Netherfield Cricket Club

Dear Players & Members,

Happy New Year to you all.

A review of last season is very encouraging. Despite once again beginning without a Pro we got off to an encouraging start. We had two new players in Marc Brown from Carlisle and John Mason returning to the area after some time away.

Funnily enough we had almost signed Vernon Philander who was awaiting release from his franchise which never came and then we thought we’d signed Brady Barends and he never arrived. Philander, of course, went on to make his S African debut in November taking 14 wickets.

Stuart Nixon followed his previous top season with an even better one as he took 45 wickets, with the eventual Pro, Ben Laughlin, taking 27. Marc Brown had an excellent start to his Northern League career with 576 runs inc one century. Ben Haddrick, Alex Atkinson & John Huck all exceeded 400 runs, John taking the batting prize with an average of 39. Cup success eluded us despite reaching the semi final of the Readers Cup. It was the first time for a long time that we had’nt reached the Final of the Blufin Meageen County Cup, going down at Workington. However, we finally finished fourth losing only 4 League games, with only Leyland & Darwen losing less.

Elsewhere, the 2nds finally finished fifth after a good start with skipper Shane Dixon leading the way with 412 runs at 37 and Stu Dixon and Hasan Nazir claiming 30 wickets each, the 3rds finished just above the relegation places after losing 9 games to the weather. Steve Wilson recorded 353 runs and Tim Reddin his second century, and the 4ths finished eigth in the fifth Division but played a lot of the young junior players.

The juniors had some success with the 10’s, & 14s winning their respective Leagues and the 12’s & 16’s runners up. The U14s also reached their Cup Final but lost again to Shireshead. The coming season starts on 16th April with a home game with Champions, St Annes. We have been drawn at home in the League Cup to Leyland, away at Prestwich, my original club, in the Lancashire Cup and home to Freckleton in the National.

Trying to secure a Professional has proved difficult in the last couple of years but this year as stated overleaf we have moved early to secure Cobus Pienaar. He plays in the same standard as Malan last years Barrow Pro who has moved to Ramsbottom, and Brett Pelser, the Leyland Pro but he is much more a genuine all rounder than either of them.

But what the Club badly needs now is for some of the younger members including players and parents to start getting involved, and new younger volunteers to take an active interest in the running of the club. DO NOT be afraid to put yourself forward. Your contribution no matter how small will be welcomed.


(to view the newsletter just click on the attachment at the bottom of this page)

Newsletter by Ian Heath!