2006 - Chairmans Report - By Brian Pryke
This season has been our last in the Bradford Central League, our application to join the Halifax Cricket league having been approved earlier this year. Having said farewell to clubs we have played against for many years we now look forwards to meeting new opponents and visiting new venues next season. We also look forward to renewing rivalry with a number of old acquaintances. This season opened in typically wet conditions and during the summer we have lost more games to the weather than for a long time despite July being one of the driest and sunniest months on record. After winning the League and promotion last year the First and Second Elevens both finished mid table. In cup competitions the Firsts survived to the second round whilst the Second Team concentrated on the league. Despite teams innings scores being generally lower this season, on one Saturday both sides and their opponents scored over 200 runs, but sadly neither Low Moor teams won. However the season finished on a high note with both teams recording victories against Cross Roads and Daisy Hill, the seconds winning by a margin of 190 runs.
Two players dominated the batting and bowling in the First team. Andy Pinfield and Steve Elphee, Andy top scored with a century against Great Horton Church hitting 101 and also scored 72 against Shelf, 65 and 53 against Laisterdyke, 60 against Cross Roads/ Daisy Hill and 52 against Girlington. Other high scores were for new boy Gareth Harrison’s 68 against Laisterdyke, Richard Speight with 68 against Salem, glen Moore’s 51 not out batting at number 10 against Allerton and Charles Holdsworths 59 against BT (Bradford).
Steve Elphee returned the best bowling figures with 9 for 28 at Thornbury and also contributed later with 6 for 51 against the same team at home, He continued with 7 for 30 and 5 for 29 against Salem, 6 for 38 against BT (Bradford) and 5 for 28 against Hepworth Idle. Other bowling feast include Brian Williamsons 6 for 29 against Cross Roads Daisy Hill, Mark Stokes with 5 for 10 against Salem and Graham Ford’s 5 for 30 in the cup at Thornbury.
In the second team, batting honours were evenly shared. Charles Holdsworth top scored with 104 not out at Salem and also hit 48 at Norwood Green. Graham Scarborough scored 74 against Clayton, 69 against Norwood Green and finished with 65 at Cross Roads Daisy Hill. Graham Walton hit 55 at Gt Horton Church and 54 against Salem and John Fishwick hit 55 in the Cup at Thornbury and 49 against Laisterdyke. Richard Speight hit the second highest score with 92 at BT (Bradford), and Greg Haley, recalled to the side against Girlington, scored a vintage 47 not out before running out of partners and stranded in a game he almost single handedly turned around. Neil Kelly’s 62 and John Jonas’ 56 not out at Cross Roads Daisy Hill completed the season.
The second team bowling figures were also evenly shared with Robert Stevenson leading the way. Robert had 6 for 19 and 4 for 38 against BT (Bradford), 6 for 44 against Allerton and 5 for 42 at Hepworth Idle. Neil Kelly took 6 for 14 against Laisterdyke and 4 for 44 against Salem. Ken Overend took 6 for 11 at home against Cross Roads Daisy Hill and an economical 4 for 3 at Girlington. David (Tank) Tempest chipped in with 4 for 35 against Girlington and a rare visit to the second team by martin Jenkins brought him 5 for 49 against Allerton.
On the social side thanks go to all those members who helped to arrange and run last years end of season dinner and presentation evening. Special thanks are due to Kath Farndale, Claire Kelly, Alan and others whose hard work and skill made it such an enjoyable evening.
David Pipe once again compered the Race Night at the beginning of the season and arranged to get the necessary equipment to the working mens club on time. Our thanks are due to him and all the Committee team who prepared the event and ran it on the night. It was a most successful and financially rewarding occasion.
We did not host the League Cup Final this year having made the decision to seek membership of a new league next season, so there was no revenue available from that source this time. However, Martin Jenkins agreed to organise a Football World Cup Challenge to provide funds for the club. The money raised has more than compensated. Thanks Martin and thanks to all those members who sold entries to friends and colleagues etc outside the club.
We must also thanks the membership for supporting the weekly 100 club draw which continues to be a mainstay of fundraising. Thanks to Greg and to Graham Scarborough for selling numbers and running it.
Work continues on improvements and maintenance of the ground. Earlier this year Peter Farndale and his brother John, having discovered a local source of unbelievably cheap paint, took on the mammoth task of redecorating the outside of the clubhouse. The result is professional and impressive. Many thanks are offered to them both. More drainage work was carried out before the start of the season to extend the existing drains. Thanks to the many volunteers who turned up on Saturday mornings to get it finished in time, and particularly Tony Hubbert who is continuing to research and cost out the solutions to the fencing repairs and outfield improvements.
Thanks are also due to all those who arrange, organise and play in the evening league and to Brian Williamson and Gavin Dixon and others who help with the junior Team.
For non playing services to the club we must express our gratitude to Peter who has continued as First Team scorer in a professional and voluntary capacity and to John who has successfully completed his first season as Second Team scorer, and also, not least to our umpires. Ernest Pennylarter and David Manogue have represented the club as match officials for a number of years and this year were joined by Alan Ford. We appreciate the time and skill that they have given to the game and their association with Low Moor which enabled us to meet our obligations to the league. Sadly, Ernest and David will not be joining us in our new venture in the Halifax League, and we wish them the best for the future.
As always, we must not forget the time and effort, which is put in by those playing and non playing members who works week in week out in the preparation of the ground. Peter Tetley, Alan Ford, Ken Overend and others can always be found on each Tuesday evening and Friday mowing the outfield and cutting, rolling and preparing the square for each weekends matches as well as for Evening League and Junior games. Without their dedicated voluntary work we would not have a ground to play on. We are all justly proud and grateful to belong to the Club which has the best ground in the league and which no doubt will impress our new visitors next season.
2006 SPONSORS
