South Yorkshire Times, October 26, 1946

South Riding League
Denaby and Cadeby Cricket Club Give Full Approval

The annual meeting of Denaby and Cadeby cricket club on Tuesday endorsed the committee’s approval of the proposed South Riding Cricket league and urged acceptance. The Section Sec, Mr J. C. Humphreys said: “We believe it essential that cricket in the area in which we play should be made more attractive from the spectator’s point of view, because we realise that if we cannot improve our case we cannot hope to complete with other leagues and clubs. Clubs in South Yorkshire have produced good cricketers, but have been unable to retain them because they have not had the financial backing that would have been necessary for this purpose. We must try to keep our players in our own area.”

Two objectives.

“We should aim at two objectives. The first and most important is to try to improve our standard of cricket. Secondly, we must make our games more attractive and interesting to the public. That is the reason why the committee decided to support the idea of the South Riding League with its local rivalry and system of promotion and relegation. We may of course, under a proposed system, be placed in division “B” but that will mean that we are playing clubs that our cricket ability warrent us to play, and at least we shall get a deal of interest from our games in efforts of the team to attain division “A” status.

We do not, as you are no doubt aware, stand alone in our ideas in this scheme, the proposal originaating from the last meeting of the South Yorkshire section of the council and having the majority vote on that occasion, but my committee thought that in view of the matter that Mr Norman Stead secretary of the Yorkshire Council, circulated to each of the clubs concerned, they should be open in their intentions on the matter. They expect that a certain amount of criticism will be levelled against the club, but they have no doubt that their actions will be for the best interest of cricket in South Yorkshire.”

No Competition.

Opinions expressed by others at the meeting indicated full support for the proposal and the lack of competitive atmosphere in the present and widely Yorkshire Council. As the idea did not go through, it could at least indicate to the management committee of the council that there were unrest among several clubs and that they should endeavour to improve the present system. The difficulty of keeping abreast with 77 league records each week was stressed and it was mentioned that a meeting would be called next week at which Denaby and Cadeby would be represented. One suggestion put forward was that the Yorkshire Council should be sectionalised geographically into four divisions with a trophy for each and another that the South Riding league should be run within the council.

Further reviewing the season, Mr Humphreys spoke of the bad luck they had had with regard to weather. Cricket suffered very severely the first XI completing only nine games out of a total of 22 arranged and the second 11 being even worse. They had found impossible to complete their knockout competition, which had had to be abandoned at the semi-final stage. Of the nine games finished, the club suffered two defeats and this was in itself commendable. They congratulated Hickleton on their second success in the Council championship.

The bowl section had a very good season and although not in any honours they won more than they lost and at the same time had an enjoyable year. “I would say at this point that the number of people who took the opportunity of playing bowls last summer was one of the highest I have known and I do not see any reason why the bowls membership should not go higher still.

Club highlights.

“I think one of the outstanding events and the highlight of the club this past summer was the attendance when we played Mexborough on Bank Holiday Monday. The gate was a record and it was very gratifying to see our cricket ground crowd to capacity, although at the same time it showed our lack of seating facilities. If we could often command attendances as we had on that day, we should soon be in a financial position to amend the necessary seating around our ground.”

Another event was Jack Bullard’s performance against Wath in the first match with the club he took all 10 wickets for the first time in his career. The club’s annual supper and social evening would be held on November 19. The committee submitted a revisited list of rules, the main item of which was the alteration of the rule for the election of the general committee, a step which had the support of all three sections.

The chairman and hon. Treasurer, Mr W. Coates, said if the weather had been kinder they would probably have had a good season in every way. “I think interest in cricket is reviving to a great extent in Denaby, and the trend is for more interest to be taken in the home and its affairs which is all to the good.”

Mr Coates thanked all who had helped to make the season successful mentioning among others ladies in the tea room.

Financial Statement.

The revenue account for nine months working showed a total income of £379 14s 5d. Including “gate” receipts of £90 4s 8d. which compared very favourably with the previous year’s figures, taking into account the very bad weather. Mr Humphreys said he believed it was the highest for 15 years. Yorkshire Council “gate” receipts totalled £68 18s 8d. Subscriptions ( £70 15s 6d.) were considerably higher than in the previous year. Membership had increased all round and tennis had started again. Principal items of expenditure were travelling expenses, £72 16s 6d., Payment to players, £66 12s 6d, leaving a balance of £1 14s 9d.

Mr Humphreys mentioned that Mr A. M. Carlin had intimated to the cricket committee that he was resigning as captain of the Doncaster league side for next season but hoped to continue as an active member of the club. He thanked Mr Carlin for his work for the club in the past.

New rules were adopted, which included the provision of a general committee of 17, 5 to be elected at the annual meeting and four to be nominated from each of the sections. Those elected by ballot on Tuesday were Messrs. H. Hurst, E. Wathey. G. Allen, A. M. Carlin and W. Harrison.

Mr L. C. Hodges was re-elected president, Mr W. Coates chairman and hon Treas and Mr G. C. Humphreys general secretary. Cricket committee elected by ballot were Messrs G. Allen, A. M. Carling, W. Harrison, H. Hurst, A. V. Hough, W. Holland, Amos Jones, Arthur Jones, L. Moss, J. Richardson, C. Shepherd, T. Shepherd, E. We fake, C. Whitehead, F. White and G. Williams