Evening League clubs vote in favour of fielding rule change

Ravenscar Evening League captain Freddie Barker in fielding action

The rule change, which was passed unanimously, was proposed by Snainton and only refers to Division C games, saying irrespective of the number of players a team fields, two players to be allowed to field outside the inner circle in the first five overs. The last 10 overs are to remain as the previous ruling.

The rationale behind this change was that this will help teams who are struggling to raise a full team. It would help young bowlers who often open the bowling in this division as they would have the benefit of someone extra deep in the field who would perhaps stop the ball from going to the boundary, therefore not getting carted all over the place and getting disheartened.

Another rule change voted in was the additional option of clubs using a pink ball, or a white ball as an alternative to the red ball with the mutual consent of both teams.

The clubs also voted unanimously for the renaming of the AndyHire Harburn as the Linda Goulding Memorial Harburn Cup as a tribute to the late wife of league secretary Bernard Goulding. This is in recognition of all the hard work that Linda did for the league over many years.

The suggestion of an annual challenge game between a Ryedale Beckett Evening Cricket League representative team and an AndyHire League rep team was also accepted.

This will start this season with a T20 game in late August suggested, probably on a Sunday afternoon with a 4pm start, playing one year at a Ryedale League ground and the following on a Scarborough League ground. The league committee would select the rep team, trying to get as many different clubs represented as possible.

There were no resignations or new applications to the league and the only name change was of Valley Bar Nomads being changed to Scarborough Nomads, but their home ground will still be at Oriel Crescent.

AndyHire Evening League constitution for 2017 season

Division A: Heslerton, Ebberston, Staxton, Wykeham, Filey, Seamer, Flixton, Cloughton.

Division B: Scalby, Ganton, Cayton, Wykeham B, Sherburn, Scarborough, Cayton B, Cloughton B.

Division C: Seamer B, Scalby B, Forge Valley, Staxton B, Ravenscar, Flixton B, Scarborough Nomads, Wykeham C, Ebberston B, Snainton, Forge Valley B, Muston.