LAST SEASON

2006 was a season of mixed fortunes for the two senior sides at Cliffe. Both teams saw new personel in their ranks and both sides saw an influx of youngstersbreaking into senior cricket. Sadly 2006 saw the retirement at the end of the season of two stalwarts of Cliffe cricket in Peter Hipkiss and Colin Knights. Both have been committed servants of the club and we wish them well in their futures away from the game.

On the up side of this sad news, youngsters Andrew Sturgoen and Adam Baldwin both made their debuts in the second team and joined the juniors who were already playing their cricket at this level. James Dobson, David Earle, Stan Clitheroe and Dan Baldwin all stepped up from second team cricket to  first team and all did themselves and the team proud.

Andrew Peacock and his older brother, Neil both started the season well in the seconds but Neil unfortunately missed the majority of the season after breaking his arm!

Senior players struggled with their batting last year in the second team and this affected the team's results.The loss of james Dobson to the first team left a gap in the batting which was never replaced during the season.Young Adam Baldwin kept wicket in the seconds for most of the season and proved to be a good replacement for Dobbo behind the stumps.

In the firsts Alan Curry began the season like a man possessed and he just could not stop scoring runs! He topped 500 runs for the season and turned several games around on his own! We seemed to struggle a bit at times with our bowling which in some gam,es early on looked thin on the ground. The inclusion mid season of Stan, David and Dan gave the team more depth and helped the young bowlewrs gain experience. This can only bode well for 2007.

Michael Robson played twice during the season (on loanfrom Sunderland) and proved to be a class act, scoring a 128 not out in the final game of the season.

James Dobson finsished second in the batting averages in his first season of senior first team cricket, a marvellous achievement for a 13 YEAR OLD. His wicket keeping was an asset also.

Chris Foster captained the side with flair and marshalled his troops well.

Lets hope next year we build on the successes of 2006.