.
• The larger clubs enter two, sometimes three teams in the same age group, but we can see the same player in both teams and also playing for other clubs in a different age group. The clubs appear to have an A team and a second, coaching team of lower ability. If clubs entered only one team, as a squad they would potentially get more games, but the individual players would lose out. Whereas, in the smaller clubs the individual players would gain. That way we may be able to avoid splitting into leagues. We could make a rule which allows a youngster to only play for one club. Trying to be as fair as possible will not be easy. There is no problem when a club has to borrow a player to make up the side when they are shorthanded.
• The lead coaches are to be contacted shortly with a list of possible changes and asked for their comments and any suggestions they may have. We do not want to deny the players but the league system of the moment could mean in the finals we have a high standard team playing a lower ability team which is unfair competition.
• On Friday evening we received an email from Pateley Bridge CC withdrawing their under 13 team, citing ‘the boys either have other commitments, or have decided not to play cricket at all anymore’. This is on the eve of week 18 of the season and would have meant a second revision of the u13 fixtures, the previous revision only seven weeks ago when they could not raise a team.
• Fortunately, having advised the relevant coaches, John Skinner of North Stainley offered to substitute a second girl’s team to fulfil the four remaining Pateley fixtures. This will ensure the opposing teams will not lose out on games they were expecting to play. North Stainley has a large squad of girls and this will add to the four girls’ teams in this year’s competition.

League Representative Side (Alex Houseman)
• Nothing to report

6. Overseas Player Registrations Secretary (Tony Whittaker)
• It has been agreed that players who have been registered previously as Recreational Overseas Players do not need to reapply each season provided their circumstances have not changed. They must however be noted on the clubs registration form as ROP

• Only one overseas registration received to date for 2012 season: Newby Hall – David Kelly same as 2011

• Email sent to Masham confirming regulations for an Overseas player becoming an ROP

7. Cup Finals Day (Ian Sunderland/Ben Drummond)
• Proposals are in place to play the finals of the Barrett Cup, Wath Cup and Peter Bentley Cup on the same day, at the same venue. This would attract a larger audience, increase revenue for the host club and create more of an event. The host club must be carefully considered for a number of reasons including facilities (ladies, disabled access), location and logistics.
• The Ground Committee has already put forward the names of three clubs to host these finals and if this day does go ahead, then it should be played at one of those recommended grounds with Sharow being given the first option, followed by Knaresborough Forest and then Arthington.
• A discussion took place. The logistics of a venue was discussed. It is seen as an opportunity for clubs to host and make some money.
• Clubs should be invited and asked if they would like to take up the offer. Clubs should then be offered the opportunity to apply to host.
• Committee agreed on Knaresborough Forest as a host club. A date and reserve date will be agreed shortly. ACTION CR/IS

8. Future Structure of the Nidderdale League
• Due to rising travel costs an informal approach was made to the Deputy Chairman from Harrogate CC about how to accommodate their 2nd XI into the Nidderdale League. This has now been supplemented by an approach by Thirsk to accommodate their 2XI for the same reason. How should the League respond to this possibly with a view to attracting other clubs with teams currently playing in higher leagues?
• An example of a problem in waiting however is Division 5. Clubs are Alne, Boroughbridge, Goldsborough, Pannal, Pateley Bridge, South Kilvington, Sharow, Ripley, Spofforth, Harrogate, Studley Royal and Crakehall, there are vast distances here which the likes of Harrogate and Thirsk are wishing to avoid.
• Does the League, below Division 3? Need to be regionalised as we have tried to do with Evening Cup Fixtures?

• The committee felt that travel is much easier in the Nidderdale League and any changes would be fundamental to the League constitution.
• A sub-committee will be formed to discuss this issue formed of CN, EH, PC, LB, TW and report to the Management Committee at the next meeting.
• The League will respond to Thirsk who shall be treated as any other club subject to further discussions. The notice period for application to join the League was discussed as this would be communicated to Thirsk.

9. Sponsorship
The current sponsorship deal with Lords International is due to expire after the 2012 season. With a number of offers on the table, how should the League look to maximise its potential sponsorship income and exposure using the money to best effect?
a. Theakstons
b. Lords International
c. Ackrill Newspaper
d. Others?
e. Naming Rights of the League
f. Dual sponsorship of the Saturday and/or Knock Out Competitions

• Lords International - £5k for 6 years
• Theakston – see attached
• A question was asked as to how the sponsorship offers would affect the ball supply contract with Lords. It was confirmed that the deal would stay the same and the price would remain the same for 6 years. The ball deal is separate from the Lords sponsorship deal.
• The two deals would run in parallel in 2012 season.
• It was felt that Theakstons are local, their advertising of our league would be better than Lords.
• Point 11 – banners on every ground. Some grounds may not be able to display banners due to landlords.
• EH and STI will go back to Theakston to clarify the deal.
• EH wished it to be minuted thanks to Sir Thomas for handling the establishment of this deal.

10. Any Other Business
• Grey Fox Trophy - some rule changes. YCCC has offered indoor nets for players. £25 donation to enter a team. The League should put in a team. AH to arrange. Website advert to be added.
• The League will not be entering the Nixon Cup this year
• Little Ribston are holding a 6 a side competition on Sunday 3rd June
• Friday 16th November 2012 – League Dinner at The Cairn Hotel.
• Arrow Self Drive have renewed with Junior League. Free advert for the handbook. KC to encourage the sponsorship of the Junior Indoor League.
• Golden Oldies – 8 definite players with some others possibles

11. Date Of Next Meeting (March 2012)
Monday 19th March 2012

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