NORTH LINDSEY CRICKET LEAGUE TROPHY WINNERS PICTURED

Dave Willey (left) presented trophies to winning teams and top-performing players of 2012 during the North Lindsey League AGM held last Wednesday at Brumby Hall Cricket Pavilion, Scunthorpe. Above: Appleby-Frodingham secretary Ian Armiger receives the division one championship trophy, to be shared with Scunthorpe Town CC who were not represented at the meeting. If you want  look at the end-of-season averages FOLLOW THIS LINK

Dave Willey presenting the division one leading bowler award to Ben Barrick (Caistor Cougars).

Luddington's Andrew Lawson (right) was the leading batsman in division three. He also received the bowling award on behalf of team-mate Arron Curry.

And finally....A cheque and trophy for division two Hibaldstow, received by Mark Nicholson.

ADDITIONAL TO EARLIER THE NORTH LINDSEY LEAGUE REPORT

The format of divisions for the 2013 North Lindsey Cricket League season was not done at the AGM held in Scunthorpe last week.
There seems to be some uncertainty whether Broughton and Barton will again wish to operate two teams apiece in this Sunday competitions.
The divisions will be formulated at the February meeting of the North Lindsey League.
During Wednesday's AGM, it was suggested a number of teams in the west will find themselves in the same division.
So, in a way, the regionalisation idea floated by Jimmy Snee - but not considered at the AGM - will be realised, in part, without the league taking any action.
It's expected - though not yet confirmed - that the only additional team to join for 2013, South Kelsey, will start life in division three, which might involve them in a good deal of travelling.

LINCS ACO ANNUAL MEETING MOVED TO NOVEMBER 25

Lincolnshire umpires have announced a new date for their AGM.
The Lincolnshire ACO meeting will now take place on Sunday 25th November, commencing at 2pm.
The venue is still Bracebridge Heath CC, Lincoln.

CAISTOR ADD COLOUR TO NORTH LINDSEY LEAGUE ANNUAL MEETING

A colourful idea from Caistor was aired at the annual meeting of the North Lindsey Cricket League - held on Wednesday night at the Brumby Hall cricket pavilion in Scunthorpe - by kind permission of Appleby-Frodingham CC.
League general secretary Paul Saunders notified club delegates of a letter received from Caistor CC's Liam Wood, sounding out the North Lindsey League about the possibility of Caistor playing in blue kit (presumably sponsored).
League vice-chairman/fixture secretary Glen Sands said there was nothing in the rules to rule this out.
Some club delegates didn't see that it mattered, while the contrary, traditionalist view was also expressed - cricket should be played in white kit.
Caistor's man at the meeting suggested the club might not press ahead with the suggested kit change, in any case.
KELSEY COMEBACK: South Kelsey re-applied to join, with no dissenting voices against them being admitted to the competition after a few years' gap. Secretary Mike Owen spoke on their behalf, explaining the club had dropped one of its two Lincolnshire County Cricket League teams and decided to give people a game on Sunday. He said the club could not yet estimate the strength of its North Lindsey League line-up for 2013. For the benefit of member clubs from the Gainsborough and Bassetlaw districts, he explained the location of the ground at Holton-le-Moor.
JIMMY SNEE'S MASTER PLAN: Lincs Cricket Latest followers may well be aware of veteran player Jimmy Snee's suggestion to shake up the North Lindsey League by reducing overs and regionalising the divisions. No mention was made of this at the AGM until Mick Walker was asked if he had any comments to make on behalf of the Scunthorpe and District Umpires' Association. Mick said he was surprised that Jimmy's plan had not been discussed. It was then explained to the meeting that Jimmy's thoughts were his own and had not been proposed by any club. Therefore, it could not be considered at the AGM.
DIVIDING TEAMS FINISHING EQUAL: The North Lindsey League is to have a change of rule which will set out criteria for dividing teams that finish level on points. Currently there is nothing "in the book" - meaning sharing of honours. to cover this point. Various suggestions for doing this came up at the AGM, including most victories, and "head to head" (the outcome of games between the teams finishing level).
OFFICIALS:  Re-election applied on the top table - Dave Willey, chairman; Glen Sands, vice-chairman/fixture secretary; Enid Girling, treasurer.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT: Dave Willey looked back on a very wet summer - the exact opposite of what he reported in 2011. He thanked the umpires for their efforts.

