We are used to inclement weather on the day of the event...what we are not used to is the absence of Committeeman Clifford Gregg from his regular role of doorkeeper. Clifford had been rushed into hospital the previous day, and he was very much in our thoughts as we entered the Legends Suite. The room soon filled, for nobody wanted to be outside on such a morning, but our overall attendance was 31 down on last year.

It was a highly sociable occasion - and led to the enrolment of five new members. We are delighted that they have chosen to join YCCSA as a way of showing their support for the Club - and we ended up with a profit of over £60.

The members are to be applauded for once  again entering into the spirit of the enterprise and producing such a wonderful array of cakes. They never let us down. Warmest appreciation is due also to John Hill and the staff of Sodexo Prestige, formerly Headingley Experience. Nothing was too much trouble for them, and they served us most nobly.

SCARBOROUGH QUIZ

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There was a sensation at the Supporters' Quiz Night and Supper in the Alexandra Bowl centre at Scarborough on the first evening of the LV Championship match against Leicestershire.

So fierce was the competition that it required a tie-break question before the team captained by John Harrison emerged as the winners, the probing questions on sport and general knowledge having been set by Ken Shaw and Chairwoman Charlotte Evers, who acted as MC.

There was a guest appearance in John’s team from well-known Yorkshire ground steward Malcolm Shaw, and others in the triumphant side included Alan Kaye, Gareth Makin, Peter Mann, Secretary Paul Chapman and a keen competitor known generally as “John of Rotherham.”

The event raised £120 for Association funds, and the Committee would like to thank all who gave prizes for the quiz and raffle.

All Association members and Yorkshire fans in general who watched the match deserve praise for so stoically withstanding four of the coldest consecutive days on which cricket can ever have been played - the temperature rarely, if ever, pushing its way past six degrees centigrade, accompanied all the while by a biting northerly wind.

The Yorkshire team are also to be congratulated on sticking to their task so admirably that they emerged winners over Leicestershire by an innings and 22 runs, their reward being to shoot into third place in the Division 2 table.

DAVID WARNER

ANNIVERSARY LAST ACT

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Committee man Clifford Gregg made the presentations to winners of the 2011 Supporters’ awards at Yorkshire's 2012 Pre-season Lunch in the East Stand Long Room:

Gurman Randhawa (most wickets 2nd XI), Alex Lees (most runs 2nd XI) Jonathan Bairstow (most runs 1st XI and Ryan Sidebottom most wickets 1st XI). It was the last act of the Society's 30th anniversary celebrations.

(Photo: CHARLOTTE EVERS)

YOUNG PLAYER OF 2011

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Academy captain Alex Lees became the YCCSA Young Player of the Year for 2011 - the first to receive the award twice since it was instituted in 1995.

The trophy and a cheque for £250 were presented to Alex by Yorkshire Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon, who said Alex had been the leading Second XI run-scorer, and he had made over 900 runs at an average of 60 for the Academy, which he captained. His approach to the game was one of determination and the desire to succeed.

Martyn said England Under-19s had inquired about Alex’s availability for the World Cup in January, but he had expressed a preference to attend all the Club’s preseason preparations. This was the measure of his maturity.

Alex responded by thanking the members. He said it had been a turbulent year, both on the field and for himself personally, but he added that with the Association’s consistent support Yorkshire would soon be back in Division 1.

30TH ANNIVERSARY LUNCH

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Director of Professional Cricket Martyn Moxon and Finance Director Charles Hartwell paid tribute to Yorkshire County Cricket Supporters’ Association at their 30th anniversary lunch in the Executive Suite at Headingley Carnegie.

Charles, in proposing the toast to the Club, told of the unstinting support the Association provides, and Martyn, who spoke at the Association’s first meeting in the autumn of 1981 and is an Association Patron, said how much he looked forward to another 30 years! His toast was “To cricket!”

Honorary Life member Christine Kilburn proposed a toast to the Association, and Chairwoman Charlotte Evers particularly thanked three men who do so much to publicise the work of the Association through the YCCC website, the electronic scoreboard at Headingley Carnegie and the public-address system.

Pictured left to right are James Greenfield, David Warner and Tony Loffill.

