Denaby Out to Retrieve 1966’s Poor Showing

At the annual meeting of Denaby and Cadeby Athletic Club the president, Mr H. Foster said the cricket section had not done too well by Denaby standards but there was considerable hopes for improvement in the new season.

It was indeed a great pity the tennis section had not functioned in their 1966 season but the bowls section had a thriving membership and had more than held their own in the competitions they had participated in.

The proposed entry of the cricket team in a Junior League was a good thing for the club. The Denaby club were in a fortunate position in this respect in that they had a qualified youth coach among their members. Players must realise that they could only get out of the game what effort they were prepared to make; there was no easy way to success.

In closing he thanked the tea ladies, all committee members and the Welfare Trustees for their help and cooperation and wished all section success in the fourth coming season.

In Years

The cricket secretary Mr R. Corey said that the 1966 season was poorest from a playing point of view when for countless years. The first 11 had just avoided regulations from “A” division of the South Riding League Section of the Yorkshire Council while the second eleven had been relegated from the senior section of the Doncaster League Division 1.

Owing to first team calls the second eleven had experienced difficulty all season in turning out full sides. This was where a youth side would have been a great asset; lads from the junior side could always make up the second eleven when they were short. In addition to this they would be promoted to the second and even first teams if their performance merited this.

The committee had realised this need and had joined the junior section of the Doncaster Infirmary Evening Cricket League. Now that the club had joined the junior league it was up to the youth of the village and any other interested boys to avail themselves of the excellent facilities that were available at Denaby. The club playing strength had been greatly improved by the acquisition of Colin Parker from Wombwell, Brian Exley from Cortenwood and the return to the team of Malcolm Walker, who did not play last season owing to business reasons.

Mr Cory said it would be interesting to see what effect the M. C. C. experimental laws, which were now to apply to league as well as county cricket, would have on the league game. The M. C. C. should not enforce only cricket laws with which they were helping to brighten the county game. To prevent the seam bowlers from polishing the ball was taking away some of the craftsmanship from bowlers’ stock in trade.

Sound Finances

The financial statement was accepted with extreme satisfaction. There had been an excess of income over expenditure for the year of £129 13s 4d. An adverse balance on the previous year of £93 8s 2d had now been made into an asset of £35 5s 2d. Thanks for this must go to the workmen of the Denaby and Cadeby collieries who had agreed last year to increase their sports stoppage at the collieries.

Officials elected were: President, Mr H. Foster: General and Financial Secretary, Mr A. Jones; cricket secretary, Mr R. Cory; Cricket Committee Chairman, Mr A. V. Hough; Cricket Committee, J. Benfold, L. Dodds, G. Davey, D. Hough, C. Jackson, Ath. Jones, D. Towers, J. Needham, J. Humphries, H., Gomersall, R. Lawley, W. Lawley, R. Walker, H. Preston and N. Oakley,

Before opening the meeting Mr Foster asked members to stand in memory of several old members who had died, notably Mrs, Jones (mother of Amos Jones, the financial secretary), Mr G. Whittaker (who never missed matches home away when he was fit and well) and Mr J. Walton and Mr D. Walton, both valued vice presidents.