Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Year Book 2014

13 only the Unicorns behind us. Youth played a large role and these youngsters will be better for the experience. They will flourish in 2014 and be wiser for the experience. Friends Life t20 Equally bad was our 40-over campaign. When it came to the limited overs formats this year, as previously mentioned, youth played a prominent role and while it’s good practice for years to come, we struggled to assert our authority. Our win-loss ratio was poor and we lost seven, won two and tied one, finishing at the bottom of the North Division table. This is stark contrast to 2012 when we were such a force in this format of the game albeit with two quality overseas stars. Player of the Season We have had countless stand-out players this season, so many it is difficult to pick just one, but Gary Ballance’s intelligent batting makes him the cream of the current crop. He reads every innings carefully and plays accordingly. His position in the middle order not only strengthens the team’s performance but also allows for a smooth transition from the specialist batsmen through to the tail. With an average of 64.90 and finishing with a total of 1363 runs, his contribution with the bat is unmatched. Also, it would be remiss of me not to mention our bowling attack which kept on delivering throughout the campaign. Ryan Sidebottom spearheaded our efforts ably supported by unsung hero Steve Patterson and the raw energy of new signings Jack Brooks and Liam Plunkett. All four, along with our spinning options, will need to continue in the same vein next season. Emerging player Moving up into the first elven, Alex Lees racked up 621 runs at an average of 47.76, no mean feat when you’re 20-years-old and opening the batting for your county. His hard work has been rewarded with call-ups to the England Lions and Performance Programme as well as being given the responsibility of opening with Adam Lyth. We supplied England with a steady stream of talented players, and with Lees’ opening predecessor Joe Root solidly in the England side, the spot’s open for him to step into and make his own. Unsung hero Much like the ‘Player of the Season’ category, there are many players that could be considered unsung – Andrew Gale is one of the most modest captains you’ll come across as he found himself debating omitting himself from the squad in favour of the team’s chances. Steve Patterson however finished with 51 wickets at an average of 23.47 – that’s just two fewer than Ryan Sidebottom. All four frontline bowlers – Sidebottom, Patterson, Liam Plunkett and Jack Brooks – finished with more than 30 wickets each. Patterson’s role in this foursome proved to be invaluable time and time again as he took wickets at crucial moments and often limited the runs of the opposition. Hopes for next year Consistency is the key for Yorkshire. We will be aiming at the LV=CC crown next year following our impressive performance this year. We will also be looking to compete in one-day cricket and have aspirations of winning a trophy in the shorter form. Whatever happens; it should be very exciting following the fortunes of the Vikings in 2014. Keep the faith, Danny Reuben, Head of Media, YCCC Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society www.sheffieldcricketlovers.org.uk