LINCS CRICKET LATEST TOOK PIX OF THE TROPHY WINNERS AND WILL POST THESE WHEN WE GET A MINUTE!

BRIGG TOWN HOLDING ANNUAL MEETING ON SUNDAY

Brigg Town Cricket Club has announced details of its annual general meeting.
This will be held on Sunday (Oct 28) at 5pm at the Hawthorns clubhouse of Brigg Town Football Club.
Brigg cricketers have enjoyed their most successful summer for some years - winning the division three championship of the East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance.
This means higher grade cricket is in the pipeline for 2013.
Anyone interested in joining the club for next season will be made welcome at the AGM.
Or you can email joehebblewhite@gmail.com to request further details about Brigg Town CC.
The club was formed in 1974 and plays its homes games at the Recreation Ground, off Wrawby Road.
Leagues in which it has played over the years include: Grimsby and District Saturday, Humberside Alliance, Lincolnshire County, North Lindsey, Broughton Evening, West Wold and Lincoln - plus age group cricket from under-11s upwards.

NIGHT OF THE LONG DISCUSSIONS

In addition to U13 players batting and bowling, the 2012 Lincolnshire County Cricket League had perhaps a record number of rule change proposals put forward for consideration at Wednesday night's AGM, some of which failed to gain sufficient support and some did enough to enter next season's Handbook.

APPROVED
'Spirit of the Game': An admin fee of £25 must accompany any complaint - to be refunded if the complaint is upheld.
Intervals: The tea interval shall be 30 minutes. The interval between innings shall be 10 minutes, but under no circumstances shall the 40 minutes be taken at one time.
Penalty for using ineligible players: Points deductions and/or any subsequent reassignment of points to opposing teams will include all games involving the ineligible player/players, not just the game that has generated the complaint.
Other Leagues from which a club transfer is required to play in the Lincolnshire League: Include Bassetlaw League (to replace Bassetlaw League Championship - highest division).
Failure to fulfil a fixture: Any club not fulfilling a fixture shall be fined as Per Rule 8, shall pay the cost of teas to the non-offending club and reasonable expenses to the umpires.

NOTIFYING SCORES TO THE LEAGUE
The Management Committee (league officials) put forward a rule change to end the current practice of teams having to phone through scores after the game. The proposal was that, instead, full scorecards should be entered on Play Cricket by 11.59pm on the day. Some clubs felt this would prove very difficult and it was heavily rejected. However, many delegates seemed in favour of replacing after-match phone calls with the requirement to enter "summary" team scores/wickets lost and brief highlights on Play Cricket by early Sunday morning.
It was impossible to adopt this on Wednesday as the AGM can only adopt or decide rule changes put before it, and not any amendments.
However, Gary Sutton (Hartsholme) came up with an ingenious compromise, which was agreed. Prior to the January Executive Committee meeting of league clubs at Market Rasen CC, there will be an Extraordinary Annual General Meeting to consider adopting the "summary score" proposal.

Among rule change proposals rejected were:

• Deduct 5pts from a club making a 'Spirit of the Game' claim against its opponents when this is not upheld.
• Clubs shall not use any overseas players.
• Any ball which passes down the leg-side of the batsman in his normal 'ready' position shall be called 'wide' and the ball bowled again (premier division only)
• Limit a bowler's maximum number of overs in an innings to 12.
• Limit a bowler to 25 per cent of the total overs in an innings.
• Increase visiting team team costs to £30 (from £25).

