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Please find attached the dates of the meetings etc for next season.   
Please note it is the Management Meetings, AGM and SGM / pre-season meetings that all clubs need to attend with the next being the Special General Meeting and Pre-season meeting on Mon 8th Aril at 7.30 and at BAC/EE Preston which is a change from previous years.

2019
Wed 9th Jan Executive Meeting F&B
Mon 4th Feb Management Meeting BAC
Mon 4th March Executive Meeting F&B
Mon 8th Apr Pre-season meeting / SGM BAC
Sat 20th Apr First fixtures
Wed 8th May Executive Meeting F&B
Mon 20th May Management Meeting BAC
Wed 5th Jun Executive Meeting F&B
Mon 24th Jun Management Meeting BAC
Wed 24th Jul Executive Meeting F&B
Wed 31st Jul Palace Shield U21 v MCC
Mon 19th Aug Management Meeting BAC
Sat 14th Sep Last Fixtures
Wed 18th Sep Executive Meeting F&B
Mon 21st Oct Management Meeting BAC
Fri 8th Nov Dinner
Mon 9th Dec AGM BAC

They are two sports that are not frequently considered together, but cricket and poker have many similarities. They both have centuries old histories, and both saw global growth during the 19th and 20th centuries. Both sports have an element of class and sophistication, with cricket conjuring up images of tea breaks, whilst poker has strong associations with the glamorous casinos of Las Vegas, Macao and Monaco. The similarities don’t end here, below are examples of some others.

Focus on the Process

Poker players will know that sometimes you’ll be dealt a bad hand of cards; good players will understand that how they handle bad hands is just as important as their approach to good hands. Skilled poker players know that their goal is continually make the best decisions under the circumstances, without too much concern for a single hand.

This is similar in cricket, a batsman must make decisions on how aggressive to play to achieve the best outcome. An aggressive approach prevents the bowlers from finding a rhythm, and could decide the game in his team's favour. Conversely, this approach could also give away too many wickets, and result in his team losing the game. Ultimately the player must make the decision based on what he believes to be the most probable outcome, given what he knows about his own performance and his opponents'.

It's a Marathon Not a Sprint

Cricket matches can last a long time, and so can poker games. It is important for players of both games to ensure that they remain focused, and realise that one bad hand, or one bad hit, is not the end of the game. Sports like football and rugby may have matches that last for less than two hours, but a cricket match is generally played over three to five days (yes, days). Although a poker tournament might be shorter at five to seven hours, this is a significant time to maintain high levels of concentration.

This concentration is important; poker players must make many strategic decisions and good players will fold many more times than they play a hand, understanding when to bluff and doing it well. A bowler in cricket must also make strategic decisions, understanding the type of batter he is facing and changing his bowling technique accordingly. It’s therefore vital for both cricket and poker players to ensure they pace themselves, and settle in for the long haul. Without this mental and physical stamina, no level of skill will be able to compensate for the inability to perform for the whole game.

Good Sportsmanship

Unlike some sports where trash talking or displays of aggression may be seen as the norm, respect is an important part of both cricket and poker. Whether it be respect for the rules, fellow players, the dealer (in poker) or the umpire (in cricket), these are vital parts of both games.

No person or team can win every game or match, therefore grace and respect in victory and defeat are important too. Good poker and cricket players will always shake hands after a game as it’s a sign of good sportsmanship and respect. Of course this does not mean friendly rivalry can’t develop between teams and players, and certainly in poker, players will spend a lot of time bluffing and reading each other’s body language.

Skill and Practice

There is an old saying that it takes 10,000 hours to perfect a skill, although this has mostly been debunked by modern research. However, the underlying message remains true: “practice makes perfect”. This is certainly the case for both cricket and poker, both are games of skill that can be easy to learn, but difficult to master. In cricket it may be possible to bowl to a reasonable level of skill after a short period of practice, but a strong understanding of the intricacies of different bounces, spin and speeds will take many years to develop.

There are certainly many differences between poker and cricket; the latter is certainly more physically demanding. Despite their differences, they are similar in many areas too. This includes the necessity for players to be strategic in their approach to the game, with a focus on the long game. Both sports also have long running times; poker tournaments can take up as many as seven hours, whilst a cricket match could run for as long as 5 days. Whilst the technical skills may not be directly transferable, the underlying principles of sportsmanship, longevity and practice are certainly common themes in both games.

