The club held its annual presentation evening on Saturday evening in the function room with Head of Cricket John Stevens and club secretary Leigh Dickinson overseeing events.

The first team batting prize, along with the players’ player of the year went to Andy Kerr, meanwhile, the first team bowling award was won by Callum Hunter.

People begin arriving for Saturday’s awards evening

In the second eleven, the second team batting prize and players’ player of the season went to Kieran Edwards with skipper Oli Dixon taking the bowling award.

In the thirds, the batting prize and players’ player of the season went to Nigel Franklin with Sam Woolley taking the bowling award.

The Pauline Rigby award for the Young Player of the Year went to Dan Stevens while Best Performance of the Season was won by Andy Kerr for his display against Burnley.

The Most Runs in the season award was also won by Nigel Franklin with Oli Dixon again taking the Most Wickets plaudit.

Clubman of the Year went to chairman Andy Skinner for his leadership and superb work in project managing the Lounge Bar alterations and clubhouse extension.

Evan Williams – who is currently gaining valuable cricketing experience in Tasmania for the winter – won the Cricketer of the Year accolade.

And there was a special award for first team skipper Ryan Senior who is stepping down in 2023. Scorer Rebecca Senior was also presented with a thank-you prize for her fine work throughout the season as was Phil Thorp for his help behind the scenes.

Above: Nigel Franklin who won the Best Batting Prize as well as the third team batting and players’ player award. Right: Club chairman Andy Skinner – Clubman of the Year Award winner

Below left: Dan Stevens with his award. Right: Kieran Edwards and Oli Dixon

The first phase of pre-season preparations has been booked with six two-hour sessions.

These will be held at Bury Grammar School sports hall on Sunday afternoons from 3pm to 5pm from February 19th to March 26th 2023 inclusive.

Meantime, our junior Emerging Player Programme will continue in tandem, moving to a set of ten Saturday afternoons in the new year.

Selected players from the junior programme will also be invited to senior nets.

Senior captains will be providing details to their current playing squads and further reminders will be posted after Christmas.

Greenmount’s Noah Birtwistle and Ed Wackrill have been successful in being selected for the Lancashire Under-13 squad and will start a lengthy spell of winter training in the near future.

The club already have Max Birtwistle in the Under-15s and George Kenyon has been selected in the Under-12 winter training group.

This represents a great opportunity within the pathway for all to benefit from 18 weeks of county training. All four are, of course, on the club’s EPP (Emerging Players Programme). Very positive news!

Greenmount kick off the Lancashire League Division Two campaign for 2023 with a home clash against Rishton on Sunday, April 16th.

In the Worsley Cup first round to be played on Saturday, May 6th the Mount have home advantage again when Church are the visitors to the Log Cabin.

The season concludes on Sunday, September 10 when Rawtenstall are the visitors.

Full first team fixtures are:

Sunday April 16: Greenmount v Rishton

Sunday April 23: Crompton v Greenmount

Sunday April 30: Greenmount v Colne

Saturday May 6:  Greenmount v Church (Worsley Cup 1st round)

Sunday May 7: Middleton v Greenmount

Saturday May 13: Worsley Cup 1st round reserve date

Sunday May 14: Greenmount v East Lancs

Sunday May 21: Church v Greenmount

Saturday May 27: Worsley Cup 2nd round

Sunday May 28: Greenmount v Great Harwood

Saturday June 3: Worsley Cup 2nd round reserve date

Sunday June 4: Greenmount v Accrington

Sunday June 11: Bacup v Greenmount

Saturday June 17: Worsley Cup quarter-finals

Sunday June 18: Greenmount v Nelson

Saturday June 24: Worsley Cup quarter-finals reserve date

Sunday June 25: Rawtenstall v Greenmount

Sunday July 2: Rishton v Greenmount

Saturday July 8: Worsley Cup semi-finals

Sunday July 9: Greenmount v Crompton

Sunday July 16: Colne v Greenmount

Sunday July 23: Greenmount v Middleton

Saturday July 29: Worsley Cup semi-finals reserve date

Sunday July 30: East Lancs v Greenmount

Sunday August 6: Greenmount v Church

Saturday August 12: Gt Harwood v Greenmount

Sunday August 13: Worsley Cup final

Saturday August 19: Worsley Cup final reserve date

Sunday August 20: Accrington v Greenmount

Sunday August 27: Greenmount v Bacup

Sunday September 3: Nelson v Greenmount

Sunday September 10: Greenmount v Rawtenstall

T20 COMPETITION FIXTURES

In the Lancashire League’s T20 competition Greenmount have been drawn in the JWL MPA (Manchester Pale Ale) section.

