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Letter received 18th November 2003 A Bridge Too Far Congratulations to both first and second teams on a successful season and to the first team commiserations on just missing out on the title after a truly magnificent effort admirably led by our pro Geoff Love. He has had his critics but I think he has been a great pro for St Annes and his bowling has been a main factor in us winning quite a few games in the last season. His captaincy seemed to add an extra 10% to the players and I hope this continues next season with the new pro. If I had any criticism of the team it would be that the middle order batsmen are still not putting scores together on a consistent basis and it cruelly showed in our match against Darwen which we really should have won. I hear on the grapevine that one man was blaming himself for the defeat. That is nonesense! We win as a team - lose as a team! It averages out over the season. It was just a matter of fate although it would have been nice to have won the league. On teh second team, what can I say that hasn't already been said. A great effort on winning the second division title and congratulations to all of you. A great season. I hope that one or two of you can make it to a place in the first eleven next season. Bazza Moorhouse	Barrie, thanks for your contributions once again in 2003 and I look forward to more in 2004. I think we all would like to add our congratulations to all the teams and the captains. Geoff Love was a very good pro and a captain and I would like to thank him for his efforts on and off the pitch, not just this last season but also in 2002. Andy Kellett led his side to the second division title for the first time and the third eleven only narrowly missed out on promotion in their first season in the Palace Shield. Tim Rawstron managed to field a team for all his games in the Fylde league which is something of an achievement and has given more juniors their first experience of senior cricket. We should also recognise the efforts of the junior teams and their team managers. They are the future after all. Special thanks to Gerry Thomas for all his hard work with the juniors and for his hard work in helping the club gain the Clubmark accreditation. Finally, thanks to all the spectators who came to games last season. We all enjoyed a bumper summer and if that's the result of global warming - well burn that CO2! The club looks forward to welcoming you all once again in 2004.
Letter received by e-mail 22nd October 2003 Dear all so le dwarf thinks he will have the last laugh on me, me thinks not! Early next season I will be 25 yards on the pitch facing the players balcony with hundreds, maybe thousands of my supporters behind me (well maybe two) arms raised chanting we want the dwarf, we want the dwarf, we want the the dwarf after he has been relegated because of his mentality to twelfth man for the under thirteen's team. No I am only joking! We have had a bit of a laugh about this and I think its time to draw a line under it before it turns into an ugly situation. I will not be commenting again on this subject - it is now a closed thing as far as I am concerned as befits a mature person. I will give Paul the courtesy of a right to reply and then maybe we can share a pint together. Barrie Moorhouse (or my new name Bazza) p.s. If any one is wondering what this is all about I will explain: - last June I watched the second team throw a agme away giving fifty runs away in the last five overs of the match. I wrote a letter slagging them off as it was one of the worst fielding exhibitions I had ever seen. Why did I slag them off? Because I want to see any St Annes team win every game, anyway they went on to win the league - enough said! p.p.s. you haven't had my end of season reprt yet!!!!
Letter received by e-mail 10th October 2003 Dear all saw the photo on the web great fun. I can handle it, no problem at all! I happen to be a big boy and good sport, at least my severe bollocking I like to think helped you win the league, by the way my heartiest congratulations on that. Barrie Moorhouse p.s. Wait till I get my hands on that demented little dwarf Williams - he has got that pleasure to come!	Barrie, glad you enjoyed the joke - I believe the last laugh may still be to come - but who will be laughing longest? Letter received by e-mail 15th October 2003 Good-day all, good picture of Barrie Moorhouse. Just a little message for saying that dwarf thing BAZZA. I know I'll be having the last laugh! Paul Williams
Letter received by e-mail 2nd October 2003 Hello My favourite cricket club, great season guys not much in it at the end of it all. Good signing for next season - Jimmy Adams (nice 1), he`s been Arkle`d too (he-he-he). Anyway guys have a nice winter, Dosser hope you're still buying the beer mate and last not but least my old friend John Cotton hope you is well, take care everyone bye for now Arkle	It's always a pleasure to hear from the Arkle and all at St Annes CC return your best wishes.
Comment Received from the Championship winning Second XI team September 6th 2003 Now who's the clown in the circus? For once - it isn't Psycho!
