Chairman's Report - 1987

ONCE again the under 18 team reached the final of the Lancashire Inter-League K.O., and for the second time in three years the mach was not concluded. After two false starts, including an occasion when opponents Lancashire and Cheshire League did not turn up, the match began in the rain at Bradshaw. As in the two earlier rounds several members of the team made useful contributions and at the interval the Bolton League had made 226-5. However the rain had developed into a minor deluge and further play was impossible.

After two convincing victories in their earlier rounds the under 1 5salso reached the final, and faced the Lancashire Colts at Old Trafford. Led by skipper Ronnie Irani with 77 the Bolton League made over 150. Four early wickets then fell in the Colts innings, but the Bolton bowling lacked depth and the Colts middle order batsmen were able to regain the initiative and win with a couple of overs to spare.

In 1988 the Bolton League will not be entering the under 18s K.O. as the competition has been re-organised and too many fixtures would have to be played. The under 15s will be continuing in their K.O.

Third Team Cricket

IN 1986Mrs Jackie Clough became Westhoughton's third team manager and umpire. In 1987 they won the championship. Westhoughton and Walkden have been neck and neck for most of the season, but two disappointing results for the latter in the last two games saw them drop to third place.

Westlioughton's team contained four players who had been involved in a fair number of first team games, Philip Heyes, Michael Crompton, Ian Pilkington and Andrew Forshaw. Walkden had two exceptional players in Paul Berry and David Smith who both ended the season high up in the first team batting averages. In 1988 Smith could well be taking up a professional appointment in Scotland.

At the start of the season Bradshawdid not expect to be in the top half of the table. It was not an exceptional year for most of the players, no bowler took 20 wickets and only David Morris scored more than a modest number of runs yet somehow the team kept winning and finished runners-up. Perhaps one reason for this was the number of players other teams lost to schools and representative cricket including Andrew Williams and Ronnie Irani from Jake Tatlock Trophy winners Heaton playing for the Lancashire under 16 team.

In 1988 Westhoughton and Bradshaw retain the nucleus of their but will be pushed for honours by Astley Bridge and Little Lever.

Under-15 Cricket

BOTH North and South sections were keenly fought with just four points separating Bradshaw, Heaton and Eagley, and only three separating, Kearsley, Westhoughton and Farnworth Social Circle. In the play-off Bradshaw could muster only a very moderate total of 75 but for much of the Kearsley innings this looked sufficient until Steven Davies control and steered his team to victory with a half century.

In the Mervyn Porter final Heaton made 125 in their 25 overs, m solid batting performance after Irani had been dismissed for just over 30. Michael Ward then steadily led Bradshaw to victory with an undefeated 91.

Davies of Kearsley managed to overtake the previous best le batting average of 156 to end the season on just under 200. Unfortunatley for him Greenmount's Heaton averaged over 200. Ward of Bradi also ended the season with an average in three figures. The above ph along with Irani of Heaton and Forshaw of Westhoughton all played the counties under 15 team.

Under-13 Cricket

FOR most of the season Heaton, Greenmount and Tonge stayed group clear of the other teams in the league with Heaton always in the until the final match when they lost to Greenmount who drew 1 However Heaton's strong all round team skippered by Paul Burton, the play off to take the title.

As an experiment the Mervyn Porter Trophy K.O. was to be played completed in one day on one league ground. Sadly, due to the weather May became just over a fortnight, with T6nge defeating Westhoughton the final. Thanks are due to Egerton for staging the competition.

Tonge's Jason Kerr and Wayne Huntley played for Lancashire's u13 team, and Greenmount's Gary Neville and Bradshaw's Craig Duxbury are in the squad for 1988.

1988

ALL junior competitions will be run as one league rather the North/South split, and there is one rule change that will affect all the team managers/umpires. As in the past coaching will in future, restricted (see general rules).

Finally, thanks to all junior reps., coaches, managers and umpires. Apart from the weather the worst problem the secretaries had to face in 1987 was the late arrival of match cards. Again there were no disciplinary problems.
R. TAYLOR JUNIOR SECRETARY