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Wombwell Cricket Lovers' Society, founded in 1951, meet weekly every Thursday at Ardsley Oaks WMC near Barnsley in South Yorkshire between September and April each year. Meetings commence at 7.45pm and usually take the format of a talk by a cricket personality followed by a question and answer session. Guests from outside the cricketing world also make up the Society's winter programme. In addition to the weekly meetings, the Society also organises buffet evenings, an annual Spring dinner, and a Christmas lunch.
Winter coaching classes began in 1953 with the aim of encouraging local cricket talent; and through the years a number of county and international players have emerged such as: Graham Stevenson, Arnie Sidebottom, Tim Boon, Martyn Moxon, and Darren Gough. Coaching awards are linked to the memoryy of former Society Patron's Brian Johnston and John Arlott and former Society officials Jack Sokell, Derek Moxon, David Musgrave and Eric Sykes.
Awards are presented annually to youngsters for batting, bowling, fielding, and wicketkeeping. The Society also presents a number of other annual awards including: Cricket Writer, Cricket Commentator, County Captain, Young Cricketer, and Cricketer of the Year as well as a Wicketkeeper of the Year award and one in memory of Learie Constantine for the best fielder in the Nat West final. Locally the best groundsman, scorer, and best bowling performance are rewarded.
In addition to the weekly meetings, dinners, coaching classes, and awards the Society also produces its own annual publication. The Twelfth Man (first issued in 1954) is an A4 style, 50+ page magazine which includes a number of feature articles, reviews the Society's winter meetings, news, provides details of award winners, and book reviews. Each year the magazine also includes a special tribute section to a post-war cricket personality. Recent tributes have included David Gower OBE in 1995, a joint tribute to Denis Compton CBE and Keith Miller MBE in 1996, Mike Gatting OBE in 1997 and 1999 a joint tribute to former Yorkshire & England cricketers Don Wilson and Philip Sharpe. A very special 50th Anniversary edition has been published to celebrate the Society's Golden Jubilee in September 2001.
There are no membership formalities. The Membership Secretary will be pleased to deal with any queries. Subscriptions are as follows:
Junior membership does not include a copy of The Twelfth Man..
Anyone wishing to take out membership should apply to the Membership Secretary, Beryl Ambler, Park Cottage, Cortworth Lane, Wentworth, Rotherham, S62 7SB. Tel: 01226 747516
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