WORKING PARTY ON UNDER-13 PLAYERS IN LINCS LEAGUE

The Lincolnshire County Cricket League is establishing a working party to look at drafting a rule change for consideration at next year's AGM (Octobe 2013) to remove the current restriction barring U13 age group category players from batting and bowling (they can only field).
This follows yet another rule change proposal being presented and failing to gain sufficient support.
At Wednesday's 2012 AGM in Market Rasen, Cleethorpes put forward a proposal to remove the batting and bowling restrictions and replace them with the ECB guidelines for junior players in open age cricket.
The discussion involving club delegates, league officials and umpires' reps followed a now familiar format: 
Those in favour of change - led by Cleethorpes and Grimsby Town - pointed out that U13 players can bat and bowl at ECB level for their first teams but not for lower X1s in the Lincs League. The intention of their rule change was for Level 2 coaches to identify talented young players able to hold their own in Lincs League games, with parental consent also needed.
However, there were concerns voiced at the AGM over how this might be applied in practice to ensure the match umpires were 100 per cent certain those steps had been followed. It was, after all, only GUIDANCE from the ECB and not a DIRECTIVE.
It was also pointed out that the Lincs League has five divisions comprising clubs, teams and players of varying standards, unlike ECB competitions which are solely for 1st X1s.
So, for 2013 at least, the current rule remains in force: U13 category players will not be permitted to bat or bowl, but they can field.
Last time there was divided opinion on an important topic - whether the Play Cricket online results system should be introduced - the Lincs League established a working party which examined the topic in detail and eventually drafted a rule change which was subsequently carried at the AGM with a large majority.

OWMBY AND CHERRY 2nds PROMOTED AFTER ALL IN LINCS LEAGUE

Congratulations to teams that thought they'd missed out on promotion in the Lincolnshire County Cricket League in September, but were promoted after all at the AGM held this week in Market Rasen.
This situation resulted, in part, from South Kelsey's decision to drop its first team (which was in line for relegation from the premier division to division one) but keep a side in the lower reaches of the competition (now to be known as South Kelsey rather than South Kelsey 2nds).
There is also no team being "lost" through promotion to the Lincs ECB Premier, as Scunthorpe Town's Heslam Park ground was not felt to be of sufficient standard for the top flight.
Perhaps unexpectedly promoted are Owmby (to division one), Cherry Willingham 2nds to division two and Caistor 3rds (to division three).
In addition, Caistor 2nds will not be relegated after all from division two - nor will South Kelsey (2nds) from division three.
Unanimously voted in to division four, as newcomers, at the AGM, were Normanby Park - very good to see them back in the Lincs League after a lengthy absence - and Old Lincolnians 2nds.

P denotes promoted
R denotes relegated

FORMAT FOR 2013

Premier Division
Alford & District
Alkborough
Barton Town
Bracebridge Heath 2nds (P)
Caistor Town
Cherry Willingham
Cleethorpes 2nds
Market Rasen Town (P)
Messingham
Nettleham
Scunthorpe Town

Division One
Appleby-Frodingham 2nds
Broughton (R)
Holton-Le-Clay
Horncastle
Louth 2nds
Messingham 2nds (P)
Outcasts
Owmby (P)
Scothern
Scunthorpe Town 2nds (P)

Division Two
Alkborough 2nds
Caistor Town 2nds (Not Relegated)
Cherry Willingham 2nds (P)
Cleethorpes 3rds (R)
Grimsby Town 2nds
Hartsholme 2nds
Haxey 2nds (P)
Hibaldstow (P)
Keelby
Nettleham 2nds

Division Three
Alford & District 2nds
Barton Town 2nds
Broughton 2nds
Caistor Town 3rds (P)
Laportes
Market Rasen Town 2nds (P)
Old Lincolnians (P)
Outcasts 2nds
South Kelsey 2nds
Washingborough (R)

Division Four
Cleethorpes 4ths (R)
Holton-Le-Clay 2nds
Hykeham
Keelby 2nds
Morton
Normanby Park (Elected)
Old Lincolnians 2nds (Elected)
Scothern 2nds
Scunthorpe Town 3rds

LINCS LEAGUE ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP

Wednesday sees the annual meeting of the Lincolnshire County Cricket League being held at Rase Park, Market Rasen, from 7.30pm. All member clubs are reminded that they need to send a representative along.
Clubs that are members of the Broughton Evening League are asked to note that this organisation's AGM will NOT take place after the Lincs League's on Wednesday. The BEL AGM is likely to be held in January and full details will be circulated in due course to member clubs.
There has already been one inquiry about joining the BEL for 2014. If your club is thinking of applying, please email the secretary, Glen Sands - glensands13@aol.com

LINCS CRICKET LATEST BACK IN BUSINESS

Apologies for the absence of postings on Lincs Cricket Latest since the weekend: We've been away for a few days. You will appreciate it's difficult to take holidays during the cricket season if you are in our line of work!

