The Twelfth Man 2016

3 The sixth T20 World Cup wetted my appetite for the 2016 season coming so soon to the start of the season. Can anyone still work out how Bangladesh, needing one run to win, managed to lose the match and knock the hosts India out of the competition? Who can forget the semi-final between the West Indies and India? Lendl Simmons’ innings when he kept getting reprived to get the West Indies through to the final. And what about the final. Who gave England any chance of victory when they were for three, then when England lost Jos Buttler for after adding 80 for the fourth wicket with an old boy of our coaching system Joe Root who top scored with 54. I didn’t give England a chance, but when the West Indies batted we were given hope by Joe Root as he took two wickets in three balls. England looked favourites again to become T20 World Champions for the first time with the West Indies needing 19 to win off the final over. I thought the West Indies might get close, but would lose by seven runs, how wrong I was. But it shows how exciting cricket is and why we love it. It isn’t just T20 that can produce exciting finishes, but 50-over cricket does and Championship does. The domestic season started and we got through the cold weather and thought that that we would be in shirt sleeves and shorts for the rest of the season, how wrong we were as the rain fell and the weather got colder. Next season we’ll see a change in the County Championship with two less matches for the teams in the first division. One thing I would like to ask members is if they have memories of playing in the Rose Bowl and Open Knock out matches and if you have would you like to share them and we’ll get some of those into next year’s magazine. My thanks go to Mick Pope, Colin Barker, David Warner and Norman Hazell for help with the magazine production. Finally if you look on the Internet for your cricket reports why not look at www.worldcricketcentre .com in future. Neil Whitaker EDITORIAL The Society is now on an even keel finically after the problems of a few years ago. This is due to the membership helping the Society with money from their own resources. This year again we received donations of money and books which has helped the Society make a profit. I would like to thank these people. My job has been made easier by the help of Ali Saad, the Membership Secretary and Ron Firth who organises among other things the Christmas dinner and the pie and peas supper at the end of the speaking season. My wish for the coming season for the Society is that more people come to the speaking events. There are varied speakers and without members coming to the meetings the Society will have to finish. Brian Sanderson TREASURER’S REPORT WINTER SEASON 2016/17 Don’t miss the start of the new Wombwell winter speaker programme, with meetings throughout the winter months, from October to March. Please refer to your enclosed membership/programme card for details of the 2016/17 speakers, Christmas Sunday lunch etc. We look forward to welcoming you at Ardsley Oaks Club on Thursday evenings. Meetings start at 7.45pm. COME AND JOIN US AND DO BRING FRIENDS .