The MINUTES of the 27th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the League held at Henfield Cricket Club on Tuesday 30th November 2004

Present P Graves (President), N Teague (Chairman), D Horsman (Vice-Chairman), N Nolan (Secretary), D Semmons (Treasurer & Press Secretary), L Claydon (Competitions Secretary), P Tolchard (Results coordinator) and representatives from each member club with the exception of Crawley Eagles. There were no apologies for absence.

The Minutes of the 2003 Annual General Meeting were approved and signed. There were no matters arising.

The Meeting opened at 8.06pm with the announcement of the death the day before of John Burrows of Clymping Cricket Club.

Cricket Balls

An offer having been made for the provision of Reader balls, Nick Wisdom appeared at the meeting to suggest alternatives and it was agreed to switch in 2005 to the County Super Test ball costing £12-25 each which he will be able to supply.

Officers' Reports

Mr Teague referred to discipline and the one case dealt with by the Executive Committee but was concerned with disputes over cancelled games, urging ready acceptance of decisions made by home clubs. He was critical of Pagham's non-
acceptance of an Executive Committee ruling re their Sunday Cup match at East Preston, also of an insufficient support from clubs for the annual dinner and of the non-collection on the evening of six trophies.

Mr Nolan reviewed the work of the Executive Committee, in particularly the handling of two letters from Keymer & Hassocks re cancelled matches, which prompted comments from Keymer and Crawley and the suggestion of an approach to Crawley Council. -

Mr Claydon referred to the many match details forms not fully completed and to the deadline of January 10th for the return of affiliation forms. Both he and Mr Semmons touched upon the requested free dates for 2005 that could not be
satisfied and to the need to find alternative dates / pitches.

Mr Tolchard reminded clubs of the need to advise where matches are postponed.

Accounts and Fees

Mr Semmons reviewed the Accounts and reported a deficit of £416-63 and a balance of £1,235-93. Eastergate and Scaynes Hill had still to pay £100 and £75 respectively for meals at the dinner and £105-75 had been paid for a replacement radio mike to the Charmandean Centre which had since been recovered and returned. He recommended no change to the Annual Subscription (£70) and the Deposit (£30) and this was agreed.

Election of Officers

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the following officers were elected:

President:-   Peter Graves (indicating this to be his final year)

Vice-Presidents):- Chairman of each Club, John White, Dickie Moore, Barry Jones, John Pollard and Alan Harris,           plus Don Semmons in recognition of his long service, for which he was thanked

Chairman:-   Norman Teague 

Vice-Chairman:-  David Horsman

Treasurer:-    Richard Prokopowicz (succeeding Don Semmons)

Competitions Secretary:-  Laurie Claydon

Press Secretary:-    Paul Tolchard (succeeding Don Semmons but continuing as Results Co-ordinator)

Appointment of Executive Committee

Henfield had again offered to serve on the Committee and to make their clubhouse available for meetings. It was agreed that the Committee should comprise Ansty, Billingshurst (Division 1), Henfield, Slinfold (Division 2), Broadbridge Heath,
Clymping (Division 3), Horsham Trinity and Worthing Chippingdale (Division 4). It was agreed that meetings of the Committee would be held on Tuesdays June 7th, July 5th, August 2nd and September 6th and that full Management Committee meetings (all clubs) would be on April 12th, September 27th and November 29th (AGM).

Amendments to Rule 

It was agreed by 25 votes to 5 that matches be of a maximum of 94 overs, with a maximum of 49 for the first innings, and that the four hours and 20 overs rule should no longer apply (per Proposal A under AGM Agenda item 13); the first of
the two alternative wordings under Rule 10(c)(ii) was preferred. Also accepted were Proposals C (all matches in August to commence at 1.30pm), D (no matches to be played on artificial wickets) by 21-13, E (use of pitch covers)
F (the awarding of batting points at 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200), G (the awarding of two bowling points at the fall of wickets 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 for teams bowling first having won the toss) and I (a new rule preventing a team with less than 11
players from declaring at the fall of their last wicket). Not adopted were Proposals B (a reduction of 5 minutes in the tea interval) for the sake of umpires and scorers and H (the suspension of a team for scratching a fourth time in a season and having to re-apply for membership for the following season).
A further change was proposed and agreed [new Rule 12d, with existing 12d becoming 12e]: "No player under contract to a First Class County may play within the League unless permission is given by the Executive Committee".

Sunday Cup Competition

Middleton had agreed to organise the competition on a knock out basis and 16 clubs had entered. The draw was made for the 1st round from which the winners of tie 1 would be at home to the winners of tie 2 in the 2nd round,- and so on:
Middleton v Broadwater; Crawley v St Andrews; Crawley Eagles v Ifield; Goring v Portslade; Ram v Pagham; Wisborough Green v Billingshurst; Slinfold v Findon; Horsham Trinity v Worthing Chippingdale. The dates would be: 1st round on or before June 5th, quarter-finals July 3rd, semi-finals July 31st, final (and venue) to be advised.

Annual Dinner

The future of the dinner was discussed, and though agreeing to continue in 2005, further consideration should be given for 2006 and to the possibility of compulsory ticket purchase by clubs. Organising clubs: Slinfold and Southwater.
[A provisional booking has been made for the Charmandean Centre for October 21st]