Yorkshire Cricket Board host special evening at Headingley

The annual awards, organised by YCB, recognised the hard work and dedication given by cricket volunteers who have contributed to the grassroots game across the region.

To celebrate the YCB welcomed nearly 200 guests to a presentation evening held in the fabulous Howard Suite at Headingley including the winners, all those nominated, staff from across the Yorkshire Cricket Family and players from the professional squads who presented the awards.

This year, YCB received a record number of nominations for the Cricket Collective Awards 2023, with more than 200 nominations received across 11 different categories. This included Lifetime Achiever Awards for two special individuals who have served the game for decades, and a Grounds Management award which celebrated 92-year-old Harry Jackson, who received a standing ovation on the evening, after being recognised for his dedication at his cricket club where he has served for 76 years.

There were also awards for – amongst other areas – Unsung Hero, Rising Star and Tackling Climate Change and as part of the special evening there was a Q&A with Yorkshire's skillful bowler Ben Coad and Darren Gough, Managing Director of Cricket for Yorkshire.

Paul Cummins, Director of Recreational Cricket for the YCB, said: “Recreational cricket across Yorkshire is a sport carried by the heroic efforts of volunteers and the YCB Cricket Collective Awards are a brilliant way for us to celebrate and give thanks to some incredible contributions over the past year.

“There are so many roles within the recreational game, and the diversity of the roles celebrated in the 2023 YCB Cricket Collective Awards reflect that. The YCB is committed to ensuring and supporting cricket to become the most inclusive game in sport, and tonight is a great way to recoginse and celebrate volunteers who play such a vital role within recreational cricket.

“It was a tough time judging the nominations this year and all the nominees and winners should be very proud. I would like to congratulate every nominee and individual winner across Yorkshire, and it has been brilliant to be able to celebrate the hard work and achievements here tonight.”

A number of the awards (Image: Yorkshire YCC)

YCB Cricket Collective Awards 2023 Winners

Connecting Communities (Brian & Shirley Hobson Award)

Starbeck CC – Harrogate

Starbeck Cricket Club in Harrogate were recognised for making a remarkable impact, demonstrating exceptional dedication and sportsmanship after becoming a newly formed team within the Nidderdale Cricket league.

Coach of the Year (Maurice Young Award)

Richard Stump – Elsecar CC – Barnsley

Richard was recognised for his development of Elsecar CC 3rd team which involved ensuring a transition point for junior players into the senior game. He has been heavily involved in the development and training of the women’s softball team who have completed their first season of both the indoor and outdoor leagues. He was also nominated for inspiring youngsters and demonstrating the values of volunteering by selflessly giving up his time for these teams along with managing and coaching the under-13s under-15s.

Women’s Cricket Development (Barbara Hare Award)

Phil Sharples – YCB

Women's participation in cricket is growing at a huge rate in the UK and the Barbara Hare Award recognises those who are driving this growth.

Phil has been integral in the development of the West Yorkshire Women and Girls League and having helped to lay the league foundations in 2022 the league has gone from strength to strength.

Innovator of the Year Award

Vinesh Patel – LPS CC – Bradford

Vinesh has been an incredible champion for British South Asian men through social media by showcasing the game of cricket and how it can be translated into the daily lives of British South Asian men.

Growing the Game (Lawrence Walker Award)

Tom Jenkins – Low Moor – Bradford

The Lawrence Walker Award is about recognising people who are growing the game and Tom Jenkins is certainly doing that. Tom is someone who lives, eats and breathes the game.

Services to Diverse Communities (Numan Shabbir Award)

Banaras Ali – Shiregreen CC – Sheffield

In 2021 Banaras took up the role of Junior Chairman at Shiregreen Cricket club. As a result of his efforts and work the club has been able to attract funding as part of local community initiatives and seen an increase in junior players and volunteers from the South Asian community. He has used his love of the game to help the next generation and as a stepping stone to ensure that the youngsters of the community have a bright future.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Milton Samuels – Sheffield Carribbean – Sheffield

Milton was recognised after being the heart and rock for Sheffield Caribbean Cricket Club for well over 30 years and still going strong, showing his commitment, love, passion, dedication as a true volunteer.

Services to Coach Development Award

Sara Begg – Thurtonland CC – Huddersfield

Sara is part of the Yorkshire Coach Development team but is also part of the growing women and girls’ section at Thurstonland. Sara plays an integral part in the growth of cricket not only at Thurstonland but in surrounding areas. Sara has helped inspired, supported, and encouraged many clubs and coaches to form a women’s team.

Unsung Hero (George Reah Award)

Dan Bamforth – Higham CC – Barnsley

Dan was nominated for being the true heartbeat of Higham Cricket club and quite simply the glue that holds the club together.

