Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held at Ripley Town Hall - Monday, January 22, 2007
Chairman
Sir Thomas Ingilby
Apologies
Bob Hesk, Bradley Atkinson, Barry Gill, Steve Whiteley and Martin Blackham.
Minutes
THE MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING held on January 23rd 2006 signed as being a true record.
MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
REPORTS
Secretary (Tricia Heard)
The Season started on April 22nd with only one ground unfit for play.
The total number of teams playing in the League rose to 90. Evening League had 8 teams. The Atkinson Swires Cup was won by Killinghall who beat Pannal with Stuart Milburn of Killinghall taking the Man of the Match Trophy. The Reserve Knockout Cup went to Thornton le Moor when they beat Glasshouses at Ripley with Matthew Woodcock of Thornton le Moor taking the Man of the Match Trophy. The Wath Cup went to Newby Hall 2nd beating Killinghall 2nd at Glasshouses. The Man of the match winner here was Steve Ingall-Tombs from Newby Hall. The Peter Bentley Cup – New this season – was played at Killinghall when Staveley 2nd beat North Stainley 2nd and Johnny Brear of Staveley took the Man of the match trophy.
We welcome 2 new teams into division 8 for 2007 being Kirkby Malzeard 2nd and a New Club to the League Northallerton Town Wolves ( Northallerton Towns 4th X1). They will play in Division 8 putting it up to 8 teams who will play each other 3 times. The fixtures however have proved difficult to produce for 2007 and therefore are not as balanced as I would have liked. Div 8 clubs will see that there are 3 matches which I have been unable to arrange for a Saturday Fixture and one match has already been set for a Sunday. Management Committee have agreed that those matches not yet allocated a date should be agreed between the teams concerned and played anytime during the 22 weeks of the season whether a Sunday fixture or an Evening Match with reduced overs if necessary so that each team will have played each other times. Obviously this is not ideal but under the circumstances is the only solution. I will have a word with all the Division 8 representatives after this meeting.
The envelopes you have received this evening contain your fixures for the season both league and cups. Also your green voting card to be used this evening.
The venues for 2007 finals and M.C.C. Match will be: M.C.C. at Pateley Bridge, Atkinson Swires Cup at Masham, Reserve Knockout at Rainton
Wath Cup at Sharow and Peter Bentley Cup again at Killinghall.
The Annual pre-season meeting for all Team Captains, League Umpires, Ground Committee and Management Committee was held here at Ripley Town Hall on April 7th. The date for the 2007 meeting is March 30th, a week earlier this year due to Good Friday falling 2 weeks before the start of the season.
The Management Committee again met on 6 occasions. Other work was completed by two Sub-committees Ground Committee and Disciplinary Panel.
As always we must again thank Ackrill Newspapers for the continued support they give to the League.
Results: This is an annual reminder. Home Clubs Must report the result of their match. Please provide me with the result of your match as soon as possible after the end of the game no later than midnight on the day of the match. I need your information so that I can deal with it so that full results are in the Yorkshire Post on Monday Morning.
If any of you have any information for the 2007 handbook please put the information in the folder on the table. Also there are two lists to complete one for your order for balls and the other for handbooks. Please fill in the sheets before you leave this evening.
Some of you will have seen that there is a request on the web site for assistance in filling in the gaps where we have no record of the Individual Batting and Bowling Winners for all divisions since the commencement of each Division. Please look at the Web site and if you have any knowledge of the missing names please will you contact Barry Gill. His email address is in the League Handbook and on the web site.
You may be interested in the following. This is the start of my 15th year as your League Secretary and looking back at the Report given at the 1993 AGM by Alec Hammond my predecesor here are a few extracts.
1993 will see the league grow to 74 teams with the entry of Ripley 2nd and Bilton 3rd into Division 6. Having 14 teams in Division 6 has caused fixture problems, as we only have 22 weeks available. I apologise for the unbalanced nature of Div 6’s list but providing no teams drop out and weather permitting all teams will have 22 matches. You will see that it has not always been plain sailing to produce fixtures. Also we now have 92 teams in 51 Clubs and 8 Divisions.
Sir Thomas - Once again we must thank you for the endless time and energy you put in for the League and on behalf of the members I thank you.
Finally I wish everyone a very successful and enjoyable 2007 season.
Treasurer (Neil Burtwistle)
The treasurer presented the balance sheet ( accounts for the 2006 season) Following a few questions from the floor the balance sheet was accepted by the meeting.