The event drew a record attendance of 101 members, and a raffle for cricket funds raised £225.50p. Charlotte said: “Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day, and we are extremely grateful to all who so generously donated prizes for the raffle.”

Charlotte extended congratulations at the lunch to member Trevor Constantine, who has been awarded the Order of Mercy Medal for his 15 years of voluntary work at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Trevor, who received his medal at a ceremony at the Mansion House in London from Lord Linfield, President of the Order of Mercy, is chairman and treasurer of the Friends of Bradford Royal Infirmary.

BROPHY AT THE BRUNCH

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The final brunch of the 2011 season on September 8 brought the best attendance ever – 50 brunchers including a number of Somerset Committee members sitting down to a welcome breakfast before the start of Day 2 in the LV County Championship match at Headingley Carnegie.

The occasion was marked by a presentation to Yorkshire beneficiary Gerard Brophy, which took the form of a painting by renowned Yorkshire cricket artist Gordon Sharp depicting Gerard in action with bat and wicket-keeping gloves. Gerard responded with a short speech in which he thanked the members for all their support during the year.

DIAMOND TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT

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The Supporters presented Yorkshire President Raymond Illingworth with a framed copy of the scorecard which recorded his Yorkshire debut on August 18, 1951, in the Championship match against Hampshire at what is now Headingley Carnegie.

It was to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of a significant epoch in Yorkshire cricket that the presentation was made by the Association during the tea interval on Day 1 of the game with Warwickshire at the same venue.

Yorkshire won Raymond’s debut match by 10 wickets, and although he did not get a bowl he was in excellent form with the bat - scoring 56 in his only innings.

Pictured at the ceremony, left to right, are Clifford Gregg, of the Supporters’ Committee, President Illingworth, Secretary Paul Chapman and Chairwoman Charlotte Evers.

(See also Gallery Picture close-up)

DAVID WARNER

EVERY ONE A WINNER

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Chairwoman Charlotte Evers helps Yorkshire Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon to draw the raffle at the Scarborough dinner on July 11. His assistant, Craig White, extreme left, cannot bear to look.

Over 40 members and guests attended the very successful and enjoyable dinner at the Clifton Hotel after play on the first day of the LV County Championship match against Worcestershire, and Martyn and Craig were generous enough with their time to call in and take part in a robust question-and-answer session. (See also Gallery Picture)

Martyn said he was delighted that Jacques Rudolph had agreed to return for the remainder of the season, and he was confident that the South African batsman, who had achieved so much for Yorkshire in recent years, would be a big help in their quest to improve their position in the Championship table.

Craig, who also drew the raffle, spoke highly of 26-year-old fast bowler Iain Wardlaw, from Bradford League club Cleckheaton, who had made his Yorkshire debut in the Friends Life t20 match against Nottinghamshire at Headingley Carnegie on July 3 and taken two wickets.

He said that on captain Andrew Gale’s recommendation Iain had been invited to join the Yorkshire squad at their preseason practice sessions, and he had done so entirely at his own expense. Iain had further impressed with the Second XI, and as a result he had been given a contract until the end of 2012.

Association members were extremely grateful to Martyn and Craig for placing themselves in the hot seat, and they were overjoyed that Yorkshire went on to complete the double over Worcestershire with a six-wicket victory.

DAVID WARNER

OUTGROUND LUNCH

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Association policy is to move away from the Leeds headquarters once a year for a lunch in another part of the county. Members gathered at the Whitley Hall hotel on the north side of Sheffield on June 24 - the venue organised by two members who live in the area, Martyn and Sally Vaughan.

The lunch was superb, and seated together at one long table, above, the diners were able to chat with fellow-members alongside and those sitting opposite. There has been a suggestion that next year’s event be held in Pickering. Watch this space!

VIEW FROM THE TOP

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Once every 30 years...33 members gathered on the Headingley Carnegie Pavilion balcony on May 15 to watch Yorkshire play Kent as part of the association's 30th anniversary celebrations.

A few did retreat behind the glass to watch from the warmth of the Haigh Room - and in the interval that was where everyone went to enjoy a superb tea!