LINCS ECB PREMIER PRESSING AHEAD WITH SECOND DIVISION FOR 2014

STATEMENT FROM THE LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER LEAGUE ISSUED TODAY, FRIDAY OCTOBER 12

The Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League aims to create a second division for the 2014 season in a bid to meet a growing demand for promotion to the higher level.
During the 2012 season, the league has seen an upsurge in clubs seeking advice on how to meet the criteria for promotion and members of its Development Sub-Committee are now working with a number of these clubs to help them achieve the necessary standards.
However, as league chairman Colin White explained, with only one promotion place per season available for each of the two feeder leagues – the Lincolnshire County Cricket League and the South Lincolnshire & Border League -  even when the criteria is met, not all clubs can achieve their ambition to move up to Premier League level.
“We have at least three clubs this year that would like to come up but can only take two,” he said.  “One of these has been working for four years towards meeting the criteria but having achieved it, they then only finished second in their league.
“We think the introduction of a second division will go some way towards solving this problem as well as being a major step forward for Lincolnshire cricket.
“Initially, we are looking at two divisions of 10 with promotion and relegation between the two divisions but we would not be a closed shop as there would continue to be promotion and relegation to and from the feeder leagues.”
Initially, eight teams are being sought to form the new division along with the two who finish bottom of the ECB Premier League in 2013.
Potential sponsors for the new division have already been identified and the aim is to raise as much funding as possible to finance the setting up of the new division and to assist clubs with travelling expenses and with any work necessary to meet the ECB criteria. This would be in addition to funding already received from the ECB for clubs in the existing Premier League for which additional sponsorship is also being sought.
ECB League secretary Ann Boulton believes that some clubs are put off Premier level cricket by the size of the county.
“It is a long way to travel right from the north of the county to, say, Market Deeping or Bourne but teams only go to these grounds once a season; it’s not as if they’re going extra distances every week” she said. “Most of the grounds are no further away than those in their existing leagues.
“This is a real challenge for the ECB League but more particularly for clubs who want to give their young players a chance to play at a higher level.  The Premier League was formed to encourage junior cricket on good pitches and this new division will carry on that policy.”

SPALDING PROMOTED BUT SCUNTHORPE TOWN NOT ADMITTED TO LINCS ECB PREMIER LEAGUE

STATEMENT FROM THE LINCOLNSHIRE ECB PREMIER LEAGUE ISSUED TODAY, FRIDAY OCTOBER 12

The Readers Lincolnshire ECB Premier League will go into the 2013 season with one new team.
At the league’s Annual General Meeting, South Lincolnshire & Border League winners Spalding CC were judged to have met the required criteria for promotion to the top flight and will replace Boston, who finished bottom of the league and now return to the SLBL.
However, Lincolnshire County League winners Scunthorpe Town will not be promoted after there were doubts as to whether their pitch and outfield would be up to ECB League standard for 2013.
The club has now been invited to work with the ECB League’s Development Committee in an attempt to address the concerns.

SCUNTHORPE TOWN C.C. FACEBOOK PAGE
Paul Inman to club members: "It is with real regret that I have to inform that we were not elected to the ECB Premier League with the reason given that our playing surface has too many weeds. Richard, Del, and I were stunned with this news and we need a few days to collect our thoughts. We have a massive year to celebrate and then we will all sit down and take stock."

SCUNTHORPE UMPIRES' ANNUAL MEETING

The annual general meeting of the Scunthorpe and District Umpires' Association will be held on Thursday, October 18 at Appleby-Frodingham's Brumby Hall Cricket Pavilion, off Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, at 7pm.

