28 November 2005, 7.30pm
Held at Cheadle Conservative Club
Present: President, Secretary, Veterans’ Match Secretary, Treasurer and delegates
Apologies: Chairman, Poynton WMC, Withington, Woodley Sports
Absences: Greenbank, Longsight Cricket
The minutes of the previous half yearly meeting had been circulated. They were taken as read and approved.
To amend the rules for the evening league so that teams consist of ten players instead of 12
Proposed by Heald Green Social
Seconded by Ladybridge Park
The Heald Green delegate explained that he hoped this proposal would enable clubs which were currently struggling to continue in the league. He also hoped it would enable clubs to avoid cancelling matches due to shortages of players.
Other delegates expressed similar views. Cheadle Heath and Hazel Grove both believed they had sufficient players and opposed this motion.
Votes were cast as follows:
The proposal was therefore passed.
To amend the Bob Newlan Memorial Trophy rules so that teams consist of eight players instead of 12, and the handicap be changed to eight points per division
Proposed by Ladybridge Park
The Ladybridge Park delegate reminded the meeting that many Bob Newlan matches were not played because one of the teams scratched. From the second round onwards (when matches were on a Sunday morning), more than half the matches were cancelled. The secretary confirmed that one team had this year reached the semi-finals without playing a game.
Cheadle Heath and Hazel Grove again opposed this motion.
Votes were cast as follows:
The proposal was therefore defeated.
To amend the rules for the veterans’ league so that in the lower divisions if a team has only seven players available one player may play twice. To select who plays twice the first four cards shall be presented face down to the opposing captain, who shall select one. The score in a second game shall not count towards the player’s average
Proposed by Longsight Cricket
Seconded by Withington and Greenbank
The proposer and both seconders were not represented at the meeting.
The secretary explained that “lower divisions” would be interpreted as below the halfway point (bottom three of six or seven divisions).
Klondyke believed that this proposal would enable clubs to avoid playing one man short, or having to cancel matches. Other clubs agreed with this view. Debdale Park and others suggested that clubs might exploit the rule, by playing a strong player twice.
To counter this, Shaw Heath proposed an amendment: that a team could only use this new freedom three times per season. However this led to some confusion so the amendment as withdrawn.
There were two votes in favour and many against. The proposal was defeated.
The president presented league and cup trophies and prize money and trophies to the average winners.
The secretary reported that he had received two firm applications for the veterans’ league – from Ladybarn and Spring Gardens. He would attempt to place them at a suitable level and not necessarily in the bottom division. As it happened, there were two vacancies in division 5, which might be handy.
There were no known changes to evening teams.
The Annual General Meeting would be in January 2006.
There was no further business and the meeting closed at 8.20pm.