Letter received 27th July 2003 While sat at home nursing an injured foot and feeling bored, I thought (like you do) why not write a letter to the club website. I would like to concratulate both the first and second teams on their performances this season and although only 75% of the sesason has gone both teams are well placed for a championship position. The club does look in a healthy position as far as players are concerned and I am sure two or three of the second team players will be pushing for first team places next season, although I must admit any one of the first team at the moment will be hard to replace. The batting looks particularly strong. When one batman fails another gets a score and it is good that the good performances are shared around the lads. The bowling is very good and very tight. Geoff and Biffo (remember Biffo bear in the Beano comic) both bowl a full compliment of overs and usually keep it very tight leaving the opening bowlers to bowl another fifteen to twnety overs. By the way I prefer Biffo to Yogi (Baer). Yogi is such a common name - everybody knows it (only joking) I see Goeff on the website appearrs not to have a nickname - how about Manuel - no, not Manuel out of Fawlty Towers but as us older ones remember, particularly Jim Collins and Ted Jeffrey, Geoff Love who recorded under the name of Manuel an dhis music of teh mountains - and very successfully too in the 60s and 70s selling a few million records. I must confess to last season pushing James (Ellis) as first team wicketkeeper but it is hard to fault Duncan behind the stumps this season. He has been quite magnificent and his knock on Saturday against Chorley was quite magnificent and after the brief rain break came out and really came into his own with a good array of strokes and as I said earlier in my letter it's good runs are being shared around the team. If I have one moan which I'm not really entitled to have it is rule number one in cricket is seeing the opening bowlers off and hit the loose balls. We lost our first three wickets on Saturday witht the batsmen "fishing" outside the off stump and getting caught either behind of in teh slipps whicjh left us at 23 -3 but as I keep repeating myself it gives the other lads a chance to show their talents to the rest of the team by scoriing the runs to win the match. Yes, I am very impressed by the cricket at Vernon Road this season as indeed I have been for the past few seasons since I came back to St Annes Cricket Club after a prolonged absence due to business committments, but this season I have been more impressed by the team effort rather than the individual efforts, i.e. the wickets and runs are being shared by everybody. Also, a word of thanks to our groundsman who has produced some magnificent batting wickets during the current season and has given us value for our 50p entrance fee - surely it is worth 75p!!! As a final note, I'm sure the lads know if they keep up their performances and team spirit up they will be round or round about the top spot at the end of the season, this also applies to the second team as well. PS I have seen John Preston's bar stools but I'm not going to mention it. When you've seen one bar stool you've seen them all (only joking John)	Barrie, thanks for your letter. I'm sure that all club members are delighted with the success that both the senior teams have shown this season. Last season Geoff's nickname was "Zippy" - Click Here to see why. Chris Banting Webmaster If you have any comment on what Barrie has to say or on any other subject click here to e-mail us or write to: - Comment St Annes Cricket Club Vernon Road St Annes on Sea FY8 2RQ
Letter received 3rd August 2003 With both Senior teams riding high this season, I think that following yesterday's win by the Seconds at Vernon Road a few words should be said about their success. The game was won scientifically by good bowling, keeping the opponents' score down, a good over rate producing extra overs in which to attack the score and a very sensible approach by the batsmen in using these overs scientifically with no acts of suicide. The pleasure of watching this game was marred by only one incident - the final ball. For anyone not at the game, let me set the scene. St. Annes need 1 run to win, there are overs to spare, Jon Ashworth is on 49 not out and a bowler who has bowled virtually throughout the innings is preparing to bowl a new over. Perfection, St Annes can't lose and Jon is on for a 50. By fair means or foul the first ball is pitched somewhere between leg and square leg, the Umpire gives a wide and that is it - game over, we won and poor Jon is stuck on 49. I will never know if this was intentional but the guy had bowled impeccably throughout the innings. If it was intentional then shame on him. My biggest concern however is in the control of the game. Dare I say UMPIRE. You will never in your life hear a bowler appeal for a wide so what was to stop the Umpire turning a blind-eye? Would anyone in the ground have condemned him for using his loaf? People may point to Rules but Cricket Authorities themselves are finally waking up to the fact that Cricket cannot survive without the old fashioned spirit of fair-play and common sense. Please St. Annes, keep your end up and don't ever be the guilty ones. Thanks for your efforts this season lads and keep up the good work. Finally, to the spectators - the next time the cap comes round for Jon it's double up time. JIM COLLINS.	If you have any comment on what Jim has to say or on any other subject click here to e-mail us or write to: - Comment St Annes Cricket Club Vernon Road St Annes on Sea FY8 2RQ

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