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