President Jewel on menu for Yorkshire Cricket Director Martyn

Martyn Moxon was installed as president of Yorkshire Players’ Association at their fourth annual general meeting in the Cricket Centre at Headingley Carnegie on Sunday, April 5.

He was unable to attend - so he received his President's Jewel from retiring president Don Wilson at Yorkshire County Cricket Club's pre-season luncheon at Headingley on the following Wednesday.

At the same ceremony Don was handed his past-president’s jewel by Martyn - the former Yorkshire captain who is now Director of Professional Cricket.

Martyn said it was a great honour to fulfil the role of president for 2009-10, and he would endeavour to promote the association while in office - particularly with regard to players of his era.

Former Yorkshire wicket-keeper Jimmy Binks, the association’s first president, was able to attend the meeting while on a short visit from his home in California, and Don had great pleasure in presenting him with his past president’s jewel.

The meeting warmly welcomed Ashley Metcalfe, who is now in charge of the Cricket Centre.

Don said Ashley was one of those who could really help to persuade some of the county’s younger retired players to join the association:

“Our first annual dinner was a big success but, sadly, there were no youngsters there at all. The game is fabulous when you are playing it, but you are a long time out of it once you retire. It is then that you miss people."

Bryan said Martyn was aiming to contact the players of his team in the 1980s and 1990s to get them involved in the association. The first dinner last autumn had been tremendously successful - and it had been decided to hold another one at Headingley Carnegie on November 4, when guest speakers would be former bank manager David Kendall and Keighley comedian Mike Farrell.

Former Yorkshire and England batsman Philip Sharpe was voted in as the association’s president-elect, and former Yorkshire batsman Jim Love was elected to serve on the Management Committee in place of the retiring John Hampshire, former Yorkshire captain and umpire.

The annual Gibson Cup golf tournament for past and present Yorkshire players was held at Bradford Golf Club on April 1 when 22 members of the Association, including 10 players from the current squad, took part. The winner was Ashley Metcalfe with 38 Stableford points, and Jonathan Bairstow, son of former Yorkshire captain David, came second.

The association’s summer reunion luncheon takes place at Headingley Carnegie on Sunday, June 7, the second day of the Yorkshire v Sussex Championship match. Tickets, cost £12, can be obtained from association treasurer David Ryder.

Words: DAVID WARNER