The Twelfth Man 2015

28 February 12th – Young Yorkshire evening Postponed in January because of the bad weather, our annual Young Yorkshire evening finally took place two weeks later than originally planned. Academy coach Richard Damms brought batsman Eliot Callis, off-spinner Jack Shutt, and slow left-arm bowler James Logan with him. Richard had recently qualified as an ECB Level Four coach – the highest accolade one can receive in cricket coaching. He said: “The 2014 season was the most successful in the academy’s history. They completed the league and cup double. Our aim is to install into them the ethic that the team has to win every session. In the final at Barnsley, we were 22 for four and Eliot came in to bat. It could have been all over, but he top scored and was the man-of-the- match. He was in the zone so much so that when I went out with the drinks he didn’t see me and even today he doesn’t know how many he scored”. Eliot, who played at Sheffield Collegiate before joining the Academy, spoke with confidence about the coming season and his playing ambitions when he said: “I am looking forward to the new season. Last year was fantastic. I am relishing the thought of playing for the first team if I get a chance because of the number of England call-ups. I want to be a professional cricketer. I’ve had jobs outside cricket, but none of them compares with cricket. If I can’t play for Yorkshire I’ll go somewhere else.” Jack comes from Elsecar and played for the village team before he joined Castleford. “I started playing for Elsecar at eight and Ian Swallow taught me how to bowl off-spin. Then I captained Barnsley U15s. Graeme Swann was my idol. He had a mindset that he was always going to take a wicket. During the winter Martyn Moxon has been in a few times to see us along with Jason Gillespie. Michael Vaughan has been, giving us a few tips as well.” The 2014 season was James’ first season on the Academy staff. Richard said: “He got his chance to play for the Academy when a few of the lads went to play for England U19s”. James started playing cricket for Altofts at six and then played for Yorkshire U11s. James said: “At any club you have to score runs or take wickets to keep your place in the side”. March 5th – Chris Waters and Sidney Fielden Tonight our Chairman introduced Chris Waters (journalist and author) and Sid Fielden (YCCC Vice-President) who were to talk to us about Hedley Verity and Chris' latest book, 10 for 10 . Before Chris talked to us about one of the most amazing cricket feats in the history of the game, he amazed the audience by revealing that he had spoken to an ex-Notts player, Frank Shipston, who at the time had become the oldest living county cricketer at 94 years old. Frank, believe it or not, played in the 10 for 10 match and recalled Verity’s performance, and said he was just spinning it enough to take the edge of the bat. Nottinghamshire batted first making 234 (Verity two for 67). Yorkshire made 163 for nine declared making way for Verity’s 10 for 10 leaving the home side needing 130 to win, which Holmes and Sutcliffe knocked off without loss. Chris then enlightened us as to Hedley’s early days where he was a late starter, aged 25, at county level. Originally he was a left-arm medium pace bowler, but after changing to spin he never looked back, going Wombwell Coaching Co-ordinator Brian Workman with Eliot Callis, Jack Shutt, James Logan and Richard Damms. Cricket writer/journalist Chris Waters (left) with Tom Hudson and Sidney Fielden (left) at Wombwell on 5 March 2015.