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The Chairman Steps Down. (Sep. 2006)
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After 5 years at the helm, Anthony Coyne has stepped down from the cricket chairmanship.
Tony will however continue his involvement, moving to the role of treasurer.
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At the end-of-season dinner, Tony (left) is congratulated on his achievements by our president Paul Davies,
along with in-coming chairman Andy Davies,
and is presented with a 'thank you' for his services.
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During those five years, Tony has revitalised our junior coaching set-up,
and overseen our development through our youth teams up to first team level,
highlighted by our Premier League Championship of 2005.
Is it just three years ago that we fielded only four teams on a Saturday?
Is it really just five years since Adrian Ezquerro was our scholarship Aussie?
Five years since Gary Yates was drafted in mid-season to salvage our campaign,
and we had limped to ninth place in the Premiership?
... and Anthony took over in the chair?
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New chairman Andy Davies says of his predecessor ...
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I'm sure the cricket section would want to recognise and reflect on the enormous contribution that Tony has made during his 5 years as chairman.
He has been incredibly hard working, enthusiastic and supportive during a period of unmatched and significant success. Indeed we should all remember where we were as a sporting section when Tony and his committee began a structured plan on two fronts in 2001. Encourage youth development and provide success for the membership by allowing us all to play and perform in teams which were tailored and more suited to our individual ability.
Five years ago the first team were 9th, the second team 9th, both in their Premier divisions. In addition the An XI was 7th in their league and the third team were 5th in the second division. Fairly typical performance, in the top leagues but not consistently challenging for titles. There was also the odd cup final appearance and the odd cup win. Compare that to where we are now. The first team Champions in 2005, the fourth team Champions in league 2 in 2005 and the third team crowned last week as League and Cup double winners. This year, due to the strength in depth of the membership we have fulfilled an inaugural sixth team fixture list. The highlight, and sixth team performance of the season, came on the 29th July when Tony again placed his name on the bowling board with a match winning 7 for 52 against Maghull fourth XI. A wonderful performance by a cricketing chairman.
The keys were to bring players through the club and build a strong, young first team. Players such as James Cole, Stevie Cole, John Wildman, Ade Fraser, Shaun Petafi are all cemented in the first team squad. That has allowed us as a section to attract players of the highest quality from around the region, Karl Brown, Steve Mullaney, Nick Woods, Jack Kelleher, Alex Blake. Ultimately that allows us all as cricketers in the lower teams to play, perform and win.
Tony's plan has been the foundation for our successes.
One final memory was when, last year, Tony's enthusiasm was at its peak when he was seen putting up the Champions 'bunting' in the main bar with the current Vice President. The look on his face and the joy of success was unrivalled.
He has been a credit to the section at Council and I look forward to his continued work and contribution as Treasurer and Sponsorship Manager. He has been a truly great Chairman and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude.
Thank you Tony.
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End of Season Dinner. (Sep. 2006)
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The season ended with our traditional AGM and dinner, followed by the annual presentations.
John Wildman took Performance of the Season in the firsts' 3-run win against Sefton Park,
for his match-winning 7 for 52 including the last two Sefton wickets from the final two deliveries of the match,
and with it the Simon Bell cup.
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Our cup-winning Under 15 team, who triumphed in the Merseyside Youth tournament,
were out in force and are pictured with coach James Cole.
A great performance from a young team, as most were winning the U13 double just last year.
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John Mooney added a number of big scores with the bat to his regular supply of wickets,
and blossomed from shy wallflower to blooming exuberant.
He receives the Jim Crew trophy from Andy Davies as the season’s most improved cricketer.
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Jack Boardman has been a star of the double-winning third team, also making a successful breakthrough into second team cricket,
and picked up the David Payne Cup as Young Player of the Year.
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Alan Majestic collected the Paul and Mick Trophy as the fans' Clubman of the Year.
Our scorer and roving reporter has, after seven years as fixture secretary, decided to call it a day on the fixtures front.
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Ray Roberts (above left) hit the boards with his first seven wicket haul.
The 'Double R' is pictured receiving a scoresheet memento from chairman Andy Davies.
Young David Wilson maintained recent tradition, after one false start,
picking up the fourth team annual Better Give Willo an Award for Something award.
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Jimmy invents a new day. (Sep. 2006)
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Jimmy Petafi has pronounced Saturday 23rd September to be the first Wife's Day.
This presumably means that any married cricketers whose wives will not be attending Friday's end-of-season cricket dinner
will be straight home after the pudding in time for midnight,
in order to welcome Wife's Day in the company of their loved ones.
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Two more trophies as season closes. (Sep. 2006)
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Northern 3rds clinched a win at New Brighton in their last match,
to make sure of the 3rd XI Saturday Premier Division title,
and to complete a League and Cup double for the season.
Openers John Leary and Jack Boardman both signed off with unbeaten centuries,
while the stalwart Alex Anderson bagged 4 wickets for 18 in a 59-run win.
Below, the champions at Saturday's game.
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The previous evening, the 1st.XI became the first winners of Ainsdale's innovative new Twenty20 tournament,
played under lights complete with white ball and coloured kit.
In the final against Southport, Steven Mullaney bludgeoned an unbeaten 145 from just 66 deliveries,
in an innings containing nine fours and fifteen towering sixes.
With Karl Brown also hitting 77 from 31 deliveries, Northern amassed a colossal 253 for 3, to win the trophy by 83 runs.
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Twenty20 skipper James Cole is pictured, left with the trophy,
being congratulated at the dinner by club captain Phil Cooper.
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Firsts miss out at final hurdle. (Sep. 2006)
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Northern's cup hopes were put on hold for another year,
as the Littlewoods Gaming Trophy Final provided a further dampener to a wet weekend.
After a delayed start, with the match reduced to 40 overs, Bootle were restricted to 123 on a tricky pitch.
Steve Mullaney, with 2 for 16, and Daniel Haasbroek, 2 for 19, had the best of the bowling stats.
In reply, Northern slumped to a disasterous 10 for 4.
Steve Mullaney led the fightback, hitting a defiant 48 in 69 deliveries, with good support from Shaun Petafi, Daniel Haasbroek and James Cole,
but Northern ended 26 runs short of their target.
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Northern Triumph in Embee Cup Final. (Aug. 2006)
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Our 3rd XI knock-out experts brought home the silverware,
beating Birchfield Park by 18 runs in the third teams' Embee Cup.
The final was staged at our opponents' ground, after a wash-out there the previous week.
Skipper Eddie Sturmey is pictured at the presentation,
with LDCC's Eric Hadfield.
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Top performers with the bat were Mark Garcia with 44 and John Mooney last man out on 45,
as Northern reached 153 from 34.3 overs.
Pick of the bowlers was Kev Stevenson with 3 wickets for 29, as Birchfield were dismissed for 135 in 36.3 overs.
Young Jack Boardman lent good support with 2 for 21 from his 8 overs, while Tony Morrissey mopped up with 2 for 18.
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The winning team are, back row, Jimmy Robbins, John Mooney, Dave Smith, Mike Lees, Tony Morrissey, Alex Anderson,
and front row, John Leary, Jack Boardman, Eddie Sturmey, Mark Garcia, and Kev Stevenson,
with 12th man James Morrissey.
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