SOUTH WILTS PRESIDENT TO BE HONOURED
Our President, Alan Eyres, has been honoured, following nomination by the Wiltshire Association of Cricket Officials, with recognition by the England and Wales Cricket Board Association of Cricket Officials for his contribution to cricket officiating with ACU&S and ECB ACO. His reward is an invitation to be the guest of ECB ACO at Lord’s Cricket Ground for the One Day International between England and Australia on Friday 29th June.
After starting his adult cricket playing career with South Wilts as a batsman and wicketkeeper in 1949, he left Salisbury in 1956 to work in Essex and joined Brentwood CC in 1957 where he played for 25 years. On retiring from playing in 1981, he took up umpiring, qualifying as a Full Member of the then ACU in January 1983. After four seasons umpiring in the Essex League, he moved to work in Holland and enjoyed three seasons umpiring top Dutch league cricket. Highlights of his time in Holland were being appointed to a Netherlands One Day International and being invited by The Royal Hague Cricket Club to umpire in a three day festival to celebrate 110 years of their existence; this included umpiring Leicestershire CCC (including Jonathan Agnew, Peter Willey and Chris Lewis) v MCC on the third day.
On returning to his Salisbury roots in 1989, he joined the South Coast Panel and umpired Southern Premier League cricket for 14 seasons, serving on the SCP Committee for several years. He also began umpiring for South Wilts CC which he continued until the end of the 2010 season and in numerous Wiltshire representative matches from Under 11s through Under 17s and 19s to Minor County side friendlies and an ECB 38 County match between Wiltshire CCC and Worcestershire ECB XI. During this time he was also appointed to umpire a semi-final of the National Club Knock-Out competition. He retired from umpiring at the end of the 2010 season after 28 seasons.
In November 1990 he became Secretary of the local Association, South Wilts ACU&S, a position he continued with for 15 years. He was also one of a very successful SWACUS umpire instruction team for 18 years.
Outside the officiating world he served as Secretary of the Wiltshire Cricket Association for several years and was a member of a four man working group which set up the original Wiltshire Cricket Board which he served as Joint Administrator for its first few years.
VICTORY JUST REWARD FOR EFFORTS
Whilst matches were being called off as late as Saturday lunchtime, as early as Thursday, South Wilts groundsmen Jon Williams and Tim Cowley faced the big mop-up for the second week running.
A week earlier Williams had spent his entire Friday 9am until 7pm, cutting, rolling, drying, just to ensure that cricket was played in South Wilts two pitches and after Thursday's monsoon, this week was no different.
"Noone can underestimate the amount of time and effort Jon and Tim have put in, " explained Junior Organiser Rob Wade. He continued, "And what's more the ground looks a picture, absolutely top drawer."
The fitting conclusion to all their efforts was a win in the sun with a good-sized crowd and that's what happened. See action photos.
