County cricket's new secretary

From the archive, first published Wednesday 15th Mar 2006.

Pembroke County Cricket Club finally has a new Hon Secretary since Albert `Geordie' Fraser was elected to the post at the recent annual general meeting held at Haverfordwest Cricket Club.

Fraser takes over after a two-year gap since Billy Marchant stepped down, with Marchant and Nicky Evans helping to keep the administration side of the county's cricket going until Fraser, who is perhaps best known in cricketing circles as an umpire, has stepped in to fill the considerable gap.

All the other offices were returned unopposed, with David Morris as chairman and Trefor Evans as his deputy. Rowley Edwards continues as an excellent Hon Treasure and John Harries remains as a busy assistant secretary. Brian James continues as Ground Advisor, David Loosmore as Child Welfare Officer and Micky Phillips as Junior League organiser.

The only election revolved around membership of the County Club's management committee, with seven applicants seeking six places, and with Stackpole's Phil Tallett the unlucky one as he lost his seat despite working hard in the county's cause over the past two seasons.  The votes cast in the election were as follows:

Bill Marchant (178); Andrew Phillips (159); Tony Scourfield (156); Philip Thomas (147); Euros Jones (138); Nick Evans (124) and Phil Tallett (111).

The Senior Selection Committee members Hilliard Davies, Nick Evans, Dave Morris and Stan Richards were returned unopposed, with a vacancy still available since the committee should comprise five members.

The Youth and Junior Selection Committee was brought up to full complement as Stuart Beresford and Richard Howell were elected alongside previous members Nigel Arthur, Caryl Brace, Nick Evans, Elaine Scale and CDO Rob Simons. Messrs Rees and Haydn were also unanimously chosen as auditors.

The elections were presided over by Stanley Richards while the business of the meeting was chaired by Dave Morris, with every club represented at the meeting for the first time in a number of seasons.

County Club AGM's are traditionally conservative in outlook but there was major change made since an impassioned plea by Richard Merriman and Paul Webb, of Whitland Cricket Club, managed to persuade members and club delegates that their plan would work to reduce the number of overs allowed so that there would be a better chance of playing on days with bad weather. As a result, matches in the top two divisions can see a minimum of 30 overs per team allowed, with a minimum of 25 overs each in the lower echelons. It is a move to be applauded since it will mean more matches saved from inclement weather and more cricket played.

Two proposals to alter the bonus points in a drawn match were rejected, with Haverfordwest's proposal to reduce the gap between the teams after 90 overs to 50, 40,30, 20 and 10 runs the first to receive the thiumbs down.

Then a counter-proposal by Whitland was also rejected after it was pointed out that under their plan the team batting second could actually earn more points that the team batting first, despite scoring fewer runs in their allotted 45 overs!

Registration of players will also be a new feature of local cricket as everyone involved will have to sign for a club and have completed a CRB form or a self-declaration form before playing. No player who has been paid to play can be involved, or anyone who has been a paid player during the previous five years.

The County Club now also has a rule which prevents players under the age of 12 from playing in senior league, senior cup or Ormond Youth Cup competitions - and players in the Ormond Cup will now follow the same rule with regard to the bowling of wides as their senior counterparts.

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