Fixtures are as follows:

Friday May 26: Greenmount v Todmorden

Friday June 2: Greenmount v Walsden

Friday June 9: Norden v Greenmount

Friday June 16: Bacup v Greenmount

Friday June 23: Greenmount v Ramsbottom

Friday June 30: Quarter-finals

Friday July 7: Quarter-finals reserve date

Monday July 28: Finals Day

Saturday September 2: Finals Day reserve date

SECOND ELEVEN FIXTURES

Sunday April 16: Rishton II v Greenmount II

Sunday April 23: Greenmount II v Crompton II

Sunday April 30: Walsden II v Greenmount II

Saturday May 6: Church II v Greenmount  II (Junior Cup first round)

Sunday May 7: Greenmount II v Middleton II

Saturday May 13: Junior Cup 1st round reserve date

Sunday May 14: East Lancs II v Greenmount II

Sunday May 21: Greenmount II v Church II

Saturday May 27: Junior Cup 2nd round

Sunday May 28: Great Harwood II v Greenmount II

Saturday June 3: Junior Cup 2nd round reserve date

Sunday June 4: Accrington II v Greenmount II

Sunday June 11: Greenmount II v Todmorden II

Saturday June 17: Junior Cup quarter-finals

Sunday June 18: Nelson II v Greenmount II

Saturday June 24: Junior Cup quarter-finals reserve date

Sunday June 25: Greenmount II v Rawtenstall II

Sunday July 2: Greenmount II v Rishton II

Saturday July 8: Junior Cup semi-finals

Sunday July 9: Crompton II v Greenmount II

Sunday July 16: Greenmount II v Walsden II

Sunday July 23: Middleton II v Greenmount II

Saturday July 29: Junior  Cup semi-finals reserve date

Sunday July 30: Greenmount II v East Lancs II

Saturday August 5: JW Lees Junior Cup final

Sunday August 6: Church II v Greenmount II

Saturday August 12: Greenmount II v Great Harwood II

Saturday August 19: Junior Cup final reserve date

Sunday August 20: Greenmount II v Accrington II

Sunday August 27: Todmorden II v Greenmount II

Sunday September 3: Greenmount II v Nelson II

Sunday September 10: Rawtenstall II v Greenmount II

Travis Townsend – who was a popular club professional in 2015 and 2016 – is returning to the Mount as first team captain for the summer of 2023.

The talented South African all-rounder replaces Ryan Senior who is standing down from the skipper’s role after four years in the hot seat.

Travis (pictured right) has been paid man at Littleborough CC since 2019 following a spell with Heywood after leaving Brandlesholme Road.

He has now decided to leave the professional ranks and his acquisition is another massive boost hard on the heels of the announcement of his countryman Jacques Snyman joining the club as professional for 2023.

Club chairman Andy Skinner said: “I’d like to place on record a big thank-you to Ryan for his work over the past few years.

“He feels it is time to step down and allow a fresh approach but we are pleased that he will continue to play for us.

“He guided us to promotion to the Lancashire League top flight in our first season and that was no mean achievement and, looking forward, his experience will be invaluable to our young first team players.”

Meanwhile, the club’s Head of Cricket John Stevens said: “I’m delighted Travis has chosen to return to Greenmount for the long term in an amateur capacity.

“I believe his wealth of experience combined with natural leadership skills and energetic enthusiasm are just what we need to kick start positive momentum on the field across the club.”

