THE Arrow Huddersfield Central Cricket League are all set for a major change at the top.
Long-serving president Adrian Whittaker has signalled his intention to step down from the leading post after serving for 20 years on the management board, 14 of them as president.
Whittaker (pictured right) will be succeeded at the forthcoming annual meeting by Jack Carson, who steps up from his position as league secretary, a role he has carried out for eight years.
That paves the way for Chris Jones, currently the treasurer at Almondbury Wesleyans, to take over as secretary.
“I thought the time had come for a new face to take over,” said the retiring president, who had an illustrious playing career with Clayton West before becoming more involved on the administrative side with the league’s management board.
Starting at Clayton as a 10-year-old scorer, Whittaker soon moved into the second team and then the firsts, with whom he won a staggering 11 Section A titles.
“The first two were in 1967 and 68 when I was still a teenager, and I was fortunate to be in a very good side which completed the title hat trick in 1972, 3 and 4,” he said
Another two medals came his way in 86 and 88, before he took over as skipper, leading Clayton to a record equalling four successive crowns from 1990-93.
“I also had the privilege to play in six Allsop Cup finals, but I was less successful on that front, managing to win only once, when we beat Thurstonland in 1990,” he added.
In 2000, Clayton moved up into the Drakes Huddersfield League, and Whittaker, by now president of the Central League, moved to help out Nortonthorpe, where he was instrumental in forming a second team.
“There was no fall out, indeed Clayton had made me a life-member, but as president of the Central League I felt it only right I was attached to a club from my own league,” he explained.
Another reason for his decision to stand down was his increasing involvement in golf, which has now taken over as his chief form of recreation. He is a member at Waterton Park. near Wakefield.
“I shall continue to work on the ground at Nortonthorpe and probably carry on serving as their representative, while for the league, I will continue to act as Trophy Steward,” said Whittaker.
“Now I am just looking forward to seeing the league progress under the new regime.”