HIGH CALIBRE SPEAKER AT LINCS GROUNDS MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY

A top researcher is the speaker at the opening meeting of the Lincolnshire Cricket Grounds Association winter season.
Dr Iain James of Cranfield University has been directly involved in the ECB's recent research into the rolling, spiking and aeration of squares and will be giving a fascinating insight into the research element of the ground industry.
County Pitch Adviser Martin Deans believes the association is lucky to attract a speaker of this calibre.
“By the very nature of their work, speakers like Dr James are involved in countless lectures and presentations,” he said. “He delivers an entertaining presentation.  His talk will contain much information of value to us all in the ground industry and this meeting is a must for anyone in Lincolnshire who is involved in the game of cricket.”
The meeting takes place on Wednesday, October 17 at Rustons Sports Club, Newark Road, Lincoln - a change of venue to the one previously advertised.
An open membership to the CGA costs £10 per season and the association welcomes anyone interested in grounds maintenance.
For further details, e-mail Martin Deans on martindeans@btinternet.com or ring 07971 087891.

CALLING ALL WOULD-BE CRICKET SCORERS ACROSS LINCOLNSHIRE

As all of us who play cricket know, having a scorer makes a massive difference and having one that actually knows what they're doing is even better! Bearing that in mind, Anne Sutton is following up her course from last year with an official ECB ACO Level 1 Scorers Course, which will provide successful candidates with their Level 1 certificate and confidence ahead of next season. Details are as follows:

DATES:  Saturday 17th November and Saturday 24th November.
TIME:  10AM to 3PM
VENUE: Lincoln University Sports Complex.
COST: £50.. This is a recognised ECB ACO Level 1 course and the cost includes the necessary ECB instruction pack that is distributed to each candidate.
OTHER INFO: There will be a test on 24.11.12 and successful candidates will become a qualified Level 1 scorer and receive a certificate.
Candidates will need to bring a packed lunch and drinks.
For further details or to sign up please contact Anne Sutton on 01522 791030 or e-mail anne.sutton46@ntlworld.com

TRIBUTES TO THE LATE PAUL CHAMBERLAIN - CLEETHORPES CRICKET CLUB AND GRIMSBY AREA UMPIRE

FROM PAUL HEWSTONE, CRICKET CHAIRMAN - CLEETHORPES CC
Not only was Paul a great servant to Cleethorpes CC and the Grimsby Umpires' Association but he was a one of life’s true gentleman and someone I would refer to as a friend. I hope he classed me the same.
His cricket knowledge was incredible and he was always available to listen and offer advice.
If it was an opinion on a player, or a thought on the day’s play, I would often turn to Paul for advice.
Paul had been ill for a while and he never once complained. He remained his usual cheerful self - always quick to take the mickey, whether it be in the winter and Everton had lost or in the summer when we had lost another game of cricket
Cricket in general, and Cleethorpes CC in particular, will be far worse off.
A very sad loss and he will be greatly missed by all at Cleethorpes CC

FROM BOB WELTON - CHAIRMAN, LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE
I was deeply saddened to hear that Paul Chamberlain had passed away on Wednesday 03/10/12.
Paul was a BIG MAN  in many ways. He helped me set up the under-13 coaching sessions at Cleethorpes CC and put in many hours of unpaid time on Friday nights and on Sunday morning match days.
His help was invaluable as the section rapidly grew from 12 boys to 90 boys and girls regularly turning up for coaching, and became the foundation of the club's youth programme.
My heartfelt sympathies go to Paul's family. He will be sadly missed.  R. I. P.

GLOWING TRIBUTE TO DON WILSON - EX-LINCS MINOR COUNTIES CAPTAIN

You've got to be pretty special to merit a quarter of the Daily Telegraph's obituary page, but that's the case today for Don Wilson - the former England, Yorkshire and England left-arm spinner.

Don retired from  first class cricket with Yorkshire in 1974 and later spent three years captaining Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

He was also MCC's head coach at Lord's.

LEG-SIDE WIDES AND OVERSEAS PLAYERS IN THE LINCOLNSHIRE LEAGUE

Alford Cricket Club has made a proposal to change the way leg-side wides are defined in the Lincolnshire League from next season.

PROPOSED: Any ball which passes down the leg-side of the batsman in his normal "ready" position will be called "wide" and the ball bowled again. The discretion as to whether a batsman has moved to create a wide delivery will be with the standing umpire.

