The Twelfth Man 2020

48 49 We were last able to meet on Monday 16 March when our special guest was Chris Lewis. We reckon that of the ex- pected attendance that afternoon 20 of our members were already self-iso- lating. The hotel was almost like the Mary Celeste when we arrived, and the staff were glad to see us. Chris greet- ed members with his hands firmly bent backwards in jocular reference to the distancing rules that were soon to be confirmed. We knew of Chris’s conviction for smuggling cocaine into Gatwick from St Lucia, and how he had been sentenced to 13 years in prison. He had served six when he was re- leased. “You must have been through hell,” I said after lunch. “You must have suffered in prison.” “No,” he replied, “I do not think of it like that. I just made some bad calls.” And that was his thrust through the meeting as Chris bared his soul to the Society. Members came up indi- vidually at the end to wish him well; to acknowledge that whatever disil- lusionment had prompted him to do what he did he had not flinched from taking the consequences. He was to address the Northern Cricket Society in Leeds the following evening, and I had arranged for him to visit a school in one of the most deprived parishes in England that morning. The world was closing in as I listened to the radio on what seemed a long drive home. Plans for Chris on the morrow would go into lockdown. The Northern’s dinner was cancelled - and then the Yorkshire Supporters’ Lunch. We had met Chris in borrowed time. When would I chair the Wombwell again? I still do not know, but that was an afternoon that will live on. Weather and illness can always mar a long winter, and a major setback came when Phillip DeFreitas had to cry off three hours before our after- noon was due to start. Fortunately, Phillip’s worst fears about his son’s sickness proved unjustified, and he is determined to come to the Wom- bwell in October if we can get under way. We enjoyed some good names in 2019-20, including the BBC’s Daniel Norcross; Derek Pringle; Brian Rose; and it was a wonderful return to us by Paul Farbrace who was interviewed by immediate-past President of the Crick- et Writers’ Club David Warner, who declared this to be his swan-song. Jonathan Doidge, Dave Callaghan’s successor with BBC Radio Leeds, joined us for the first time – and we look forward to seeing more of Jonathan in the coming years. Richard Damms brought the Young York- shire evening as ever, and Jane Hildreth gave us a Yorkshire La- dies evening to remember. What worries me as we move towards an Annual General Meeting is how to replace Jack Tunnicliffe as Vice-Chair- man. Jack, ever dependable, agreed at the last AGM to put his retirement on hold while we carry on thinking about it, but we can hardly ask him to go on doing that. Looking ahead, I said that I hoped we would elect a Chairman who might be 20 years younger than me. I do not know which hand is going up. I am perfectly well aware that we have potential chairmen – our Secre- tary and Treasurer for example – but while this might do as a one-off, such doubling-up can restrict growth. We owe much to the Secretary Desk: Chris has been frustrated by the vi- rus lockdown in his studies to steer the Society into the broad, sunlit up- lands, but apart from taking on an increasing role with the Society’s ad- ministration and the recruitment of speakers he has taken the magazine into its bright, new dawn – and this will never be more important than in this year of isolation. Assistant Secre- tary Andy Jones is poised to adminis- ter his first Christmas Sunday Lunch – and we just hope that we are all back to normal by then. Treasurer Brian Sanderson, who does the workhorse job without the glamour, says we can go into another year without seeking an increase in subscriptions, and I join Brian in thanking all those who make additional donations to offset the increased cost of room hire. We choose Monday afternoons at the Holiday Inn because they are the cheapest – but they are still £100 a throw. Membership Secretary Ali Saad has a crucial role: we must keep on top of the mem- bership roll -- not only to understand who we are winning and who we may be losing and why, but it is a vital aid to budgeting. I would like to thank my Committee colleagues for their val- ued input during this challenging pe- riod: John Ambler, Ron Firth, Richard Griffiths and Norman Hazell. Ever dependable is meetings reporter Tom Hudson who always gives spark to the meetings when he puts his pen aside to lob in the crunch question. The youth-coaching scheme is the jew- el in the Society’s crown. It is unique among the cricket societies, and it is a reason why we are respected across the globe. Darren Crossland co-ordi- nates a dedicated team of John Am- bler, Oliver Cunningham, Mick Lindley, Alan Lockwood, Brain Marsh and Rich- ard Skipworth, with Beryl as the nev- er-retiring administrator. I close with congratulations to our Patron, Sir Geoffrey Boycott, on his long-awaited accolade. In doing so I do not need to look further than what Sir Geoffrey has meant to the Wom- bwell, not least during my period as Chairman . The world was closing in as I listened to the radio on what seemed a long drive home. Plans for Chris on the morrow would go into lockdown. The Northern’s dinner was cancelled - and then the Yorkshire Supporters’ Lunch. We had met Chris inborrowed time. When would I chair the Wombwell again? I still do not know, but that was an afternoon that will live on.