Unsung hero Dan Bamforth (Image: Yorkshire YCC)

Game Changer Award

Harriet Barber – Frechville CC – Sheffield

Harriet has been involved with cricket since she was eight years old and has played at all junior levels as well as currently playing in’ men’s cricket at senior level. As well as being a qualified scorer and umpire, Harriet is also a qualified coach five years ago and has been inspirational in rebuilding the junior section from scratch and starting a woman and girls’ section at Frecheville Community Cricket Club.

Young Coach of the Year Award

Finley Turner – Eastringon CC – Hull/Goole

Finley was nominated for being an outstanding young upcoming coach, motivating, supporting and coaching the youngest club members to a high standard at Eastrington Cricket Club. Finley creates fun, exciting sessions and supports the head coaches to keep children engrossed and excited to play. He gives up his evenings and weekends to volunteer for the club and they couldn’t be more grateful for the time and effort he puts in.

Safe Hands Award

Glen Burden – Higham CC – Barnsley

The SafeHands Award goes to an individual that has gone above and beyond to create a positive and inclusive environment for young people to enjoy the game. Glen Burden has been instrumental in achieving this with Higham Cricket Club.

Grounds Management Team of the Year Award

Harry Jackson – Hunbleton CC – Hull

The award recognises an individual or group that has displayed outstanding work in Grounds Management.

Harry has been groundsmen at Humbleton Cricket Club for 76 years. Harry now 92 has dedicated his life to looking after the ground at Humbleton. The ground is Harry's pride and joy and very rarely has he allowed anybody to help him. Even after recovering from operations and the loss of this wife, Harry has had minimal time off and returned to looking after the ground with great care and attention.

Disability Cricket Award

Andy Day, David Dawkes Hall, Howard Tomlinson, Naomi Tomlinson, Nick Mason

All five individuals have given a huge amount of support to officiating in the Disability game.

Rising Star (Francesca Anoble Award)

Alex Jenkins – Kirk Hammerton CC – York

Over the last 18 months no one has done more than to ensure the survival of Kirkhammerton Cricket club than 15-year-old Alex Jenkins, who took on the duties of Head Groundsperson . Under the mentoring of his grandfather and ground staff from a neighboring club, Alex has transformed the pitch and ground into one the community is justly proud of.

Rising star Alex Jenkins (Image: Yorkshire CCC)

Inspire to Play (Brian Stone Award)

Joe Hudson – Hessle CC – Hull

Joe is the backbone of Hessle Cricket Club a club that has seen huge development on the back of his hard work in previous years. 10 years ago, Hessle were a club with no juniors and dwindling numbers at senior level. Joe has since taken on the role of 1st team captain and junior coordinator. Joe has changed the landscape of the club with his hard work and dedication.

Officials Award (Derek Shuttlworth Award)

Alison Gresser – Treeton CC – Sheffield

Alison has been involved in cricket for over 30 years. In that time, she has been scorer for Rotherham Transport CC, Sheffield transport CC in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire Cricket League and more recently scorer with Millhouses Works, Frecheville Community CC and is now second team scorer at Treeton Cricket Club keeping score on both the Laptop, scorebook and linear scoring in the South Yorkshire Senior Cricket league.

Alison also works closely with the ECBACO scores section and is also a recognised ECB Accredited Scorers Tutor for the South Yorkshire Branch of the ACO, as well as the Internal Verifier for the North of England. We would like to hear more about Alison and the work she does so we are going to ask Alison to come up on stage.

Tackling Climate Change Award

Stuart Robinson – Sutton in Craven

The tackling climate change award went to a club that has taken on the ever-increasing challenge of the ever-increasing energy demands placed upon cricket clubs. Sutton in Craven cricket club have done some amazing work over the years to become a greener and more efficient club for the future.

Services to Coaching Award

Mark Hollingworth – Glaisdale CC – Whitby

Mark has made an outstanding contribution to all areas of Glaisdale Cricket Club and has supported the growth of cricket in the area. He launched the first women and girls’ team, coaching, organising and managing them on match days. As the lead junior coordinator, he is personally responsible for delivering teams at under-9, 11, 13 and 15 age groups and runs the All-stars program. There is no end to this man’s drive for cricket not only at our club but the wider cricket community of Scarborough and Ryedale. The local community are indebted to him for what he has brought to the area.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Ron Welford – Westow CC - York YO60

Ron has been involved with Westow Cricket Club since he was 13-years-old. Initially as a player (retiring from playing at 57), as well as qualifying as an ACO umpire. Ron has seen lots of changes at Westow Cricket Club over the years and has been an integral part throughout. From the cricket pitch relocating to a different part of a farmer’s field in the 80's (with everything that entailed, including a new wicket to develop and the club having to play away for a year), to the building of a purpose-built cricket pavilion and community room, which was completed in 2017, taking nine years to complete. Ron is the unpaid volunteer grounds man and has taken on a number of roles including cleaner, bar supervisor, washer upper, event helper, safeguarding officer at Westow cricket club.