Ground Committee (Ben Drummond)
Ben thanked all the Ground Committee for their work during the season. Their inspection of grounds for 2006.
All grounds will be inspected before the start of 2007 and any club wishing to know when and who will be inspecting to get in touch with him.
Representative Side (Shaun Sowray)
See Separate Sheet
Umpires Secretary (Jeff Watkins)
See separate Sheet
Disciplinary Panel (Steve Whiteley)
The panel was required to consider 13 cases covering a range of complaints during the previous season. These can be largely broken down into 3 categories.
1) Eigibility issues regarding both overseas and local based players.
2) Conduct issues.
3) Weather related issues.
1) There were 5 cases in this category, one of which involved the alleged payment in kind of an overseas player. Of these five cases, two resulted in points deductions, I overseas registration was cancelled, one explanation was accepted and no further action was taken, and the alleged payment was found ‘not proved’, with no further action. One club was expelled from a cup competition and subsequently re-instated on appeal.
2) There were five cases in this section. One case involved violent conduct resulting in a ban and the requirement to send a written apology. The ban is to continue until such time as the apology is received. The continued ban will reflect the same length of time as any delay in sending the apology. A second case involved abuse of umpires. This resulted in a ban and the requirement to send a written apology. Again the ban will continue until such time as the apologies are received on a similar basis to that mentioned above. The third case involved alleged reckless play involving a junior player and other conduct issues. Explanations and an apology were received and accepted and no further actions taken. The fourth case involved a match played contrary to league instructions and an attempt to mislead the league. Points were deducted from both teams. A fifth case involved alleged collusion between teams in different matches. It was considered there was no case to answer.
3) Weather related issues made up the final three cases. In all cases the results of the match stood with no further action taken. One further complaint was received on this issue but was subsequently withdrawn prior to a hearing.
That concludes the summary of the matters considered by the panel. Finally, the chairman and vice chairman of the Disciplinary Panel have decided to stand down and I would like to express my thanks and those of the other panel members for their invaluable assistance in investigating and hearing, what, in a number of cases, have been difficult and complicated cases.
Child Welfare Officer (Bradley Atkinson)
This year it has been decided that all clubs child welfare officers will be listed in the leagues handbook for reference. Clubs current CWO's details have been listed on the leagues website and I would be grateful if clubs could check these details to ensure that they are correct. I would be grateful if clubs could let me know of any changes so that I may update the records and also notify the YCB of the changes. Please note that any new CWO's will have to attend a Good Practice and Child Protection course, details of which are also available on the Leagues website. The second CWO training course, A Time to Listen, will hopefully be arranged at some point in the future, when the YCB have the relevant tutors.
Junior Indoor 6 aside (Bill Kitson)
The competition is now in its sixth season and has grown beyond recognition from the beginning. With 34 teams in five age groups the season involves between 200 and 250 boys and girls. The oldest group is under 17; where many of the players are already involved with senior cricket. The youngest; the Under 9 group, has some players as young as 6. They are, without doubt the most enthusiastic competitors. To quote one parent, ‘It may not be the Ashes, but they think it is!’
The growth of the competition means that the league programme this winter started in September, on the first Saturday after the outdoor season ended and will continue until April; concluding with the play-offs on the final Saturday before the 2007 outdoor season starts. Every club receives notification of the competition and an entry form. Where possible these are sent direct to junior coaches. If your club hasn’t got a team in one of the age groups I’d urge representatives to consider the possibilities. It could be a good way to start a junior section as it only requires 6 players rather than 11; and junior cricket is the way to ensure the future playing strength of your club.
The running of the competition is a mammoth task and I’d like to pay tribute to my wife Val, who spends countless hours putting the fixtures together; liaising with coaches and Pateley Recreation Centre staff. Her work ensures the smooth running of the league programme. Anyone who doubts the value of the event only has to turn up on a Saturday afternoon and witness the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the young cricketers taking part. Seeing the fun they get from their involvement is rich reward for the time and effort involved in the organisation.
I’d also like to thank Sir Thomas and the Management Committee for their generous and wholehearted support and backing for the competition; to the coaches; who in addition to their work with the players, help enormously with session management, to parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles whose vocal support from behind the net adds greatly to the atmosphere and excitement; and who sacrifice their time; even if only to act as unpaid taxi drivers. My final comment is regarding sportsmanship. Last Saturday a young batsman got a faint edge to the keeper. Using a wind-ball and with a howling gale and hailstorm battering the sports hall roof there was no way I could hear the edge, nor was there a deflection. There was no way I could have given the batsman out without guessing. I didn’t need to; he walked. He didn’t make too much of it when I talked to him later; he simply said, ‘I knew I’d hit it and knew the keeper had caught it.’ I believe that attitude reflects very well both on the players and their coaches. In view of much of what is being discussed this evening I think it should be encouraged.
