CHRIS WESTON PRESENTATION

Date: 7th February 2023

Recognition as Life Vice President.

Chris is only the second person to become a Life Vice President, with Harold Wolfe, No man has done more in recent times for the Liverpool Competition.

Chair, Eddie Shiff is pictured here presenting Chris with a recognition of his contribution.

CHRIS WESTON L&DCC SECRETARY

1996 to 2023

A man who played cricket for Caldy CC for nearly 40 years, and has continued to work tirelessly to provide the same opportunity for others to play and enjoy the game he loves.

Chair of Caldy from 1986 to 88 and President from 1991 to 1996 he became Secretary of the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition (L&DCC) in 1996 and after 26 years of outstanding service retired at this year’s AGM on 10 January 2023.

As Secretary he has been a pivotal and instrumental figure in steering the League through numerous developments and initiatives, and many a difficult problem, during a time of great change for the League and the game in general. The result is an increase and continued participation amongst all types and levels of players across Merseyside, West Lancashire, Wigan, St Helens, Wirral and North Wales.

Chris carried the League through ECB Premier League status in 2000, and enabled the expansion of the league from 28 to 48 clubs, beginning with the seamless merger with the Southport District League and Merseyside Cricket Competition from 2004 to 2008. Chris’s careful stewardship ensures a successful feeder League system is still in operation today.

This was followed by a focus on junior cricket, bringing together Junior Leagues to create an all-embracing junior system with regional leagues, an annual winter player development programme for nearly 100 boys and girls, and representative cricket for the League’s youngsters (Boys and Girls from u11 to u18) playing cricket all across Lancashire.

Since that time, with the Committee, he has embraced the huge changes facing cricket in the last ten years, none more so than the developments in Women’s and Girl’s cricket. In recent times, the League has encouraged and financed the development of Women’s and Girls sections, now 30 and increasing, playing softball and hardball in local grouped competitions, with many now playing in the Lancashire Cricket Foundation (LCF) managed County-wide league. The interest and growth has been astonishing, and not achieved without a supporting organisation and structure in which Chris has played a key part.

Latterly Chris, as Secretary, has focused on ECB led issues, such as navigating the Committee and the clubs through the implications of Clubmark/SHMS; Introducing General Conduct Regulations throughout the League, Overseas Player Regulations and moving forward with the LCF on EDI initiatives. During the Covid period his careful management of Risk Assessments and the Track and Trace system saw the L&DCC come through unscathed.

In addition Chris has been assisting the ECB with the sound running of the ECB National Club T20 Competition since 2011, collating results and resetting fixtures for all rounds up until the Final. This too, is his last year of involvement. He is also an accredited Umpire’s Assessor with the ACO.

Chris’s attention to detail is legendary and he is often in demand and is always willing to pass on his knowledge and experience to other Leagues and cricket Officials. He has impeccable organisational and leadership skills underpinning everything he does, which he does to enable thousands of individuals to play and enjoy the game of cricket, just like he did.

With thanks from the Liverpool Competition Management Committee who will miss him greatly.

January 2023