The Twelfth Man 2014

! 8 A %very%busy%2013H14%winter%season%at%Wombwell% started%back%in%late%September%with%the%AGM%(I%do% wish%more%members%would%support%this%important% evening%in%the%Society%calendar),%went%on%to%include% our%usual%varied%and%interesting%programme%of% speaker%meetings,%a%special%dinner%with%Yorkshire% CCC%President,%Geoffrey%Boycott,%Christmas%lunch% with%our%lively,%entertaining%and%always%supportive% Patron,%Mike%Cowan,%and%concluded%in%late%March% with%our%Coaching%Awards%night%in%the%company%of% the%everHhelpful%Richard%Damms%and%young%Matthew% Fisher%from%Yorkshire%CCC.%Our%thanks%in%particular% should%be%recorded%to%our%ViceHChairman%and% Functions%Officer,%Ron%Firth,%for%his%tremendous%hard% work%in%organising%both%the%evening%in%October%with% our%Patron,%Geoff%Boycott,%and%our%traditional% Christmas%lunch.%All%of%this%completed%during%a%very% difficult%period%for%him%both%personally%and%for%family% reasons.%% Another%successful%spell%of%youth%coaching%at%the% Bawtry%Road%Indoor%Centre,%now%under%the%watchful% eye%of%Brian%Workman%as%Wombwell’s%coaching%coH ordinator,%ran%from%January%2014%into%March.%This% aspect%of%WCLS’s%support%for%the%game%remains%very% much%the%primary%objective%of%everything%we%do%and% our%thanks%should%once%again%be%extended%to%Brian,% his%team%of%coaches%and%all%the%youngsters%and% parents%who%participated.% +'Goodbyes,'welcomes'and'well'done'+' On%the%downside,%Wombwell%has%sadly%lost%two%very% loyal%serving%officials%and%committee%members%in%the% last%12%months%or%so.%Tributes%to%both%Roy%Foster%and% Margaret%Harrison%are%detailed%elsewhere%in%this% edition%of% The(Twelfth(Man .%Both%will%be%greatly% missed:%personally%and%in%terms%of%the%work%they%did% for%the%Society.%Beryl%Ambler,%who%took%on%the%job%of% membership%secretary%some%seven%years%ago%with% real%vigour,%has%decided%to%step%down%from%the% position%and%also%as%a%general%committee%member.% Beryl%has%been%a%towering%official%at%Wombwell,% especially%during%some%very%dark%times,%and%I%would% like%to%thank%her%not%only%for%her%great%work,%but%also% for%the%strength%of%character%she%displayed%during% her%time%in%office.%On%the%upside%we%welcome% Richard%Griffiths%to%our%committee,%Ben%Hampshire% as% Twelfth(Man %Editor,%in%succession%to%Norman% Hazell,%and%also%our%newest%WCLS%Patron,%cricket% author/writer%David%Frith.%Over%several%decades% David%has%been%a%real%advocate%of%our%Society,% promoting%our%activities%via% Wisden(Cricket(Monthly( and%visiting%us,%as%a%guest%and%speaker,%on%numerous% occasions.%Our%congratulations%are%also%extended%to% Wombwell%President,%Dickie%Bird,%who%also%became% President%of%Yorkshire%CCC%in%March:%an%honour%of% which%he%is%rightly%very%proud.% +'Moving'forward'+'' Wombwell%marches%forward%into%2015%with%still%a% strong%following.%In%terms%of%membership%the%Society% remains%in%a%healthy%position,%but%increasing%costs% for%attracting%speakers/guests,%hotel%rooms,% coaching%costs,%postage%etc%mean%that%the% committee%has%had%to%make%the%decision%to%increase% subscriptions%with%effect%from%the%2014H15%winter.% The%last%increase%to%the%Society%membership%was% made%back%in%2008,%and%it%is%hoped%that%ALL% members%will%continue%to%support%WCLS%in%its%many% activities.%Please%don’t%forget%to%increase%your% standing%order%payments%and/or%send%in%the%correct% subscriptions.%This%will%ensure%our%Membership% Officer%does%not%have%to%chase%you%for%outstanding% monies%and%will%save%everyone%time%and%the%costs% involved.%As%well%as%maintaining%membership%levels% the%Society%faces%an%ongoing%challenge%of%getting% volunteers%to%help%with%the%smooth%running%and% administration%side%of%things%–%please%do%come% forward%and%get%involved%if%you%can%–%this%after%all%is% YOUR%SOCIETY.%We%look%forward%to%welcoming%as% many%members%as%possible%during%what%should%be% another%busy%and%enjoyable%season%at%Wombwell% during%2014H15.% +'A'special'thank'you'+' The%Society%continues%to%be%grateful%to%members%and% cricket%lovers’%for%the%donation%of%books%and%other% items%that%are%sold%at%our%speaker%meetings%to%raise% funds%to%support%Wombwell’s%activities.%In%the%last%12% months%we%have%been%particularly%grateful%the% families%of%the%late%Don%Hillkirk%and%Roy%Foster%in% bequeathing%cricket%books%and%publications%to%aid% WCLS.% Mick Pope reflects on a very busy yet thoroughly enjoyable year