Season 2005/06 - Year 5

The fifth season of this Association began with the 4th AGM being held on July 20, again at Redfern RSL. Another one-term President bit the dust, this time it was John Moore citing a desire to do some travelling during a fair percentage of the upcoming summer (half his luck). New President George Richards was elected unopposed and has a stern task ahead of him to see if he can beat the one-term President blues. Not surprisingly Stephen Blomfield and Gordon Smith were again for the 5th year running both elected unopposed as Secretary and Treasurer.

Membership numbers were up with 54 members on the book up by 9 from the previous season. Disappointingly though while membership was up, active on field membership was down. The big innovation of the season was the introduction of bonus points in limited overs matches to compensate teams who were playing "weaker" opponents in these games and unable to obtain outright results. Another significant issue was the fact that the tougher first class version of wides in limited over games was relaxed and reverted back to the laws of cricket wide definition for all Shires matches. This was not received well by the clubs and appears it might only be a one season "experiment" with the old rule likely to be re-instated next season.

On field the Association didnt measure up to its record season last year primarily due to the reduced numbers that were overflowed from Grade panel Umpires referred to us from the NSWCU&SA from week to week. The net result was all First grade games getting umpires as well as an average of 64% of second grade matches receiving umpires during the course of the season (down from 82%). The Association supplied at least one umpire to 363 days of cricket within a competition that conducted 682 days of play. This is a completion rate of 53.22% of days played in the entire 5 competitions conducted in the Shires Association.

Other Issues this season included -

* Reported Players - 11 (Down from 19 last season)

* Judiciary Matters - Regular Delays with most cases not being held in a timely manner

* Gordon Smith umpired the Shires XI v Churches XI rep match at Tantallon Oval in February 2006

* Alan Green umpired the Shires XI v Grade XI rep match at the SCG in March 2006

* Stephen Blomfield & Tom Shiner umpired their 100th Career Shires Match

* Relations between SCA / Shires Sub Committee are weakend due to differences of opinion on numerous administrative matters

* Lack of support from the SCA / Shires Sub Committee / Shires Clubs regarding Umpire recruitment initiatives

* Alan Green & Chris Taylor appointed to the 1st Grade Grand Final won by Burwood Briars CC

* Brett Osseweyer & Glenn Roche appointed to the Frank Gray (Under 24)Grand Final won by Epping CC

* Chris Taylor took out the umpire of the year award and Chris Kearney won the Most improved Umpire of the Year.