Published at 09:52, Friday, 30 October 2009

FORMER England Test player Mark Ilott was stumped when he signed up to be principal speaker at Friday’s Justsport West Tyne League annual dinner.

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For by the time he reached the venue at the Tynedale Function Suite in Hexham, most of the other guests had already started their pudding!

For the Essex left arm seamer was caught up in monster traffic jam on the A1, which meant he spent a staggering seven hours on the road.

As a result, proceedings were slightly delayed, but the event was well worth waiting for, as he regaled the packed audience with tales of his on-off England debut, and brushes with Australian sledger supreme Merv Hughes, as well as trying and failing to match the best of the West Indian big boys.

However, the star of the show was undoubtedly Newbrough’s Charlie Chomse, who delighted the room with his occasionally risque reminiscences of life with the legends of the West Tyne League.

He brought the house down with his version of the Green, Green, Grass of Home, complete with guitar accompaniment.

However, the main purpose of the evening was the distribution of more than two dozen trophies and other awards during another memorable season both for teams and individuals.

One of the biggest winners was not there to receive the acclaim of the league, having returned to his native New Zealand at the end of the season after a spectacular summer with Matfen Hall.

Still only 19, Josh Poole had two of the three best batting performances of the year, with 116 against Allendale, and a sparkling 143 against Stamfordham, the latter earning him the Wooding Cup for the best individual batting performance of the season.

Runner-up in this section was Grant Henderson of Wylam, with his 136 against Humshaugh.

The young Kiwi also put his name on the Waite Cup for the best first division all-rounder, scoring 593 runs, and taking 42 wickets.

Runners-up in this section were Matfen team-mate and fellow New Zealander Declan McKeefry with 603 runs and 35 wickets, and Allendale’s Amet Sundha, with 393 runs and 46 wickets.

Sundha did leave empty handed though, for he produced the best two bowling performances of the season, with 8-11 against Matfen, and 9-13 against Stamfordham to lift the Manning Cup for the best first division bowling performance.

Also in the frame for the award was Benwell Hill’s Dave Archbald, with 7-15 against Hexham Leazes.

Archbald was one of the few bowlers ever to have taken more than 50 wickets in the West Tyne season, with his 52 coming at an average of 9.13, but he lost out on the Telfer Cup for the best first division bowling average.

That went to Haydon Bridge’s Dan Kirkup, whose 36 wickets came at a cost of only 8.58 each.

Also in contention was Humshaugh’s Neale Arnup, with 35 wickets at 9.40.

The Claybum Memorial Cup for the best batting average in division one went to Ben Griffiths of Hexham Leazes with 688 runs, and a highest score of 90 not out, for an average of 52.93.

Second was Humshaugh’s Neale Arnup with 319 runs, a high score of 82, and an average of 45.57, with Matfen’s Declan McKeefry third with 603 runs a high score of 102 not out, and an average of 43.07.

Pick of the first division wicket keepers, and winner of the Alan Graham Cup, was Haydon Bridge’s Brian Ray, with 18 victims, all caught.

Second was Andrew Brown of Hexham Leazes with nine catches and eight stumpings and third with 11 catches and five stumpings was Jim Balkwill of Matfen

In the second division, the Gerry Steinberg Shield for the top wicket keeper went to Wylam’s Richard Helm, with 11 catches and five stumpings.

Second with 11 catches and four stumpings was Gary Chamberlain of Prudhoe and third was Hexham's Simon Richardson with eight catches and two stumpings.

The best batting performance in the division for the Jack Brewis Cup came from James Hutton of South Northumberland with his unbeaten 98 against Bellingham Riverdale.

Edged into second place, also with an unbeaten 98 against Stocksfield, was Olly Miller of Wylam, and third was Gavin Howden of Prudhoe with 94, again against Bellingham Riverdale.

The Douglas Smith Cup for the best batting average in the division went to Hexham's Matt Joyce, whose 363 runs came at an average of 40.33.

Second was Tony Gradwell of Humshaugh with 437at an average of 39.73 and third Gary Chamberlain of Prudhoe with 221 runs at 31.57

Topping the second division bowling averages to lift the Corbridge Cup was Richard Clifford of South North, whose 29 wickets cost just 7.28 runs each.

Another South North bowler Allan Davidson was second with 29 wickets at 7.44, and third was Prudhoe’s P. Gunnathlaka, with 33 wickets at 8.48.

The Nat West Trophy for the best bowling performance in division two went to Nigel Dolby of Hexham Leazes with 7-19 against Stocksfield.

Tony Anderson of Wark was second with 7-20 against Humshaugh, and third was Stephen Gradwell-also of Wark with his 6-14 against Hexham Leazes.

The Waite Cup for the best all rounder in division two went to Prudhoe’s R, Gunnathlaka, with 321 runs and 33 wickets.

Another Prudhoe player, Ricky Mitchell was second with 259 runs and 25 wickets, and Nick Stevenson of Hexham was third with 248 runs and 25 wickets.

There was keen competition for Kathleen Waite Memorial Trophy for the Junior Player of the Year, with Humshaugh’s Cameron McKenna, Tony Anderson of Wark, and Allan Davison from South North all getting honourable mentions.

However, the trophy went to Dan Parker of Haltwhistle. who is captain of the U15s and U18s, as well as performing extremely well for the championship-winning first XI, scoring 173 runs at 17.3 including knock of 63 not out.

On the junior team front, Benwell Hill beat Stocksfield to lift the Junior Knockout Cup, while Wylam were U13 League winners.

Haltwhistle were Ul5 champions, with the U18 title going to Humshaugh, with Benwell Hill runners-up.

South Northumberland did the double of second division knockout cup and championship.

Hexham Leazes won the first division championship, with Haltwhistle retaining the first division crown.

Hexham Leazes won the Courant quiz cup, with Corbridge going home with the Halifax Property Services Cup as indoor competition winners.

League caps were earned by Graeme Lee, lan Pilkington and Robert Forster.

League Chairman Michael Baker’s special award for services to the game in the West Tyne went to Newton stalwart Howard Lawrence.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk