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The Presidents Annual Address and Cricket Report -- Club URL -- RCC Emailing list -- Links -- The Points System - Behind the Screens - Player Profiles - Past Club Events
Presidents address 2007
Once again it has been a busy year at Rawdon Cricket Club. The summer months were filled with cricket from all the junior and senior cricket teams and in the winter months we busy ourselves finding ways to entertain our hedonistic members. There were numerous engaging events which were well supported. Some ageing hippies enjoyed scrambling through their wardrobes to bring out their sixties gear and it was clear that some members found it difficult to breathe all night! Many a hairstyle looked as if we were building nesting boxes for our feathered friends. New Year revellers enjoyed the excellent celebrations offered and Nobby’s quiz is becoming nationally renowned! As usual a great deal of unselfish work went into organising these and other excellent events and our thanks go to those who get themselves involved on a part time or regular basis.
It is pleasing to hear so much positive feedback from club members when events are well supported and enjoyed. The club is always looking for ways in which we can give something back to our members and we are always keen to recruit more helpers. It would be really appreciated if individuals or groups of members/friends would offer a little time organising an event of their choice and it would help the clubs ‘coffers’ if all members supported the club for twelve months of the year.
I said in last year’s address that I saw the AGM as marking the end of winter and the beginning of longer days and warmer weather with the promise of plenty of cricket throughout the junior and senior sides. It makes a change for me to talk about cricketing matters but I wish to support the excellent work of Lawrence Walker, John Statham and Graham Wright who form the cricket committee, along with the three senior captains, in their annual endeavours to provide the best playing circumstances for all our players.
It has been stated on numerous occasions by far cleverer people than myself that the true test of the worth of a person can be seen when the ‘chips are down’. Struggling on in the face of adversity is one of the hardest things to do and many school assemblies have touched upon people who have done this throughout their lives.
As we get older we make value judgements about people based upon our own life experiences and, of course, things are never quite the same. Our perception seems to show that people are less reliable, thoughtful, kind, talented, and trustworthy. People appear to be more dishonest and greedy and just ‘don’t do things right’. How many times have we heard mature people say, “When we used to do it….” “In my day we….” “You never saw this when…..” On the field of play some ex - cricketers sometimes think that standards have declined – or have they?
The truth is that overall, standards are probably improving each generation and competition is more intense. If our cricketers are improving then other teams are as well so the competition is keener. This is exactly what we want at Rawdon – real competition - and we want to be able to match it and better it. For some people ‘ambition’ is a dirty word as they relate it to one- upmanship, greed, trampling over others, deviousness and so on. Ambition however is a powerful driving force that makes us want to do better and makes us better. If we gain the services of an overseas player, for example, we are not doing this just to win at all costs. We are ‘employing’ them because we want to welcome them into the Rawdon family first and then we want to learn with and from them. If the overseas player can bring success to the club on and off the field then they are a blessing in more ways than one. They can ‘ratchet’ up our own skills and can be a role model for the younger players coming through.
If we look back at last years first team results we could say that it was a disappointing year and we share this disappointment as a ‘family’ club. If a member of our own family has some disappointing news we empathise with them then we rally around to give them all the support we can. As a cricketing family we should, and I hope will, do the same for our cricketers. The past has gone and we have the future to look forward to.
We must thank Craig for all the hard work he has put into the club as the captain of the 1st XI and now as a junior coach. The season before last the 1st team strung numerous wins together to lift themselves up the table. This was a credit to the staying power and determination of the players who fought equally hard last year but without the same results. Anyone who has played sport knows that there is a thin dividing line between failure and success. Psychologically, winning is really empowering. Losing is demoralising. It is what we do when we lose that is the measure by which we ought to be judged. We can involve ourselves in a ‘blame culture’ where everyone is ‘poor’ except ourselves. We can sulk and become withdrawn. We can lose confidence and become scared to perform. We can give up without actually packing up, thereby hoping someone else will get us out of the mess. We await the ‘spark’ from others without searching for the spark within.
Alternatively we can stand up and be counted and contribute as best we possibly can whilst supporting others. Our teams have shown this fighting spirit so we should rally around them for the coming season.
I am minded by a speech from General Patton when he addressed the 7th army before their military success. It was sent to Jonny Wilkinson before the start of the Rugby world cup final against the Aussies.
“ Today you must do more than is required of you. Never think that you have done enough or that your job is finished. There’s always something that can be done – something that can help to ensure victory. You can’t let others be responsible for getting you started. You must be a self starter. You must posses that spark of individual initiative that sets the leader apart from the led. Self motivation is the key to being one step ahead of everyone else and standing head and shoulders above the crowd. Once you get going don’t stop. Always be on the lookout for the chance to do something better. Never stop trying. Fill yourself with the warrior spirit – and send that warrior into action.”
We don’t have to play sport to learn from this but these words lend themselves to anyone who wants to overcome their ‘sporting opponents’ on the field of fair play. We just can not leave it to the next person!
I wish all our players the very best for the coming season. If we improve our skills whilst helping the team to succeed then this is a bonus, but for collective success it would be rewarding to know that the Rawdon cricket ‘family’ is recognised for losing with grace whilst hell bent on trying to win with even more grace.
David Chapman
President
The 2006 season was a desperately disappointing one at Rawdon culminating in the relegation from the A division of our first eleven, something that was always on the cards from the very first game of the season. It was apparent that for the team to compete with the top teams in the A division changes needed to be made, the need to attract better players, a need to reduce the average age of the team and to engage a better credentialed overseas player with a commitment to the club that was lacking in 2006. It is hoped that some of these requirements will be put in place for the 2007 season as we attempt to regain our top-flight status. The end of the 2006 season saw Craig Walsh not only stand down from his second term as first team captain, but also retire from first team cricket. In his eighteen years as a first team player at the club Craig has amassed just short of eight thousand runs, leaving him in second place behind Bruce Percy in the list of career run scorers at the club, this only tells half the story though. Having worked very closely with Craig in his two spells as captain I know first hand of his total commitment, passion and enthusiasm for the club. He talks passionately of “How Proud” he has been to lead the club to promotion and the Waddilove Cup Final of 1995 and to eclipse that the A division championship in 1996. Craig has without any doubt lived and breathed the club and I Thank him for his enormous contribution.
The second team suffered through first team call-ups and a variety of reasons for unavailability, a source of continued frustration to the captain and selection committee. This resulted in most of the season being played out at the wrong end of the League the threat of possible relegation and an exit in the first round of the cup. The team rallied in the final third of the season and finished the season in a comfortable mid table position, special mention however must be made of Neil Waite for an outstanding all round contribution to the team. Neil scored nearly 800 runs and took just short of 50 wickets a truly superb individual effort.
The Third team continue to progress under the leadership of Philip Leadbeater and with a mixture of up and coming junior players and experienced personnel, finished the season in a creditable top half of the League. The club will continue to use this team as an introduction to senior cricket for our junior players. Our junior teams, whilst not having any trophies to show for their efforts continue to make progress at all levels. My Thanks go to all the coaches and helpers who give their time freely to assist on Monday evenings and match days with upwards of 100 boys, I would like to make special mention of Allan Hall and John Statham for the effort they put in not only on the coaching front but the heading up and re-structuring of the junior set up in an attempt to give more selective coaching to our more talented boys, I would also like to thank John for his conscientious and very efficient efforts in his capacity as cricket secretary a vital role to ensure the administration on the cricket side and our communications with the league are consistently maintained. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of our juniors who were selected for the leagues representative teams, Stephen Wilkinson and Matthew McCallum were selected for the Joe Lumb under 17XI and George Myers was a member of the League under 11 team that won the Lords Taverners under 11 tournament at Spofforth, congratulations and well done to you all.
My thanks as always are extended to the Ladies for the help and effort they put in with cricket teas, as I say every year their contribution is a valuable one and doesn’t go unnoticed and is very much appreciated, as are the efforts of Mark Sutton, Michael Smith and everyone else who has helped on the ground with wicket preparation and maintenance of the buildings and surrounds. I think we are all guilty in some small way of taking for granted what we have here at Rawdon, I am not exaggerating when I say our facilities are among the best in the League, time and effort is needed to maintain this and any help anyone is able to give would be most gratefully received.
2006 saw the inaugural Peter Rowney memorial festival held at our ground, in the form of an under nines kwik cricket tournament. This was the result of donations given at Peter’s funeral and in line with his family’s wishes. The day proved to be a huge success and was without doubt one of the highlights of the summer, how wonderful it was to see so many aspiring young cricketers running around playing cricket and enjoying themselves. Otley were the eventual winners of a tournament that will become an annual event held at Rawdon, something I am certain our dear friend Peter would have been so proud and happy of, and is certainly a very fitting memorial.
Lawrence Walker
Chairman
This sites URL is http://www.rawdoncc.org.uk
The Emailing list is not operating at the moment. It will be updated later in the year if there is any support for it.
The points system
Win - 6 Points
The team batting first has managed to bowl out the team batting second for
less runs that they scored or
The team batting second managed to score 1 or more runs than the team which
batted first.
Winning Draw - 5 Points (team batting first)
The team batting first have restricted the other side to less than 75% of
their total, but have failed to get them all out.
Winning Draw - 4 Points (team batting first)
The team batting first have restricted the other side to more than 75% of
their total but less than their full total, but have failed to get them all
out.
Tie - 3 Points
Both teams have the same score at the close of play.
Losing Draw - 2 Points (team batting second)
When the team batting second does not reach the other teams total but
manages to attain more than 75% of the other teams total and are not all out
at the close of play.
Losing Draw - 1 Point (team batting second)
When the team batting second are not all out, and score less than 75% of the
oppositions total.
Other draw / Abandoned - 1 Point each
Awarded for a game which can not be for some reason completed.
Cancelled - 1 Point each
This is awarded to both sides where a game is not started.
If you wish to
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Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Airedale and Wharfedale
Senior Cricket League
Ansty Cricket Club, Sussex
Calverley Cricket Club, Yorkshire
Colton Cricket Club,
Leeds, Yorkshire
Jesters Cricket Club,
Knaresborough
Forest Cricket Club, Knaresborough.
Rodley Cricket Club,
Yorkshire
Tong Park
Cricket Club, Yorkshire
Other links
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Friends reunited,
Early school and sports clubs friends (try Rawdon Cricket Club)
Cricket coaching mats
Cricket Club
Directory
Cricket site for
the ashes
Rawdon, One
man's view of the village
Rawdon in the Knowhere
guide
Ring Surf, Cricket
Corner
Yorksview, A look at
Yorkshire
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Rawdon Cricket Club
Larkfield Road
Rawdon