THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT

Reading Glen Sands' regular reports of the fine and enjoyable cricket being played in the Snaith District Evening League and noting how the Grimsby Midweek League can still boast seven divisions, leaves me, and I'm sure many others, very disappointed that the Scunthorpe area no longer has a similar competition for senior clubs. The West Wold League also continues to serve West Lindsey teams - and there are others dotted about.
It's a good few years now since the Broughton and District Evening League called it a day, having latterly been reduced to a single division from its zenith of three thriving sections, plus a KO Cup.
The Broughton Evening League, for many years, ran alongside the Scunthorpe Midweek Friendly League, which is still going. The BEL was for regular club cricket sides; the Friendy League generally comprising company and office sides (eg Singleton Birch, Clover Dairies, Tarmac, and even the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph for a time).
When my In A Spin column was going in the "Scun Tel" we made several efforts over the years to kickstart interest in re-establishing a midweek league serving the Scunthorpe area and the Isle of Axholme (there was once an Isle of Axholme Evening League, too).
Bottesford Town stalwart Dave Willey showed interest, having served the Broughton Evening League as an official, but few others came forward to pledge themselves to the cause.
The argument trotted out is there's a great deal of youth cricket these days in the Scunthorpe area and club sides would reply on the U19s for midweek league teams. To which I would reply: That's always been the case - and Grimsby and Snaith seem to manage perfectly well, in identical situations.
In terms of "getting off from work" to play night cricket midweek, there's certainly not the issue there was in the 1970s and 1980s when many were employed on the 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm and 10pm-6am shifts. As the steel industry has steadily reduced the number employed, service industries have come into the area - many of which are not 24-hour, round-the-clock enterprises and, instead, have less anti-social working hours more beneficial to playing cricket.
We welcome your thoughts on the issue! If sufficient pledge themselves to the cause, we might operate off our own bat and try to get a meeting together to form a Scunthorpe competition. I don't think the admin would prove too much of a problem. Clubs just need to commit to it.

PICTURED: Bottesford stalwart Dave Willey (left) alongside Andy Sharp. Dave was a stalwart supporter of the Broughton Evening League, also playing in the Gainsborough competition for Blyton. Andy, having played much club cricket in the Scunthorpe area, is now with Keelby CC. He's still performing in the Grimsby Midweek League. The picture was taken at a night match at Brigg Rec. Sadly, not a league encounter but a friendly.