Cricket: Elland pushing for Roy Dexter to be given green light for Sykes Cup

May 30 2009 By Mel Booth

RAIN ruled out any play in the Huddersfield area, but there was still plenty to talk about.

Jim Sharkey was confident he could become the latest Thongsbridge player to top 1,000 runs in a season.

Lockwood were adamant they could avoid having to apply for re-election for the fourth successive season.

And Elland were up in arms after Huddersfield League chiefs put the brakes on Nottinghamshire’s Roy Dexter, right, playing for them in the Sykes Cup.

The John Smith’s Trophy clash with the Yorkshire League was at the root of the problem.

Clubs had earlier agreed that any player selected for the League XI be released, and Elland’s professional, with four half-centuries in five innings for the Section A leaders, was an immediate pick.

But he declined the invitation, believing he might be required by his county.

Elland subsequently rearranged their cup clash at Bradley Mills for the day of the inter-league game, and suggested that should Dexter not be needed by Notts, he could play for them.

"Roy earns his living from playing cricket," they said in a statement. "Notts pay him and we also pay him, under a separate contract which binds him to being available for us when not needed by Notts.

"At the time he was selected by the League, we gave our approval for him to play, but Roy felt he did not want to make himself available because of a possible county call.