Cheshire look to future after Northern lights dim

Sep 11 2007 by Harold Brough, Liverpool Daily Post

CHESHIRE have begun the inquest into their worst performance in the Northern Counties League in recent years and the shock early finding is a question mark over the commitment and loyalty of some top players to their county’s cause.

Cheshire finished second from bottom with just one win out of five matches, with two games lost and two halved.

County captain Ray Hughes from Caldy admits his disappointment at the worse performance since he became captain six years ago.

He says: “The majority of our lads are wholly committed to the county but among others – and I am excluding those who have understandable reasons to be elsewhere – some have not been available to the county as we would have wished and I must question their loyalty and commitment to the county.”

He describes the Cheshire performances as “very average” and says that the county simply under-achieved.

He is now reviewing the performance but the obvious problem has been that the top players have often been unavailable for league matches.

During the league campaign Cheshire collected only ten-and-a-half points in the singles matches out of a total of 30 available to the top six players. “That is disastrous,” says Hughes. “We have simply under achieved.”

The unavailability of the top players was a big problem in 2006. But in 2007 it was even more of a headache. Taking the two seasons together the top three made a total of four appearances out of a possible 30.

Hughes says: “It does seem to be less of a problem for other counties. Obviously there is reason for some key players to be absent, playing other events, particularly Paul Waring (Bromborough) and Dave Horsey (Styal) who have had their sights on the Walker Cup this year.

“But with others we have to ask ourselves whether it is essential for them to be playing other events ahead of playing for their county, why they are cutting the hand that has supported them over the years. We have to find out the reason for this.

“We have players always ready to play for the county, often dropping everything to play at the last minute and I applaud that. But I am very disappointed with the season and I do question the loyalty and commitment of some of our players.”

Lancashire finished second, just one point behind Yorkshire. Captain Bob Bardsley sounded reasonably satisfied with the final position, saying: “We put in a lot of youngsters this season and we only lost one match and that was to Yorkshire. I am disappointed about that. It was a big defeat. But the final runner-up place is okay.

“I did think we had a chance this season but we needed to beat Yorkshire. That cost us.”

Both counties will soon begin the preparations for next season. For Cheshire the winter session will include sessions with the coaches Peter Barber of Didsbury and Alan Thompson of Heswall with the emphasis on the short game. Also, particularly for the benefit of newcomers to the squad, the county is bringing back putting coaches.

Cheshire will be without some key players next season. Paul Waring and Dale Marmion have joined the professional ranks and Dave Horsey is likely to follow after his appearance in the Walker Cup.

Andrew Hardie from Wychwood Park is also likely to become a professional while Jamie Howarth of Stockport is also weighing up his options. It is the biggest exit to the professional game while Hughes has been captain.

But Cheshire is well known for its successful production line and currently the new talent includes Adam Wills of Sandiway, the Cheshire Boys champion, and Josh Sims of Caldy, who produced the best individual performance of all Cheshire players this season, winning all his single matches in the league. Barry Barker is back in the amateur game and will add his experience to the Cheshire cause. Lancashire, too, could be without some top players next season. Bardsley expects two or three to go to the European Tour qualifying school and thinks some players may turn professional.

Lancashire players will also work on the short game during the winter and also course management, the best way to actually play the courses. Bardsley is encouraged by the new young talent.

“We are moving into a new era,” he says .“Lancashire Boys became national champions last year and we want to bring that talent and those performances through to the senior ranks.”

Cheshire last won the league in 2004, Lancashire in 1997. But there are encouraging signs including, for Cheshire, the superb performance in the in the final match against Northumberland, when 5-1 in arrears at the interval after losing five matches on the 18th the afternoon brought a determined fightback as Cheshire won the singles and forced a draw.

“So that breeds confidence for next season,” says Hughes. “I am confident there are better times ahead.”

Both Cheshire and Lancashire will be encouraged by the last match defeat of Yorkshire by Cumbria. Yorkshire, league winners again, have won the championship five times in the last seven years.