Wombwell Cricket Lovers' Society

Founded in 1951 and celebrating its Diamond Anniversary in 2011, the Society meets fortnightly but sometimes weekly on Thursday evenings at 7.45pm between the end of September and the end of March in the Ardsley Oaks WMC, near Barnsley.

President: HD Bird, MBE.

Patrons - Sir Lawrence Byford, CBE, QPM, LLD, DL; HD Bird, MBE; G Boycott, OBE; MJ Cowan, the Lord Rix, CBE; Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE; FH Tyson and D Wilson.

Chairman: James M Greenfield, Cornhill, 20 Old Lane, Bramhope, Leeds LS16 9AZ. Tel. 0113-2842706. Email james.greenfield@ukonline.co.uk
Vice-Chairman: Ron Firth, The Bungalow, Woodgarth Court, Campsall, Doncaster. Tel. 01302-707210.
General Secretary: Mick Pope, 25 Airedale Avenue, Tickhill, Doncaster. Tel.               01302-745853. Email wcls@councilcricketsocieties.com
Assistant Secretary: Vacant.
Treasurer: Roy Foster, 6 Cloisters Way, Monk Bretton, Barnsley.
Twelfth Man Magazine Editor: Norman Hazell, 71 Woolgreaves Drive, Sandal, Wakefield, WF2 6DS.
Membership Secretary: Mrs Beryl Ambler, Park Cottage, Cortworth Lane, Wentworth, Rotherham S62 7SB. Tel. 01226-747516. Email beryl.ambler@sky.com

Committee: Jean Auty, John and Beryl Ambler, Colin Barker, Margaret Harrison, Norman Hazell, Jack Tunnicliffe and Neil Whitaker.

SOCIETY MOTTO
The society's first Secretary, Jack Sokell, served for 53 years until his death a week before Easter 2004. It was Jack who coined the society's motto: My song shall be cricket, and cricket my theme.

HISTORY AND OBJECTIVES
The society meets most Thursday evenings at 7.45pm between the end of September and the end of March in the Ardsley Oaks WMC, near Barnsley. Speakers include present and former First Class players and officials, cricket management - ECB Chief Executive David Collier came in 2005 - writers, commentators - Geoff Boycott and Fred Trueman came in 2005 - members of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Board and Committee and speakers from the leagues. Sometimes we have a set speech followed by questions...sometimes the evenings are dominated by question-and-answer. Sometimes we have one speaker, sometimes a panel.

The society organises buffet and presentation evenings, an annual spring dinner, and a Christmas lunch. We seek to sustain and enhance the passion for cricket by evenings of vigorous, informed chat on cold, dark nights...but above all our objective is to foster youth coaching.

YOUTH COACHING
Winter coaching classes began in 1953 with the aim of encouraging local talent, and through the years a number of county and international players have emerged. Arnie Sidebottom was the first to attain First Class honours, followed by Graham Stevenson, Tim Boon, Martyn Moxon and Darren Gough. The classes are linked with coaching awards in memory of Society Patrons the late John Arlott and Brian Johnston, and former Society stalwarts Derek Moxon, David Musgrave, Jack Sokell and Eric Sykes. Awards are presented annually to young players for batting, bowling, fielding, and wicket-keeping.

AWARDS EVENINGS
The society presents a number of annual awards including Cricket Writer, Cricket Commentator, County Captain, Young Cricketer and Cricketer of the Year as well as Wicket-keeper of the Year and one in memory of Learie Constantine for the best fielder of the year based on catches taken across all cricket in England in the season.

TWELFTH MAN MAGAZINE
The society produces its own annual publication, The Twelfth Man - first issued in 1954 - as an A4-style 50-plus-page magazine. It includes news and feature articles, reviews the society's winter meetings, provides details of award winners, and book reviews.

2012-13 MEMBERSHIP RATES

• Full Member (resident in Yorkshire) £10.00
• Full Member (resident outside Yorkshire) £9.00
• Joint Husband & Wife (resident in Yorkshire) £14.00
• Joint Husband & Wife (resident outside Yorkshire) £12.00
• Junior Member (under 18) £5.00.

A further £15 will be charged to Juniors who wish to enrol for the Society's winter-coaching classes.

Those wishing to take out membership should complete an application form and post to the Membership Secretary, Mrs Beryl Ambler, Park Cottage, Cortworth Lane, Wentworth, Rotherham S62 7SB. Tel. 01226-747516. Email beryl-ambler@supanet.com

WOMBWELL FIXTURE CARD 2011-12
Keep reading this section, as it will be updated on an ongoing basis

September 29:    Annual General Meeting. National Awards selection.
October  6:           David Frith, Cricket Author.      
October 20:          Yorkshire wicket-keeper/batsman Gerard Brophy’s Benefit Night with
                                Dave Callaghan of Radio Leeds
October 27:         John Wardle remembers his father, left-arm spinner Johnny of
                               Yorkshire and England, who was the Society's first speaker in 1951
November 10:     Cally Barlowe remembers her late husband, South Arican
                               and Derbyshire all-rounder Eddie
November 17:     Youth Coaching Registration Evening with James and Ralph Middlebrook
November 24:     First Class umpire Neil Mallender
December 1:       Durham CCC Director of Cricket Geoff Cook

December 4:       DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY CRISTMAS SUNDAY LUNCHEON
                               at the Ardsley House Hotel with Society Patron Sir Michael Parkinson

December 8:       John Jameson, of Warwickshire and England
January 12:         Lesroy Weeks, ex-Yorkshire County Cricket Club
January 19:         Mick Newell and Nottinghamshire Evening
January 26:         Young Yorkshire Evening
February 16:          Philip Hodson, MCC President
February 23:        John Shepherd
March 8:               Paul Edwards, Lancashire cricket writer
March 22:             Paul Todd, Nottinghamshire all-rounder
March 29:             Coaching awards & presentations 
                               With Yorkshire Cricket Director Martyn Moxon

HOW TO GET THERE

Leave the Ml Motorway at Junction 37. If you have travelled from the South, take the third exit. If you have travelled from the North this is the first exit.
This is the main Barnsley road. Keep in the right-hand lane, as after approximately half a mile you will turn right at the first set of major traffic lights.
The road is called Broadway.
Keep on this road for about two miles, passing through various sets of traffic lights. This road eventually joins the A635, which is the main Barnsley-Doncaster road.
You will go up the hill and down the other side, and you will arrive at a large roundabout operated by traffic lights. Take the second exit, which takes you under a railway bridge.
Go up the hill for about one mile. This is a dual carriageway. You will come to the Ardsley Oaks Working Men's Club on the left. Swing into the car park.
If you are the guest speaker, you will have been invited to a pre-meeting meal with the Chairman or deputy in the Ardsley House Hotel on the opposite side of the road. So keep in the right hand lane.
Just past the Working Men's Club you will see to your right a large maroon-coloured sign for Ardsley House Hotel. You turn to your right across the carriageway, and into the hotel car park.