L&DCC Club and Ground Report for Season 2003 (Table 1)

Summary of Table 1 Results

As there is a much greater amount of information being fed back from each match, the various items from 1 to 15 will be discussed for the 26 clubs as a whole.

Item 1 - Pitch Covered

The overall average was 82%. Seven clubs achieved complete average. Poor results from Caldy (62%), Fleetwood Hesketh (58%), Huyton (55%), Orrell Red Triangle (55%) and St Helens (46%).

Item 2 - Pitch Affected by Rain

An improvement on last season at 27%, no doubt owing to the drier summer. Improvements by Caldy 31% (54%) and Huyton 25% (70%). Poor performances from St Helens 62% (58%), Worsley 55%, Newton le Willows 50% and Leigh 42%.

Item 3 - Pitch Played on Before

At 22%, played on before shows a deterioration over last season's 17%. Front runners being Fleetwood Hesketh (8%), Haydock (8%), Huyton (9%), St Helens (9%) and Wallasey (8%). Poor performances by Liverpool (36%), Wigan (45%), New Brighton (42%) and Bootle (41%). A big improvement by Huyton 9% (30%) and Hightown 17% (30%).

Item 4 - Boundary Rope in Use

61% of clubs do not use a boundary rope. A rope is recommended with flags as it makes the umpires' boundary decisions more positive.

Item 5 - Boundary Flags in Use

84% of clubs use flags. All clubs should use flags with the white line or rope both for the benefit of the umpires and the players. A rope plus flag is ideal.

Item 6 - Two Sightscreens at Each End

Only 69% of clubs have two sightscreens at each end. Item 5(a) in the Club and Ground Criteria states that 2 sightscreens be available at each end. In this class of cricket a bowler cannot be restricted to only bowling over or round because it would take time to move the sightscreens. Only one sight screen at each end at Colwyn Bay, Formby, Fleetwood Hesketh, Haydock, Hightown, New Brighton, Orrell Red Triangle, Sefton Park, St Helens, St Helens Recs and Wallasey.

Item 7 - Mobile Covers Available

Only 65% of clubs have mobile covers. Item 7(6) in the Club and Ground Criteria states that mobile covers are recommended with sheets on the sides and run ups.

Yes, they are expensive, but if you want to play Premier League cricket, then you must provide top quality facilities. Mobile covers and sheets do different drying jobs, the most important area is the pitch where rain must be kept off and the surface dried out by wind flow. Again an important issue. No mobile covers at Fleetwood Hesketh, Haydock, Huyton, Maghull, Newton le Willows, Orrell Red Triangle, Sefton Park, St Helens, St Helens Recs and Wigan.

Item 8 - Plastic Sheets Available

85% of clubs do have plastic sheets

Item 9 - Clock Visibility

All clubs do have a clock which is visible. 

Item 10 - Clock Working

A 90% yes vote on this issue, the 4% is due to breakdowns. 

Items 11/12 - Bell Available and Working

84% of clubs do have a bell that works ie it has a 'hammer'. 

Item 13 - Were Team Sheets Received by the Umpires Before the Toss

These results apply to each club whether at home or away. The umpires card was marked at each match for the home club and their opponents, the away club, this was allowed for. The overall averages for the home clubs was 95% and when away, was 88%. Most clubs were fine but for some reason, Orrell Red Triangle (9/10) and Sefton Park (10.11) had poor away performances.

Item 14 - Were Umpires Paid Before the Toss

The results shown in 14(a) and 14(h) apply to the same club. The overall results were 90% at home and 84% when away. One can make allowances for the occasional lapse but this is a very important issue to our umpires. Some clubs have kept umpires waiting until late evening when they had a long journey in front of them, it is embarrassing for them and it must not happen.

Item 15 - Was There an Umpires Changing Room

A 96% Yes reply ie all clubs do have an Umpires' room.