Alford CC also proposes a change to the rule relating to costs met when failing to fulfil a fixture, as follows:

Any club not fulfilling a fixture shall be fined as per Rule 8, shall pay the cost of teas to the non-offending club and reasonable expenses to the umpires.

(The current rule says the offending club "shall pay all reasonable expenses of the non-offending club and the umpires".)

Barton Town have put forward the following relating to overseas players (defined as those who have not resided in the UK for a continuous period of two years prior to the season):

Clubs shall not not engage and play any overseas players.

Barton also propose:

The visiting team shall pay for a minimum of eleven teas at a cost of £30.

(The current cost of teas is £25).

These proposals from Alford and Barton will be considered by the league AGM at Market Rasen CC on October 17.  

MORE RULE CHANGE PROPOSALS TO FOLLOW ON LINCS CRICKET LATEST.

RULE CHANGE PROPOSED TO ALLOW U13s TO BAT AND BOWL IN LINCS LEAGUE

A rule change to be considered and voted on at the Lincolnshire County Cricket League AGM on October 17 proposes allowing Under-13 category players to bat and bowl, rather than just field, as is currently the case.
This topic has created a good deal of interest and discussion at previous AGMs.

Here is the rule change proposal - followed by the ECB guidelines for junior players, which are well worth reading carefully, whether you, or your club, are "for" or "against" change being made.

Player Eligibility – Age (Cleethorpes CC)

CURRENT RULE 
6.9. General Points g) Players under the age of 13, taken from August 31st of the previous year, may play in league and cup matches but U13 age group players are ineligible to bat and bowl. A fine as per rule 8.1 shall apply for non-compliance.

Cleethorpes propose that the above rule is removed and replaced with the following:

g) ECB guidelines for junior players in open age cricket shall apply (please refer to Page XX of the League Handbook).
Cleethorpes CC note that the ECB revised these guidelines in 2012 and that these differ to those published in the current League Handbook.  The revised guidelines can be downloaded from:
http://static.ecb.co.uk/files/2925-nfc-juniorplayers-2012-p291-294-lr-11978.pdf

ADDITIONAL LINCS ECB SECOND DIVISION BEING DISCUSSED WITHIN CLUBS

What do you make of a suggested new second division for the Lincolnshire ECB Premier League?
If introduced, the additional division would become the second tier of the game in our county - above the Lincs League premier and the top division of the South Lincs and Border.
The suggestion is that division two could operate from 2014.
We understand that clubs currently in the top divisions of the so-called feeder leagues have been informed through  recently sent correspondence from the ECB competition.
The new second division is aimed at some of the clubs not currently in the Lincs ECB but at the top end of the Lincs League and the SL&B. But note that 2nd X1s are not included.
We aren't going to suggest any possibles, but you can draw your own conclusions about which clubs might be in the running to join.
Main issues for clubs to consider will be the travelling distances - it's more than 80 miles from one end of Lincolnshire to the other - and the cost. Some players may also have to weigh up the time factor against family commitments and Saturday morning working.
The Lincs ECB League's AGM will be held later this month, which may result in things becoming a little clearer.
We've endeavoured not to pass comment on the suggested new division and have merely stated what information now seems to be in the public domain.
What prospective member clubs of the ECB second division make of this is a matter for them, their committees and their players.
However, there's no doubt that many followers of the game across the county, from Stamford to the Humber - will be watching with interest to see the outcome.
We've been holding off saying anything about this topic for the past week, thinking a statement might be on its way to us from the ECB league. That offer still stands if the county's top-ranked competition feels it has information it wishes to share with Lincs Cricket Latest readers.

TWO-WEEK CLOSE SEASON AT AN END

Just two weeks after the end of the 2012 Lincolnshire County Cricket League season, there's an officers' meeting tonight to start planning ahead for the 2013 campaign.
It's usual to have such a pre-AGM get-together, the annual meeting of clubs being just a couple of weeks away.
The Lincs League officers are at Heslam Park tonight - the home of Scunthorpe Town - while just up Ashby Road the first training session for prospective umpires will be taking place at Appleby-Frodingham's Brumby Hall pavilion.