FIXTURES for the Third XI in the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League for the season 2001 will have a total of 18 teams, who will contest the Third XI Competition, with Beckwithshaw and Bolton Villas joining.

All clubs will play 14 league games and up to five cup ties. An extra round for the Ian Chappell Cup will be necessary.

Teams from the 2000 Competition will be divided into two groups for fixture arrangement purposes only. One new team will be added to each group. Each team will play all eight others in their group and six from the opposing group of nine, based on final positions in 2000. When the League table is published it will show one League of 18 teams.

The dates for season 2001 are as follows: Senior League begins on April 28, 2001, and ends on September 15, 2001. Third XI match-dates are April 22, 2001, and September 16, 2001. Waddilove and Birtwhistle Cup rounds are May 6, May 20, June 17, July 8, July 22 and the finals on August 5 (Birtwhistle) and August 12 (Waddilove). Venues will be published later.

Chappell Cup rounds are May 6, June 3, July 1, July 29 and the final will be on Monday, August 27.

If a club has a Chappell Cup preliminary round on May 6, 2001, and is already due to play a Third XI League match on the same day, the option to move the League match to Monday, May 7, will exist.

Dates for the Yorkshire League knock-out are provisionally June 3, July 1 and a final in August. Dates for the White Rose are provisionally May 20, June 10, July 8 and a final in late July/early August. If dates for either of these Inter-League competitions are altered, it may have an effect on our Cup-tie dates.

Scorers award

JOSH Green, of Green Lane CC, was the Gold Award winner and Young Scorer of the Year in the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League.

The Silver Award went to Helen Rowney, of Rawdon CC, and Bronze to Helen Doherty, of Illingworth CC. Hannah Ross, of Calverley CC, will receive a special commendation.

Courses are arranged

THE Airedale and Wharfedale Junior Cricket Association has produced its programme of events for the forthcoming 12 months. They are:

First aid courses - These have been particularly popular and theyintend to run two in March, 2001. They will be particularly useful for club coaches.

An evening for coaches - It is hoped that the CDOs will be present again and the evening will cover the new laws. This event is planned for April.

Coaching clinics - Three will be held, in May, June and July, covering spin bowling, batting and fielding.

The Eddie Nelson U-13 Six-a-side Competition - This will take place in May, provisionally at Ilkley CC.

The Inter-Group Festival - This will again take place in August.

No final decision has yet been made about the U-14 and U-17 Indoor Competitions as the costs may well be prohibitive.

WADDILOVE CUP

THE revised dates for the Waddilove and Birtwhistle Cup for the season 2001 are:

Preliminary Round - Sunday, April (please consider League Rule 7.5 (iv) if the previous day is wet).

First Round - Sunday, May 13.

Second Round - Sunday, June 10, .

There are no changes to the previously published dates for the Third Round and the semi-finals.

Harden accepted

HARDEN Cricket Club's application to join the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League was successful by 24 votes to two.

Otley CC dinner

THE annual dinner of Otley Cricket Club was held at Otley Golf Club, when Ex-Yorkshire and England physiotherapist Wayne Morton proposed a toast to the club in a highly amusing way.

Club president Michael Rhodes responded and proposed a toast to the guests. Mike Kinnear, promoted from his position as Clerk to the Rochdale justices, replied on behalf of the guests.

The president awarded the Clubman of the Year Trophy to John Harker and the Cricketer of the Year Trophy to Paul Kelley. Past president Clifford Smith acted as toastmaster.

Ilkley CC prizes

AT Ilkley Cricket Club's annual dinner dance the following prizes and awards were presented to the Seniors: First XI Batting: Jonathan Hughes (727 runs, average 51.93, highest score 147 n.o.); First XI Bowling: Majid Nian (56 wickets, average 16.95 from 321 overs); First XI Fielding: Phil Moffatt (nine catches).

Second XI Batting: John Ward (574 League and Cup runs, average 35.8); Second XI Bowling: Mike Clegg (29 League and Cup wickets, average 17.27); Second XI Fielding: Joe Varley and Martin Roe (14 and 11 victims respectively).

Third XI Batting: Mike Hughes (268 League and Cup runs, average 33.5); Third XI Bowling: Steve Tolley (21 wickets, average 12.38); Third XI Fielding: Tony Langenegger.

The Juniors held a Social Evening where they were presented with their prizes and awards. They were: Under-17s Benn Trophy: Craig Rackham. Under-15s J B Harland Trophy: Anthony Giles. Under-15s Fielding Prize: Jonathan Wilman. Under-13s Prize: Lewis Watson. Under-12s Prize: Andrew Rhodes.

The Joan Smith Award for the most promising progress went to Craig Rackham; the R P Gray Memorial Trophy for outstanding achievement to Alex Bailey; and the J H Browes Trophy for Junior Clubman of the Year to Andrew Maclean.