DRAKES Cricket League chairman-designate Trevor Atkinson may only have just returned from holiday, but he has already put together the building bricks for the construction of a new-look Executive.

The former Executive Secretary, who has recently been voted in as the League’s new Chairman, following the retirement of existing chairman Roger France at next month’s annual meeting, has spent the last few days working closely with senior Life Vice-President Donald Earnshaw.

“Obviously I was delighted with the outcome of the election, and would like to thank all those clubs who voted for me, while offering commiseration to my fellow nominees,” reflected Atkinson.

“I’m really looking forward to the new challenges ahead of me, and over the next 12 months I will be trying to dispel the doubts of those clubs who didn’t give me their vote.

“League president Bob Platt has pledged his full backing along with any assistance I require, and along with Donald (Earnshaw) we have now made considerable progress in putting together a new team, and I’m confident we now have a name in place for every position. At the same time we have re-defined the job specifications for executive members, all of whom will have to be officially voted in at the annual meeting.”

As one of the League’s pre-eminent umpires, Atkinson has indicated he would like to continue to serve the Umpires Association, but to a far lesser degree.

“I do enjoy umpiring, and obviously I am acutely aware of the continuing shortage of officials. So I have informed the secretary that I would like to continue to stand, but only in lower level games, and certainly not in Premiership and Sykes Cup contests,” he added.

“With regards to the Umpires Secretary Ron Tindall (a fellow candidate in the chairmanship election), I sincerely hope he will continue to serve as a co-opted member of the Executive as he still has a lot to offer the game.”

Investigation by the results secretary into this season’s prizewinners has discovered that Holmfirth wicketkeeper Michael Battye-Wood had equalled the tally of Honley’s Joe McNamara (20 victims), and has been installed as the joint winner of the Second XI stumping prize with McNamara.

The League’s annual meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 7.