JOINT MCUA AND GROUND ASSESSORS MATCH REPORTS (TOPICS 'A') - TABLE 1

KEY:
Indicates ECB Premier League teams
Indicates First Division teams

A Summary of the Umpires and Assessors Reports for Topics B

Item 1 - Pitch Playability Rating

The average mark out of 5 for the 26 clubs was 3.73 (74/6%). Last year the average was 72.1% which shows a slight improvement in 2003. In this column you will see letters A, B, C, D etc, these indicate -10%, -20%, -30% bands below the average mark of 3.73. Thus 6 clubs have an A rating, 6 clubs have a B rating and 1 club has a C rating. Thus 13 clubs are above the average level. Clubs with a B rating need to bring their rating to a more acceptable level, these clubs are Formby, Hightown, Orrell Red Triangle, St Helens Recs, Wigan and Worsley. The C rating of St Helens at 2.6 is the lowest and not acceptable in Premier League cricket. Pitch rating is the most important of all facets in a cricket match.

Item 2 - Pitch Correctly Marked

One would expect a high average mark of 4.5/5 (90%). There are 8 clubs in band A, 2 clubs in band B and 1 club on band C. Northop Hall and Wigan need to improve from B rating, Caldy with a C rating is not acceptable. This is a problem with the groundsman.

Item 3 - Standard of the Pitch

The overall mark of 4.17/5 (83.4%) is reasonable. There are 3 clubs in band A, 6 clubs in band B and 2 clubs in band C. Formby, Maghull, Northop Hall, Orrell Red Triangle, Wigan and Worsley need to improve from B rating, again this is a groundsman problem. The C rating of Caldy and St Helens is not good enough, it is a groundsman and committee responsibility.

Item 4 - Standard of the Outfield

Next to Item 1, this is the next most important aspect in producing a high standard of cricket. The average mark was 4.16/5 (83.2%) which is reasonable. In band A there were 5 clubs, in band B there were 3 clubs, in band C just 1 club, and in band F just 1 club. The B clubs of Orrell Red Triangle, St Helens and Worsley should seek advice and investigate methods of improving their outfields, gang mowers are not recommended, they leave the grass, do not cut close and do not roll the ground. Is it possible to share a modern high speed mastiff? Maghull in band C and Caldy in band F have similar problems. The Caldy mark of 1.7/5 is unacceptable.

There are many clubs who play football and rugby in the winter months and there has to be a clear boundary between the seasons. A groundsman needs at least a clear fortnight to prepare the cricket ground after the winter sports. There is no question whatsoever of allowing football or rugby back on the ground once cricket has started. You cannot expect clubs to put up with poor outfields which could be dangerous, when they spend much time and money in preparing their cricket ground. New Brighton have spent over £10K on returfing the whole of their Rake Ground ground.

Furthermore, you cannot expect clubs in Divisions 2 and 3 to be critically assessed and accept recommendations when they see standards in Division 1 below their own. I now understand there was no ground report made when Caldy were accepted in 1999, so what assurances were given to the L&DCC at the time? This serious issue of playing rugby in the cricket season has got to be sorted out at the AGM. (no discussed)

Item 5/6 - Spirit of Cricket

In previous reports, the performances of the captains and teams were discussed. This has now been taken over as a disciplinary matter. This section is now an opportunity for the umpires to report on the general atmosphere of the match without going into any disciplinary problems that might arise, this is reported elsewhere. The overall average was similar in both cases ie 4.53/5 and 4.54/5 (91%). These are satisfactory remarks and need no further comment.

Item 7/8 - Scorebox Quality and Visibility

An overall quality average of 4.4/5 (88%) is a good standard, although there are a few clubs that need to update with more prominent lettering and more information, also, to look into the question of more comfort and heating on cold days. In most cases, visibility is not a problem as an overall mark of 4.68/5 (94%) indicates. Huyton and Leigh could look into the question of improving the box without much expense. A few clubs ask me how much there modern electronic boards at Bootle, Ormskirk , Colwyn Bay etc cost? Perhaps these clubs could let me have the information to pass on.