Cup Competitions and Evening League Report (Barry Gill)
Without the help of all the Umpires, the knockout competitions would not be what they are. So firstly I would like to thank Jeff Watkins and all his colleagues for standing in the matches and ensuring that they run smoothly.
I would also like to thank the clubs whose grounds hosted the finals and in particular Pannal where the Atkinson Swires Cup Final was held some 4 weeks after the original date. Pannal's willingness to ensure the ground was available in the face of other needs was much appreciated.
Finally, I must thank all the clubs who take part, particularly the members of those clubs who ensure results etc are forwarded as and when required. The odd problem that does occur should not hide the fact that for 99.9% of the time things run very smoothly and that is due to you, the clubs.
Our three Evening Competitions generally passed without much controversy other than the usual claims and counter claims as to the eligibility of players taking part, particularly in the later rounds. I doubt whether this is a problem that will ever be solved satisfactorily.
The evening finals at Glasshouses, Ripley & Killinghall were well contested matches and were blessed with three superb summer evenings.
The Atkinson Swires competition suffered badly from the weather in 2006. When we got to the Final we saw a good match although not quite such a nail biting finish as the year before.
With regard to the Sunday Competition, the Management Committee is concerned that despite reducing the number of clubs taking part in the 1st Round to 16, 25% of the clubs withdrew without playing a match. This is disappointing. It also disappointing for the match officials to be told at 10.30 am on a Sunday morning, and often later, that their match is off.
This year it is intended to start the competition 4 weeks later in order to try and avoid clubs early season fixture clashes such as the Village KO. In addition, as you will see the Management Committee has proposed a 6pt penalty against those clubs who withdraw.
This, on the face of it, is a somewhat draconian measure but what alternative is there when we have been faced with the level of withdrawals from the Sunday competition that has been the case in recent years.
Turning now to the Evening League, this competition ran very smoothly in 2006. My thanks for the clubs who took part for ensuring this was the case.
The above reports were all accepted by the meeting.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Assistant Secretary Erik Thompson
Child Welfare Officer Bradley Atkinson
Evening League and Cup Competitions Secretary Barry Gill
- all re-elected unopposed (Nominated and seconded by Clubs )
ELECTION OF MEMBERS
Tony Whittaker and Steven Coombs were both re-elected unopposed(nominated by the Management Committee)
REFORM PROPOSALS (Erik Thompson)
All Proposals were discussed. Unanimously agreed having been proposed by Tony Whittaker and seconded by Ben Drummond.
PROPOSED RULE CHANGES
All Proposed Rule Changes were agreed apart from the proposal that all games should start at 1.30pm except for the final match of the season when the game would start at 1.00pm.
A vote was taken and the proposal was defeated.
ELECTION OF DISIPLINARY PANEL
Roger Deakin, Richard Bleasdale, John Lyons, David Owram and Godfrey Wetherall were re-elected. PLUS ALL Management Committee ( if REFORM PROPSALS Rule 19.1 is passed.) ALL REFORM PROPSALS WERE PASSED.
HANDBOOKS
Erik Thompson reported that clubs had been advised in December that revisions and improvements were proposed to the Handbook for the 2007 season.
The cover will be shiny paper, the cost of the new format would be approx £4 each, but the league has agreed to subsidise the cost to clubs so that, dependent upon the numbers ordered the cost should be no more than £3.50 each.
Agreed by the meeting.
SPONSORSHIP
Eric Houseman reported that Lords International have offered us a deal of £30,000 over a period of 6 years.
Cost of the ball to be used will be less than £17 (marginally more than in previous years) but the cost will be held for 6 years.
The ball is a new one Lords Regal County Crown Ball ( which was used by some of our clubs last season to test ). The result of this test was good.
This will come into effect from the start of the new season.
This is the best deal possible offered to us within our League Rules
ACKRILL NEWSPAPERS will continue to sponsor in a smaller way – with the Junior League through Web sites.
HONORARIA
Secretary £1,500
Treasurer £300
Umpires Secretary £300
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
SIR THOMAS was thanked for Chairing the meeting which closed at 9.30pm.
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