Busy time for the postman

Posted by Tony Hutton

The expected avalanche of cricket related mail has started and two important A.G.M.s take place tomorrow, Yorkshire at Headingley and the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians at Derby. I shall be at Derby and look forward to hearing the retiring president M.J.K. Smith make his farewell speech.

The first of the cricket yearbooks to appear was the excellent county second XI annual edited by the indefatigable Howard Clayton. This provides a wealth of information about the host of players who appeared in county second eleven matches last season.
I have now been able to work out who all the unknown players for Northants seconds were at Market Harborough against Yorkshire. In fact Northants selected no less than sixty one players in their side last season, some of whom may make the grade but sadly the majority will no doubt return to obscurity.

Next to arrive was the equally admirable Cumberland county cricket year book edited by  Michael Latham who had again produced an excellent volume with many colour photographs which make this probably the best county yearbook you will find. One of his photographs was well worth selecting. This shows the Norfolk historian and their scorer with what should win the T shirt of the season award.

 

 

This volume has detailed match reports and scorecards of all Cumberland's Minor Counties games last season, pen pictures of all their players and photographs of every ground on which they have played home matches. All the county's records are there in abundance as well as a complete review of all the league cricket in the county last season. One sad note is the number of small village teams which can no longer carry on due to a lack of players, which I know is a growing problem in other parts of the country.

The latest to arrive, in mid-afternoon in fact, was all the Yorkshire literature for the coming season. The funeral of President John Hampshire is taking place today and we are told that the club have nominated Richard Hutton to take his place. An extraordinary general meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on Friday 7th April before the start of the opening county championship game with Hampshire at Headingley to confirm his election.

Lots more still to come no doubt!