The draw has been made for the Royal London Club Championship.

Blackpool - Bye

Leyland vs Lostock

Furness vs Lancaster

Longridge vs Fleetwood

St Annes vs Spring View

Fulwood & broughton vs Highfield

Horwich vs Lytham

Chorley vs Westhoughton

The full draw is:-

winners

Entries now being taken for National Lady Taverners Girls Club U13 & U15 T20 Competition (8 a side), please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details, closing date 15^th February

With the 2019 IPL season only weeks away, can the Chennai Super King retain their crown. They will meet a familiar foe in the Hyderabad Sunrisers on March 29 th in the M.A Chidambaram Check Stadium,
Tamil Nadu. Hyderabad Sunrisers who they beat in last season final by 8 wickets will look to get one over on Chennai early on in this year's IPL. The 8-wicket score does not reflect how close the two team where on the day. But Hyderabad Sunrisers come into this season as the betting favorite ahead of Chennai Super Kings. The final will take place on May 12 th at the Wankhede Stadium Mumbai where all teams will hope they

will become the end of the IPL season.

The Top 5
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings are current 9/2 2 nd favorites with the team they beat in the final Hyderabad Sunrisers are 4/1 to go one step further then last season.
Mumbai Indians are in at 5/1 and will be out to claim their title back after giving it up last season in what some will say without much of a fight. Kolkata Knight Riders are 11/2 to get their name on the IPL trophy. Royal Challengers Bangalore are also in at 11/2 to be crowned 2019 champions.
 Hyderabad Sunrisers 9/2
 Chennai Super Kings 5/1
 Mumbai Indians 5/1
 Kolkata Knight Rider 11/2
 Royal Challengers Bangalore 11/2

Big Auction Signings

Rajasthan Royal forked out £940,000 on Indian bowler Jaydeu Unadkat to add that bit more to their attack.
Kings XI Punjab splashed out £940,000 on top Indian all-rounder Varun Chakravarthy, along with England’s all-rounder Sam Curren for £800,000.
South African batsman Colin Ingram was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for no less than £715,000 in the aim for him to bring his magic to Delhi.
30-year-old West Indian all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite is on his way to Kings Raiders for £560,000.
Some of top names went unsold at this seasons auction, with the likes of English batsman Alex Hales, Sri Lankan all-rounder Anglo Mathews and Australian bowler James Patterson going unsold.
After it was confirmed that Colin Ingram was on his way to Delhi Capitals, he put out a video on his Twitter account “The hype and buzz around cricket in India its fantastic and it's going to be great to be part of it.”

“As for the Deli Capitals its look like a bunch of exciting players and I am looking forward to joining up
with them and putting our best foot forward next season”
Carlos Brathwaite also displayed his delight of joining up with King Raiders by saying “I have heard a lot of really positive about the Knight Raiders family and I am honored and excited to now be a part of their successful franchise in the IPL

Verdict
After everything considered I think this could be the year we see a back to back winners of the IPL with Chennai Super Kings. With the spine of the team being more or less the same as the team that won the 2018 IPL, I think it is all there for them to be the first back to back champions.
So, Chennai Super Kings are my pick ay 5/1.
You can check out more cricket previews on www.betopin.com

To all reps and junior coaches

At the 2018 AGM, Bretherton CC were elected as members of the Moore & Smalley SE+ Palace Shield.

They join the league in 2019 ending a 93 year spell in the Southport and District League.

They will join Division Six for 2019 and hope to move up the leagues over the coming seasons.

Their homeground is opposite the popular Blue Anchor Inn pub located in the lovely village of Bretherton, Lancashire.

You can find out more information via their Social Media Channels www.facebook.com/brethertoncricketclub or https://twitter.com/Bretherton_CC

The 2019 Fixtures have been released to clubs and are being populated onto Play-Cricket this week.

As per the AGM, The Cup Draws will take place on April 8th at the Pre-Season Meeting. This Draw will be streamed Live on the Internet.

Premier Division Opening Games