SOME cricket leagues are struggling in general, and the Mewies Solicitors Craven League aren't immune, but league secretary Ann Coe said in her annual report that there was also much to celebrate.

The league's executive committee asked clubs what their development plans were, and the responses were much more than expected, with 50 per cent of member clubs doing something.

Coe said: "The answers have been amazing, and it’s incredible that so much is happening behind the scenes.

"If we hadn’t asked the clubs what they were doing, all this action would probably have happened and gone unnoticed.

"I know there are some clubs who will be happy if they still have a club at the end of next year.

"Looking at Haworth West End (who last played in 2015), we didn’t want to see them leave us, but I’m forever the optimist, and hopefully we haven’t lost them.

"Their field is still being used as a cricket ground and, you never know, they could come back.

"However, the majority of the clubs have plans – brilliant plans in some cases.

"One club is looking to buy their own field, others want grounds equipment, some want to build and improve their facilities and, most importantly, we have some clubs who want to start a junior section.

"All of these clubs need support, not just from the executive committee, the YCB, the ECB, their club members and supporters, but, most importantly, from their fellow clubs.

"I know I say it every year, but we can only play cricket if we have opposition to play against."

The clubs who are making improvements on their grounds or facilities are: Airedale, Cowling, Crossflatts, Haworth, Ingrow St John's, Long Lee, Oakworth, Riddlesden, Sutton, Bingley Congs, Bradford & Bingley III, Haworth Road, Skipton CI and Barrowford.

Coe also spoke of her pride in times when it is all too easy for clubs to concede matches, that there are 27 scheduled league matches every weekend for 22 weeks of the season.

She said: "Craven cricket is why we are all attending this annual meeting.

"Some are here to avoid a fine, but the majority really care about our league.

"When we talk about Craven cricket, it means different things to different people.

"There are players who have had their entire cricket careers with us, and some of those players are maybe considering whether they should play next year.

"There are juniors just starting out playing our wonderful game – they may stay with us or they could go on to play in a higher league.

"We wish them well and believe they will return to us when their bodies won’t allow them to play cricket at that higher standard.

"Then we have players who fill in when their wives let them play out.

"Players who are dedicated to the league, play every Saturday and can’t wait for the next season to start.

"And we can’t forget either the umpires, scorers, groundsmen, tea ladies, club secretaries, club treasurers, committee people and supporters, which together we all proudly call ourselves Craven cricket.

"Our league can trace its history back to 1888. We can proudly say we have evolved and are completely unrecognisable to our founders.

"Would they ever have thought some 128 years later, so many people would feel so passionately about our league?

"I know we hear many tales about how cricket is becoming a dying sport, and I’m not naïve – I know clubs are often struggling to find players.

"But we have 27 games of cricket taking place on a Saturday afternoon for 22 weeks of the year – surely that’s something to celebrate."