OSCA for Halifax League

SIX of the 21 awards presented at Sunday's ECB/YCB Annual Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards (OSCAs) came back to this area.

The Halifax Cricket League won the Stuart Hodgson Award and the Calderdale Cricket Development Group, which is made up of clubs in the league, took the George Reah Award for Special Services to Cricket.

Sowerby Bridge CC, which suffered badly during the Boxing Day floods of 2015, shared the ‘Get The Game On’ award with Tong Park Esholt CC.

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The Walton Street club’s David Stoyles took the OSCA for Services to Groundsmanship.

Mount CC have taken part in the Halifax League for the first time this year and their members collected two awards.

Abdul Ravat won the Heartbeat of the Club Award and Hasan and Yusuf Fadia won the Brian Stone Club Family of the Year Award.

Halifax League chairman Anthony Briggs said: “I am absolutely delighted that the six organisations and individuals have received recognition for their efforts by the YCB at the highest level.

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“It just underlines what a strong, vibrant and forward-looking league we have. Every one of our clubs, officials and members should be proud of this magnificent achievement.”

The award comes only a few weeks after Briggs urged clubs to back executive committee members who were “really feeling the pressure” with their decisions coming under increasing scrutiny.

Briggs added: “Cricket administrators receive their fair amount of criticism but days like this remind all of the positive side.

“It gives everyone a massive boost by rewarding the hard working volunteers on the League Executive, in the CCDG and across all our clubs, who make a real difference to cricket in our area.”

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Sunday’s winners must now wait to see if they are short listed for the national awards, which are handed out at Lord’s later this year.

The awards ceremony was hosted by YCB Chairman Chris West, who said: ‘It is humbling and inspiring to hear of the commitment and energy being given voluntarily to the game of cricket.”