League Sponsors 2013

League Sponsors 2013

Sunday, February 19, 2012


NORTH SOMERSET YOUTH CRICKET LEAGUE
The aim of the League shall be to promote, encourage and develop youth cricket.

REPORT 2011

This was the League’s 47th consecutive year of operation for clubs located in the North West part of Somerset and indeed further afield. This year a total of 61 teams entered (1 up  on 2010) with at U17 level (Temple Cloud and Midsomer Norton not entering a team), 20 at U15s (same as last year) 18 at U13 (4 down on 2010) and 15 at U11s (1 up on 2010). A newly formed club Banwell & Churchill CC joined the League with a young side.   John Waters had pointed out that for the last 2 years the number of U15 teams exceeded the U13s but for the 11 previous years there were more U13 entrants.  

The weather in 2011 was marginally better than last year, but rain affected many matches. At U11 level, 20 matches were cancelled. The play-offs in the U13 Plate finals and the U17 League play-offs were badly affected though all were played.

In the cup competitions, at U17 level Cheddar and WSM tied and the result was decided by runs scored off the bat, with WSM having conceded 2 fewer extras winning the cup. At U15 level under dank conditions in a reduced overs match, Bristol won a crucial toss to dismiss a demoralised Nailsea team who conceded 2 unnecessary run outs, for just 48, with a 9 wicket victory ensuing. Bristol then went on to overcome Bath to qualify for the County Finals where they defeated Glastonbury comfortably to become County Champions. In the National Competition, they won 2 further matches before being knocked out in the Regional Finals, a great achievement with the number of entrants nationally exceeding 1600 clubs. At U13s Cleeve conceded 46 extras to allow Bristol to get to a 120 for 7 and then collapsed to 55 all out.

In the Plate competitions, Uphill Castle defeated Claverham at U17 level and at U15 level also defeated Long Ashton to win both trophies. At U13s, WSM beat Cheddar.

In the League, at U17 level 4 teams tied for 1st place. Play-offs ensued. Cheddar and WSM fought a final play-off at which Cheddar defeated WSM in a close game to win the League.

At U15 level, in very closely contested North and South sections, 3 clubs from each section went through to compete in the final play-offs. Although Cleeve had accumulated a 1 point advantage from the final section placings, this was overturned by Bristol who took the title from runners up Cleeve.  Luckless WSM Wizards lost all their matches to prop up the table and were joined by young Uphill Chargers team of just 1 win.

At U13 level, in the Parsons (South) section Cheddar finished top with Claverham runners up, and in the Caddick (North) section unbeaten Bristol took a 3 point lead over Cleeve and Nailsea into the play-offs. Blagdon and Winford challenged strongly to finish just behind. In the play-offs, Bristol came out top to achieve a League and Cup double.

At U11 level, 15 teams competed in a single League with all matches being played under Barrington pairs format. A talented WSM squad lost only 1 match all season, and they were closely followed by Long Ashton and Cleeve, with Wrington and Claverham tied in 4th place.

At representative level, games of each of the 3 x U11, U13 and U15 age levels took place against the Bristol Youth League. All were exciting with close finishes. The NSYCL won 2 and lost 1. The Representative Matches Officer’s report is submitted by John Waters separately and John Hance (U15 League Representative Team Manager) has submitted a separate U15s report in addition.

Administratively, the year was relatively uneventful. Fortunately, the numbers of representations coming in from clubs with their different versions of events as to what had  happened of particular matches was kept to a minimum.  I have to say that the numbers of these correspondences sent to me as League Secretary have reduced sharply since certain of the divisions went to split sections, thereby reducing the number of matches played during the year, and since the change was made to “play on the day or lose the points”.

My thanks (as all members’ thanks should) go to John Waters for his work during the year not only as U11/U13 Secretary but also with responsibility for time-consuming matters such as cup finals, trophies and representative games. As my own personal involvement with the League (other than on the administrative side) has been minimal (as it has been for some years) the summary of events during the season given above is drawn entirely from his material supplied to me (I apologise if it thereby duplicates parts of his own report). Thanks must also go to Mark Walker for operating the now-indispensible on-line results website (which replaced the hard copy “result cards sent in the post” system) and to Stuart Dewer, our Chairman, always on hand to supply urbane input often as to the best interests of cricket.

As always, the League very much appreciated the sponsorship of Westcountry Ground Care of Axbridge (Rod Cooper) and the voluntary attendance of umpires supplied by the Bristol & Western Counties Association.  Thanks are also due to those clubs who staged finals and to the legions of scorers, parents, groundsmen and others instrumental in making it all happen.

Let’s look forward to a blazing 2012 summer! 

Robert Humphreys
Secretary
North Somerset Youth Cricket League                                               19th February 2012