Meanwhile, it’s ‘as you were’ for Oli Dixon and Mark Crowther who are set to continue their good work as skippers of the second and third teams respectively.

The club are delighted to announce that Lancashire Under-11 team manager John Stevens is to take up the role of Head of Cricket at the Log Cabin with immediate effect.

A former player with the club, he is a vastly experienced coach and he will oversee the Under-13s, Under-15s, Under-18s through to the open age third, second and first elevens.

Father of the club’s Under-19 Scotland international Dan Stevens, John is looking forward to taking on his role saying: “We aren’t going to take our relegation from Lancashire League Division One last summer lying down.”

“All aspects of the club are changing positively – on and off the field – and that has to be really encouraging.

“Even in the first two weeks of the Emerging Players Programme we are running there has been a massive change in the attitude of the junior players who are involved.

“The programme is 17 weeks long and I have said to the lads that they will really benefit from the sessions if they progress as they have started.”

THIS week the bar is open Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 11pm; Friday from 4pm to 11pm (due to D-CAFF using the room) and Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 11pm and 10.30pm respectively.

Danny’s will be serving food:

Friday: 5pm to 8.30pm

Saturday: 10am to 8.30pm

Sunday: 10am to 6pm

Sport being shown on TV this week:

Tuesday: 8pm Watford v Reading

Wednesday: 8pm Man City v Chelsea

Thursday: 8pm Man Utd v Aston Villa

Friday: 8pm Birmingham v Sunderland

Saturday: 12.30pm Man City v Brentford; 5.30pm Newcastle v Chelsea; 7.45pm: Wolves v Arsenal.

Sunday: 12.30pm Burnley v Blackburn; 2pm: Brighton v Aston Villa; 4.30pm: Fulham v Man Utd

The coming week’s cask ales will be a selection from Bowland, Cross Bay and Brewsmith.

Get SK Kitted out with Ian

Ian Senior will be at the club on Sunday from 10am to 12 noon to take Christmas orders for club playing and training wear along with cricket bags and rucksacks.

If you can’t make it to the club but would still like to place an order contact Ian on 07960 137232 or visit the SK Kits website HERE

The senior cricket presentation will be held on Saturday 26th November from 7pm, in the function room. The cost is £5 and includes a hot supper and music will be played.

This event is open to anyone including spectators, junior and senior players (who have played senior cricket), members and  non-members 

Tickets are available behind the bar, or you can pay on the night. However, we need to know if you are attending beforehand, so that we can make arrangements for food.

Greenmount are delighted to announce the signing of South African all-rounder Jacques Snyman as professional for the 2023 JW Lees Lancashire League campaign.

The 28-year-old, from Pretoria, has played T20 cricket for South Africa and his signature is something of a coup for the Mount with a number of clubs interested in acquiring his services.

Jacques Snyman
(Pic courtesy of Carrickfergus CC)

“Jacques is a top quality player and we are looking forward to welcoming him to the Log Cabin next year,” said club chairman Andy Skinner.

A right-handed top order batsman who also bowls off-spin, Jacques plays for the ITEK Knights in South Africa and has spent a few of our summers plying his trade with clubs in the UK, notably at Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, Benwell Hill in Newcastle and Feniscowles.

If you register on the Easyfundraising Shopping Portal using THIS LINK any online shopping that you subsequently undertake will lead to additional funding being sent to Greenmount Cricket Club.

The price you pay for the goods will not be affected; the club will effectively receive commission for your custom.

Club secretary Leigh Dickinson said: “Ahead of all of your Christmas Shopping and general shopping, we are hoping members will sign up to Easyfundraising.

“The biggest commission we have received to date was from purchasing flights and I have just raised £4.51
while buying new duvets and pillows. It really is very easy to sign up and doesn’t cost anything. Please take a look using the links.”

“If members, their families and friends could look to register on the Easyfundraising website HERE and then click back into the portal each time they shop online, we will receive some commission from any shopping undertaken.”

“If you could look to register and then shop via the portal it will be very much appreciated and present the club with some much-needed revenue.

“The price you pay will not change at all, we merely receive commission from the retailers for your custom.”