Item 9 - Tea Rating

A hot potato this one, however a good overall average of 4.5/5% (90%). Every club achieved 4.0/5 (80%) which is a boost for the tea ladies. Worsley at 3.1/5 need to push in a few more sandwiches and cakes to hit the 4.0/5 mark. In my younger hockey days, we each prepared the tea once a season and had two buckets of hot water for a shower, count your blessings.

Item 10 - Hospitality Rating

Again a decent overall average of 4.5/5 (89%). Only two clubs in band B, Fleetwood Hesketh and Northop Hall, also one club in band C, Highfield. As you are well aware obtaining good quality umpires at this level is not easy, so see to it they are well looked after. It is up to the captains alone to discuss match results, they do not want to be harassed by players about lbw decisions etc, they do their bit. May I also suggest that the home team goes out of its way to talk to their opponents and make them welcome in their clubhouse. Once the game is over, all hostilities cease, cricket is a game for gentlemen!

Item 11 - Umpire's Changing Room

As you can see the column average for item 11 is 3.7504/5 (75%). Having attended MCUA meetings, I know they feel very strongly that their accommodation is not as good as it should be and clubs do not consider it an important item. Their priority is to have a private, reasonably sized room for two, secure and locked away from players accommodation, their own shower is more important than their own toilet. They do not want confrontation with players, they will speak to the captains and they wish to be paid before the match so they can get away at a reasonable time. Orrell Red Triangle at 1.4/5, Huyton at 2.2/5 and Highfield at 2.9/5 are clubs needing improvement in this area.

A New Approach to Assessing Club and Ground Performance

Over the last four years as your Club and Ground Chairman, I have become versed in the requirements of what is basically the only Lancashire Premier League of substance. As the Management Committee knows I have been seeking a method where all the statistics are fed in and outcomes a C and G batting order for the clubs. Having achieved this then the next step must be, well, what do you do with it? Obviously, the top club gets a cash or points bonus and the bottom club gets a 'telling off', or negative  cash or points.

The truth is the Committee can write letters asking clubs to do this and that, and as I note after four years, nothing has been done! So, my proposal is as follows:-

(patents pending - KRJ)

TOPICS B

Column 12

This is the club average mark for items 1 to 11
The overall average for the 26 clubs is 4.31
A band rating is given to each club average mark.

Column 13

This is the percentage by which the club's average mark in 12 is above or under the overall of 4.31. The top percentage is Colwyn Bay at +10% and the bottom is Orrell Red Triangle and Worsley at -11.37%.

Column 14

This summarises for each club the number of bands given eg Bootle has 1A and 1B, Caldy has 5A, 2B, 2C and 1F and so on.

Column 15/16

The purpose of this is to make the clubs improve their overall rating. To do this, there has to be penalties for poor performances, the poor performance is indicated by the bands. If these bands are now given a weighting, then we arrive at a negative figure.

For column 15, the values were:-

A=-1, B=-3, C=-4, D=-5, E=-6, F=-7, G=-8

For column 16, the values were:-

A=0, B=-3, C=-4, D=-5, E=-6, F=-7, G=-8

Column 15 is more severe than column 16 where the -10% band A has been cut out. It is proposed that the penalty will be that clubs with a negative mark will start the season with negative points. This system can easily be tightened up.

Column 17

This is the C and G order of merit based on the club's average marks given in column 12. You will note that even the top club, Colwyn Bay, has 3 As.

Summary

We are moving next season into a new era and we have to tighten up on our assessment procedure. As I have stated, in the last four years it is the same clubs who ignore requests for improvement in specific areas.

It is the responsibility of all clubs to provide the best C and G facilities they are able.

There is no better example than Huyton who have improved their fencing, their ground and their square, virtually by a hands on group of members in a tough environment and put in a bid for a lottery grant. They are in the Premier League and still improving c and G. New Brighton has invested heavily on improving their cricket ground. There are, of course, other clubs who have made tremendous improvements, such as Bootle.

JOINT MCUA AND GROUND ASSESSORS MATCH REPORTS (TOPICS 'B') - TABLE 2

in club name alphabetical order (combined)