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Secretary's Report 2015 In January our Chairman, Tony Johnson, received an email from Jenni Jordan, the CCB Business Support Manager at the ECB, concerning their intention of issuing a blueprint to all leagues advising on how best to run their cricket. She asked if we were prepared to be held out as an example of good practice (along with others) and we were of course happy to oblige. I say this not to feel smug in any way but to show that the committee tries to react to what the clubs want and in some cases innovate and with the support of clubs and their members I believe we have a league we can be proud of. With the changing leisure patterns of modern life our ‘traditional’ game will face many more challenges and we must adapt if we are to survive and thrive-so far so good. We made, possibly, the biggest ever changes to our structure, match rules and playing format last year by splitting all twenty team divisions into tens and introducing a split playing format: limited overs for the youngsters and timed games for the old fogies. We also changed the points system in the regional structure with average points replacing aggregate points to determine league positions. This latter alteration was designed to allow teams that conceded more games than was good for the division (which hitherto could have led to their expulsion from the division) to remain and at least play when they could get a side onto the field. The idea is to play cricket after all. Whilst no system is flawless our mid-season survey suggested that the new structure met with general approval. This item on the AGM agenda was proposed by Stevenage CC with the necessary support of three co-sponsors and shows what can be achieved. One slightly disappointing element to that crucial vote that introduced those changes was that 14 clubs did not attend the AGM to cast their vote. We only ask clubs to attend two general meeting throughout the year, the AGM and the captains’ meeting, and it would be really good if there was100 per cent attendance at both. On the field Radlett didn’t quite reproduce the clean sweep of 2014, getting knocked out of the T/20 cup at the group stage. That trophy was won by Sawbridgeworth who unfortunately failed to progress in the National competition losing to Ealing. Botany Bay continued their rapid rise through the divisions by winning the Championship and will probably be playing in the IPL next year. Congratulations to Leverstock Green who won a closely contested final in the Trophy against Abbotts Langley and to all other 25 divisional winners. All but one of those clubs attended a very successful presentation at Allianz Park on a cold Saturday at the end of January where they received their cups, pennants and prize money. Thanks to Saracens for hosting the occasion and thanks, too, for beating Bath Rugby after appearing not to want to during the first half. At last year’s AGM Tony had to give the ‘treasurer’s report’ as our treasurer resigned on the day of the meeting.The report consisted of Tony giving the bank balances at the end of the previous three accounting periods. They showed the League to be financially sound but also showed the pressing need to get our finances, on paper at least, in good order. The ‘experienced chartered accountant’ to whom Tony referred in his report and to whom we were talking at the time was Colin Munday who was duly elected as our Treasurer at an EGM held immediately before the captains’ meeting in April. Since then we have received and distributed three sets of audited accounts and the 2015 audited accounts have gone out to all clubs with the AGM agenda and will,I hope, have been accepted by the meeting before my report. I would like to thank Colin for his efforts which are greatly appreciated by all. 10