 Minutes of the CYCL Management Meeting - Held at Ossett CC On 7th June 2007
Apologies Mr P Swire
Minutes of the Last Meeting
Agreed, with the exception that the number of overseas players registered should have read 11, not 12
No interest had been expressed in the post of Minutes Secretary. The Chairman accepted Geoff Parkes offer to take the minutes of this meeting. It was incumbent on all members of the committee to prospect suitable candidates for this job, alternatively, the minutes would have to be taken in rota by members of the committee.
Correspondence Letter received from Heavy Woollen Cup Disciplinary Committee confirming deferred suspension of two players, our Clubs not involved.
Letter received from Featherstone Town C C rescinding their earlier interest in joining the CYCL.
Letters received from Ossett CC and Mirfield Parish Cavaliers CC regarding the watering of the pitch prior to the league game at Mirfield on 5th May 2007. After discussion, it was agreed that no further action could be taken on this matter. It was agreed the Chairman would write to Ossett CC and would discuss the question of watering and rolling of pitches with the Umpires Association.Clubs are reminded of the stipulations on the preparation of pitches under Rule 40. Infringements of this rule are deemed serious and will be dealt with accordingly
Letter received from Hepworth & Idle CC expressing interest in joining the CYCL in 2008. The Chairman to make contact with Hepworth & Idle CC.
Letter received from Woodkirk CC advising of a rearranged venue for the game between Woodkirk and Liversedge A due on 9th June. This would take place at Silkstone CC.
Letter sent to Wakefield Thornes CC regarding the dangerous state of the floor in the Umpires Changing Room.
Letter sent to Hunslet Nelson CC thanking them for hosting our White Rose Trophy fixture on 13th May.
Letter sent to Hopton Mills CC reminding them that any complaints against other Clubs must be made in accordance with Rule 44.
Most Urgent Business
Ground Inspection Reports & Umpires Report Cards
Some Ground Inspection Reports remain outstanding, hopefully, these will be completed by our next meeting.
An analysis of the Umpires Report Card markings had been produced showing the average mark awarded to each Club by the Umpires under various headings. It was agreed that this gave a more accurate assessment of conditions of the Clubs facilities than an annual inspection. It was agreed that the Ground Inspections would be replaced by a differing system in 2008.
The information in the analysis would be released with these Minutes. In the meantime, the under mentioned action will be taken.
The Chairman and William Scorer will carry out a ground inspection at Wakefield Thornes CC on 9th June and, if necessary a deadline would be given for repairs to be carried out to make the Umpires Changing Room safe,
Letters will be sent to New Farnley CC and Scholes CC regarding the Umpires Changing Rooms, asking for their short term and long term plans for improvement in this area
One Day Umpires Course
The plans for the above course were approved and details are shown below. This represents a considerable financial commitment by the League and we are looking for full support from our Clubs for this initiative. It would also be extremely welcome, if a sponsor could be found for this event.
We are all aware of the problem in recruiting umpires and the resulting impact on our games in the lower divisions, not to mention the problems faced by the Umpires Appointments Secretary. As part of the CYCL`s efforts to promote the recruitment of Umpires and knowledge of the Laws of Cricket, we propose to hold a one day course on umpiring at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford on Saturday 3rd November 2007. The duration of the course will be from approximately 9.30 am to 4.30 pm and tea, coffee and a buffet lunch will be provided for 40 attendees. We are asking each club to nominate a minimum of one, or maximum of two individuals to attend this course. Due to the constraint of numbers, clubs nominating more than one individual will have their requests dealt with on a “first come, first served” basis. Obviously, this course will represent considerable financial outlay for the CYCL and we hope this investment will produce a number of potential umpires who would be prepared to take the relevant umpires courses held in the winter and ultimately join the panel of league umpires. To this end, we are asking clubs to choose attendees using the under mentioned criteria. Existing 2nd XI umpires who wish to progress to umpiring at a higher level and take the umpires exams, or merely wish to improve their knowledge Senior players whose fading physical powers have led them to consider ending their playing days, there are plenty of these around in September, but they still appear again the following April. Seriously, these people know the game, if not the laws of the game, and umpiring represents an opportunity to remain involved in the game and give something back to cricket. Junior coaches whose duties involve umpiring junior teams at various age levels. If these individuals lack more than a basic knowledge of the Laws of Cricket, how can we expect to produce cricketers with knowledge and respect for these laws. Some of my colleagues who have attended these courses found them both entertaining and interesting. We are not expecting at the end of the course a large number of people getting measured for their white coats, but if we can stimulate enough people to say “ I might fancy umpiring “, or improve all attendees knowledge of the umpires role, the course will have been worthwhile. As ever there is a sting in the tail, nominations are mandatory and must be sent in writing to Andy Haley by 31st July. I would ask clubs to support this initiative by taking care to identify suitable attendees and not just send someone to make up the numbers.
Sponsorship
The Treasurer led a discussion on our need to attract sponsorship for the CYCL and its competitions, in addition to our main sponsor, Solly Sports. A small sub-committee will be set up to identify potential sponsors and formulate our approach. We will be asking our Clubs for assistance to identify potential sponsors. Registration Issues Two of our overseas players need to supply original CRB documentation. The Chairman was to contact the Clubs in question pointing out the “ health warning “ given to Clubs, when allowing players to play, pending ECB Registration. Results Reporting
The Results Secretary confirmed that the reporting system had settled down well. Text Messaging appeared to be the easiest and most favoured option and will probably become mandatory next season. The question was raised that our results did not appear on Ceefax and the Results Secretary was to deal with this matter. A few results had not been received and Clubs would be fined accordingly. Treasurers Report
A full financial breakdown was given to the Committee Outside Agencies
David Clegg advised that a small amount of funds had been made available for junior cricket by the Leeds Area Cricket Council. Interested Clubs should contact him for further information. Discipline Recorder Michael Carroll Hopton Mills CC two weeks ban, suspended to the end of the season. Any Other Business A discussion took place in respect of the website and in particular some of the abusive comments made on the forum. The website forum is valued for its ideas and views on the CYCL and the game of cricket, unfortunately, a tiny minority use the website as an opportunity to descend into mindless personal abuse. Certain users had been banned from the website for periods and this action would be repeated with stiffer penalties for future offences of this nature It was agreed that the website was in need of updating and we were trying to arrange a meeting with our “ webmaster “ as soon as possible. The Barry Winstanley Trophy due to be held on 28th May was cancelled due to rain. Discussions would be held with the competing clubs and the hosts regarding possible rearrangement of this fixture. It was reported that our intended guest speaker at the Annual Dinner, Mr Simon Hughes, would not be available due to TV obligations. The search for a replacement was underway. Finally, the spate of bad weather meant that Clubs were reminded of the requirement to use their covers whenever possible and of the changes to our rules in 2007 for games affected by the weather. Note to all Clubs
Clubs are reminded that persistent foul, abusive and racist language is not acceptable within the CYCL, whether on, or off, the Field of Play. This applies to both participants and spectators.
It is incumbent on the players, officials and members of our Clubs, our umpires and CYCL Officials to ensure that any such behaviour is challenged and reported to the League Management Committee |
