Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union Handbook 2009

4 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS I must start off this years address with an apology for failing to turn up to the Annual General Meeting in November – please be assured that there will be no repeat performance this year. My thanks go to Bob McFarlane for ably standing in at such short notice. I am sad to report that my own team, Perthshire, have been unable to field senior teams in the league this year and we are truly sorry for any inconvenience caused to other Clubs due to our late withdrawal. The Club’s demise at senior level has been reported in both the local and national press so I do not intend to dwell on this matter. Suffice to say that there may be lessons to be learned. I will be turning out for Mayfield this year in the Second Division and this will represent a full circle in my cricketing career having started out playing for their junior team way back in 1973. I must congratulate Mannofield on their achievement in winning the Premier Division in 2008. I played against them in one of my few Saturday outings last year and they were a very good side – the team we played that day would have, in my opinion, easily held their own in the 2 nd Division of the National League. Huntly pushed them all the way and will be looking to go one better this year. The same Club, in the guise of Huntly Highlanders shared the Lloyds TSB Junior Club of the Year award with Kinross. Both Clubs have also been awarded Top Club Silver Status, a considerable achievement considering the onerous criteria. Congratulations should also go to Breadalbane, Montrose and again Kinross, for winning their respective leagues – Forthill for winning both the Three and Two Counties Cups. Lets hope for some better weather this year as we are surely due a good summer. I fear that a repeat of previous years will see some players drifting away from the game. The subject of a return to Regional Cricket is again up for discussion and there may well be developments in this area during the season. No President’s address would be complete without an appeal for fair play and remember, if you bring along an Umpire then he must officiate in both innings. David Armstrong