The Twelfth Man 2020

GARETH DAVIS AND DANNY KEMP 27 January 2020 The Chairman introduced our two guests, Gareth Davis, Head of Region with the Yorkshire Cricket Board and Danny Kemp, Head of Participation and Growth, Northern Region at the ECB as a change to the billed appearance of Simon Brown who had now left his post at the ECB. Gareth outlined his role to the audience which focussed on in- troducing cricket to the very young (4 -11 years olds) through programmes such as All Stars, Chance to Shine and Dynamos. This includes connecting any youngsters who want to move to club cricket. Gareth also works with clubs to set up junior sec- tions and deals with anything else connected to these areas. Danny outlined his role in relation to the ECB’s Inspiring Generations project which is a cricket strategy to grow the game in the years 2020-2024. This is an ambitious programme covering all aspects of the game under the following headings:- a) Grow and Nurture The Core: Creating investment across the board from village cricket up to what was the Minor Counties League. b) Inspire through Elite Teams: Creating a streamlined scheme for talent in every way possible. c) Make Cricket Accessible: Developing new competitions to get more people playing the game. d) Engage Children and Young People: This is aimed main- ly at primary schools for kids from 5 years-old and upwards (boys and girls). e) Transform Women and Girls Cricket: This is aimed as a follow-on from (d) in delivering a secondary school pro- gramme for girls, along with other innovations to enhance the female game. f) Support our Communities: Increasing volunteers in the game and also coaches and facilities, and increasing partici- pation in disability cricket. The presentations from both our guests were open so that questions from the audience flowed throughout to make a very interesting afternoon. It’s also fair to say that Gareth and Danny were excellent with their plans and presentations which largely answered long-held views by the WCLS audience that youth and school cricket has been a neglected area in English cricket. It is comforting to know that this is now being expertly addressed. Review BETWEEN TWELFTH MEN A round-up of events in the cricket world since the 2019 Magazine Chris Silverwood, the for- mer Yorkshire and England bowler and more recent- ly, head coach at Essex CCC has been appointed England’s head coach in succession to Trevor Bay- liss who stepped away from the job at the end of the summer Ashes series. The draft for The Hundred tookplace inOctober. Inad- dition to the England-con- tracted players (Root, Bair- stow and Rashid) who have been drafted to various teams, Yorkshire players who secured places are Adam Lyth, David Willey and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. In October Darren Gough was confirmed as taking a post as bowling consultant with the England team for their New Zealand tour in November and December. In November, Yorkshire CCC announced the signin- gof Middlesex and England left-handed batsman Daw- id Malan to the county side. Jordan Thompson signed a contract extension with Yorkshire in November that will keep the all-round- er at the Club until at least the end of 2021. In early December the for- mer Surrey, Warwickshire and England fast bowler Bob Willis died at the age of 70 after illness through cancer. In January the ECB an- nounced that it would introduce development contracts to sit alongside existing central contracts. Aimed at bowlers, the de- velopment contract al- lows the ECB to control the amount of overs bowled in county cricket by individ- uals who are considered to be future international players. Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian Test player will take over the front-line spinner role for Yorkshire that was filled by Keshav Maharaj last year. It is anticipat- ed he will be available for most of the season. Norman Hazell (C) with Gareth Davis (L) and Danny Kemp (R)