As another season is completed I look back at the highs and lows of the 2001 season from my spectators point of view.

Pre-season friendlies started on March 31st but the Northern League action did not start until April 21st with the Fylde League starting a week later. Dave Callaghan returned for his third and final season as club professional but Stephen Twist was lost as he left to be professional at BAE in the Bolton Association. Roger Banks returned to the club after a spell at Lytham and the club also welcomed several newcomers.

The Junior Teams have continued to provide the senior captains with new players. Zac Taylor finally gained a regular first team place for the first half of the season, but during this time he bowled only 32 overs and then found himself back in the second XI where he only bowled 68 overs! Jack Kelliher and James Ellis have both progressed through the junior ranks to the senior teams. Jack Kelliher was selected as Captain of the England U/15 and the North of England U/15 teams and is a regular in the Lancashire Schools U/15 team under fellow NPL Chorley player, Tom Smith. He has not been available to play as often as the club would have wished due to these and school games but he must consider himself unlucky to have missed out on a first team selection. (He was selected for one match but was away with England). James Ellis has established himself as a second team regular and is the Lancashire Schools U/15 'keeper, and during Duncan Whalley's absence, established himself as a first team regular and he may consider himself unlucky (according to Codgers Corner) to have lost his place on Duncan's return. Tom Bolus, another of the U/15s, gained a regular second team place and he is a great prospect for the future although he hasn't be given as many opportunities as he should have had (according to Codgers Corner). Paul Wilks has shown that he has potential to progress into the higher senior teams, having gained a regular third team spot. David Hartley has also played a number of games with the third team and he also has the potential to progress into the higher senior teams.

Joe Davies and Dave Taylor have made great progress and their games have improved with their time abroad. St. Annes is lucky to have a player like DT who regularly travels from Milnrow for matches and nets. Dosser has continued to perform with both bat and ball and Sean Bickerdike has performed consistently throughout the season. Dave Booth narrowly missed out by one wicket on the bowling record, and Andy Kellett and Ian Hill both scored runs for the seconds. Adam Taylor also gained valuable first XI experience in the last matches of the season. Aiden Cotton swapped between the first and second XIs, and Stephen Wright from third to seconds.

Dave Callaghan's decision not to return for a fourth season had been expected, but is still a blow to the club. Good pros are hard to come by, and Callas has been one of the best the club has ever had. Equally disappointing for the club is the loss of Adam Cotton and Roger Banks who are both staying in South Africa next summer. Pies has been a good run scorer and wicket taker this season and Roger had earned a regular first XI spot as a pace bowler. The club is already short of good pace bowlers and his loss heightens this deficiency. Perhaps we need a pro like Allan Donald next season!

The Northern League

The first matches saw the first XI gain a winning draw and the seconds a 15 point victory against Blackpool. The next weekend, the seconds could only manage a losing draw while the firsts shared the points when their match against Chorley was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

With regular first team 'keeper Duncan Whalley away at University, youngster James Ellis was put behind the stumps for the first XI taking 2 catches and a good stumping in his NPL first XI debut against Morecambe in the first of the May Bank Holiday weekend matches and another catch against Netherfield in the second when a winning and losing draws resulted. The seconds meanwhile suffered a 9 wicket defeat against Morecambe followed by a 15 point win over Netherfield. With Cup matches intervening, the next league matches saw both teams win against Leyland Motors with Callas scoring an unbeaten 113 and Wheels making 91 for the seconds.

The May Day Bank Holiday weekend saw the first XI beat Fleetwood and Preston while the seconds lost to Fleetwood and had their game against Preston postponed because of PNE's Division 1 football play-off match. The following weekend saw the firsts gain a winning draw against Darwen and the seconds a comfortable win. A win for the seconds and a defeat for the firsts against Kendal and wins for both teams against Leyland Farington brought the first half of the season to a close with both teams in contention for League title honours.

Duncan Whalley returned behind the stumps for the second half of the season which saw the first XI in a boring winning draw and the seconds win against Blackpool. The following weekend saw the first XI crushed by Chorley and the seconds battle for a losing draw. Morecambe were the opponents the following week and the first XI gained a winning draw but the seconds again went one better with a 9 wicket win thanks to 65 from skipper Andy Kellett and a maiden NL fifty for James Ellis. After a weekend of cup action, the teams played Netherfield, a must win game for the first team if they were to challenge for the title. In spite of a sparkling 77 from Gareth Evans, the team battled in the end for a losing draw. The seconds lost their match after Nickson claimed 8 of their wickets for 59 runs. The next day saw the seconds lose to Preston in the game previously postponed and their title chances were also lost.

The following weekend saw the first XI lose to Leyland Motors with Motor's professional John claiming 6 for 51. The seconds bounced back from their consecutive defeats to beat Motors by 10 wickets with Wheels unbeaten on 122 and skipper Kellett 57 not out. The following weekend saw matches against Fleetwood. The seconds lost their third match out of four and the firsts victims of the weather with a losing draw. Rain intervened the following weekend with both teams sharing the points against Darwen after their matches were abandoned.

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw the first XI play Kendal and Preston and their worst and their best perfomances. Kendal gained a nine wicket win after scuttling St Annes for 116, but on the Monday, St Annes scuttled Preston for a mere 47 with Davies claiming 6 - 22 and Callaghan 3 -22 and going on to make the required total, with only 2 wickets down. The seconds won both of their matches with Jack Kelliher and Andy Kellett both making undefeated half centuries against Preston in their 10 wicket win. In the penultimate matches of the season, Netherfield secured their League title in Division 1. The first XI came away from Leyland Farington with a losing draw, while the seconds easily beat their ten man opponents. In the final matches of the season against Lancaster, the firsts gained only their second 15 point win while the seconds collapsed spectacularly to lose by 40 runs.

In Division One the first XI finished in sixth position with 155 points, 45 behind champions Netherfield.
Click Here for table

In Division Two the second XI finished in third position with 171 points, 46 behind champions Fleetwood.
Click Here for table

In Association With

Discount Books, CDs, Videos and More!

Contact: The Secretary
Tel: 01253 721849
E-mail:secretary@stannescricketclub.org