Wombwell Cricket Lovers' Society

Introduction

Wombwell Cricket Lovers' Society, founded in 1951, meets between October and April each year mostly on Thursdays at Ardsley Oaks Club in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Meetings usually commence at 7.45pm and 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. At present, and in response to feedback from members, the Society is experimenting with some afternoon meetings, commencing at 1.45pm on specific days as shown in the current programme. These afternoon meetings are held at the Holiday Inn, Dodworth, Barnsley. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, meetings in 2020/21 are suspended and are being replaced by online meetings. See the Programme page for details.

In addition to the regular meetings, the Society also organises coaching award presentation evenings, a Christmas Sunday Lunch event and, from time to time, a Spring Dinner.

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, Darren Gough and Joe Root. Coaching awards are linked to the memory of former Society Patrons, Brian Johnston and John Arlott and former Society officials Jack Sokell, Derek Moxon, Eric Sykes and current Society President, Dickie Bird OBE.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 Fielder of the Year. Other local cricket awards are also presented on occasions.

In addition to the regular 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 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. A 50th Anniversary edition was published in 2001 and a very special Diamond Anniversary edition in September 2011 when the Society celebrated sixty years of 'cricket loving’. We are now looking ahead to 2021.

Our current membership is holding steady at about 300 in number and they are spread throughout the country and overseas. But we always welcome new members - see below.


2020/21 Membership Rates

There are no membership formalities. The Membership Secretary will be pleased to deal with any queries. Subscriptions are as follows:

Anyone wishing to take out membership should apply to Assistant Secretary, Functions and Membership, Andy Jones,
143 Standbridge Lane, Kettlethorpe, Wakefield, WF2 7NN, telephone 07773 918734

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