" As far as the weather went, last summer was certainly not one that we will
recall with too much pleasure.
In total we lost 88 First Eleven games, and even some of those that were
completed were not in the best of conditions.
Many clubs are reliant on revenue from their home matches, so perhaps clubs should
consider whether arrangements for covering their pitches are adequate,
both before and during the game,
which hopefully would enable a game to be played.

Nevertheless it was not all doom and depression, as we did have some fine days,
along with some good and exciting cricket.
There was a keen competition in the Premiership for the Byrom Shield,
and congratulations are certainly in order to Honley,
who took the title for the third consecutive year.

Skelmanthorpe pressed them hard, virtually to the end,
but it was the Sykes Cup Final triumph over Honley that was their crowning glory.

The inaugural season of our Twenty/20 Competition was well received I think,
and this year the first round has been extended into a Round Robin format.
Scholes were the first recipients of the new trophy,
and how well they played to defeat Honley in the Final.

My congratulations also go to Shelley Second Eleven who won the Crowther Cup.
This was our first success in a club competition outside our own for over ten years.

As we now prepare ourselves for the beginning of a new season,
and optimistically hope for more warm days than wet days,
I have to say that in common with most other leagues,
our recruitment of new umpires is a cause for concern.
It is therefore of great importance that our club umpires officiating in the
Second XI games are fully operational.

I wish them well, as indeed I do to all the helpers, contributors and participants
in the Huddersfield Cricket League,
and trust that this year the sun will really shine on us all "

Roger France - League Chairman
(March 2008)