END of the cricket season it maybe – but not the end of our Cricket scene coverage from Malc Ripley:
STUMPED by all the changes taking place in local cricket? Read our CRICKET NEWS and MUSINGS to make sense of it all.
With the East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance being virtually defunct after some 18 years presently, it’s a good time to maybe update all those local cricket fans, players and valued spectators, with the possible future of the lovely old game in our local area?
At this moment in time, nothing is actually fixed in concrete, as a couple of vital Meetings have to be held, to decide the future set up, even though sadly, the recent one had to be postponed due to a technical problem! Re-arranged date to shortly be announced! Watch this future space, although I personally am not a Member of this very hard-working and well organised ‘York ‘ Committee, even though I do umpire in the York League in about 50% of my own matches.
One thing certain is known, however, is that all future Saturday based cricket in our local areas will certainly be under the overall umbrella of the York and District Senior Cricket League (Y&DSCL), in its two forms.
This includes their York Eastern Conference (YEC) setup, for example, where the South Holderness CC An Xl currently play, which is a separate branch of the Y&DSCL. The membership of the YEC , does not automatically give the right to its member teams, to join the full ‘York League’ without formal application, decided each year by its member Clubs.
To put one in the picture, the former East Riding Independent League virtually became the YEC two years ago. The only other totally separate ‘Saturday’ League now about is the York Vale League.
A number of the local Clubs could see themselves possibly fast-tracked into the Y&DSCL for the 2014 season, in the lower divisions , but this would be a special case this time only.
All this ‘movement ‘ has occurred over the years as a result of our teams, and even complete Clubs, applying and being accepted by the Y&DSCL, hopefully thus looking for better cricket, grounds and facilities into the process.
The E Y Alliance was founded prior to the turn of the century, when the long founded Amateur Cricket League, led a charge to encompass teams from the East Yorkshire Cricket Cup Competition , The ER Cricket Pennant Alliance, The Humber Don League, The Humberside Federation – all having a new beginning that has gradually turned sour!
The twelve team strong E Y Cup Comp was made up of the following teams then :- Beverley, Bridlington, Driffield, Hornsea, Hull Zingari, Old Hymerians, Whitby, Scarborough A, Malton, Pickering, Hull No 2, and York A.
Apart from these two teams–Old Hymerians and Whitby, all of the other ten teams are now full members of the Y&DSCL, therefore one can see a distinct pattern emerging!
As regard to the long gone and to the original E. R. Pennant Alliance, this began in season 1958, again with 12 Clubs namely:- Beverley II, Brid II, Driffield II, Hornsea II, Hull Zingari An Xl, Londesborough Park (incidentally this still remains my favourite ground due to its position and superb backcloth views), Pocklington, South Holderness, Stamford Bridge, Sutton-on-Hull, Welton and Ellerman Wilson Line.
Again sadly, Wilson Line CC was disbanded many years ago, after being based at Woods Lane , Cottingham – yet another very pleasant setting. Welton CC now have the tag Welton & Brough CC as their title, as they incorporated the defunct Blackburn Welfare CC a number of seasons ago.
Bev II, Brid I, Driff II, Hornsea II, III & IV, Hull Zingari I &II & III, Lond Park, I &II Pock, I & II, Stamford Bridge I & II, Welton & Br. I & II are also members of the ever-expanding Y&DSCL, to just leave these four teams/ Clubs South; Holderness 1sts and Sutton I, II & II, Beverley III & IV, plus Driffield II & IV in the again defunct EY Alliance, but all of these eight teams are ‘York’ bound in either the Y&DSCL or their Eastern Conference set ups.
The Humber Federation, together with the Humber Don League have been in a similar situation, in the past.
Therefore, Y&DSCL and/or the York Eastern Conference, please be prepared for these additions from next April – but they are virtually guaranteed acceptance to be able to continue to play League cricket on a Saturday, wherever!
As I stated earlier, none of the new teams, and there will obviously be more of them entering, for example Humbleton I and II, do not know yet exactly where they will be playing, come next April, but all will be revealed shortly, together with the East Riding Umpires members too, for their own games also.
In case, readers of this column may be remotely interested, please watch this space, to keep in touch!
Malc Ripley
Penny,
Your interest & comments are appreciated, pleased you may enjoy what I say too!? Well at least — sometimes….?
But also as a rugby League fan too, I always feel that the Super League should have a “one up, one down” each end of the season. Without this, some Clubs are just going through the motions in September time as being little to really play for……….!?
And the RL does not have a ‘Main Sponsor’either……………..!? Worrying.
Regards, Malc.
And there was I thinking that the revamp of Super League was complicated !!!