Saxton Cricket Club – Chairperson’s Report 2025
1. Summary
2025 has been another successful season for Saxton Cricket Club, with many successes across the club and a continued growing membership base of senior players.
The club has consolidated its position as a respected club in both the Yorkshire Premier League North and Yorkshire Women and Girls Cricket League.
Junior cricket has been reinvigorated at the club through a strategy of bottom-up growth, focusing on the Dynamos and All Stars, introducing the game of cricket to children between the ages of 5 and 11. There is no better and encouraging sight for the club, than 30 children using the facilities for training sessions and games throughout the summer.
As always, the club is indebted to the time that members of the committee and other volunteers provide to ensure that cricket can be enjoyed by people from the local community and beyond. On behalf of the club I would like to thank everyone involved with the club for their contribution to making Saxton CC the best place to play cricket in the county of Yorkshire.
2. On-Field Performance (Senior Cricket)
Winning 17 of their 22 games, Saxton CC 1[st] XI enjoyed another promotion season, finishing runners-up in the YPLN Division Two Ebor section, the third successive season of promotion. Having been a player at the club for 23 years, this is arguably the best 1[st] XI team to have graced the Saxton wicket for as long as I can remember, with a brilliant combination of youth and experience that should be place the team in a good position for Division One cricket next season. Many thanks to Andrew Raison for captaining the team throughout the season.
Saxton Women’s 1[st] XI continue to compete at the highest levels of the Yorkshire Women and Girls Cricket League – Premier Division, finishing runners-up behind long-standing rivals, Sessay CC. Huge credit to all that contribute to the running and management of the Women’s team as, due to the geographical dispersed nature of many of the team’s players, fielding a competitive side has proved challenging at times throughout the season. This is a matter of potential concern and risk as we move into the 2026 season and some of the players leave the area to attend College/University. Many thanks to Emma Bailey for captaining the team throughout the season.
Saxton CC 2[nd] XI consolidated their position in Division 4 Ebor, finishing mid-table. Again, the excellent mix of youth and experience ensured some notable wins throughout the season, including against the eventual league winners, Crossgates 2[nd] XI. Many thanks to Dave Buck for captaining the team throughout the season.
For the second season, the club once again fielded a mid-week team in Division Three of the Foss Evening Cricket League. The club very much views this competition as an opportunity to provide players with an all-round experience of batting, bowling and fielding, particularly for players that might not always get the opportunity at the weekend. Finishing a respectable 4[th] place in the league reflected this approach.
The provision of regular umpires and scorers for the club is a current weakness and our aim it so ensure that both senior men’s teams have an umpire and a scorer available for every game.
3. Junior Section and Youth Development
The Junior section has been a key area of concern for the club in recent years, as the established junior players moved above the U15 age range and more into Senior cricket. Two of the club’s senior members, Will Kemp and Prak Veerasamy, ably assisted by others, have led the resurgence of junior cricket at the club, by successfully building on last year’s Dynamo’s and All Star’s initiatives. This has involved a calendar of junior nets sessions, indoor at Tadcaster Leisure Centre, throughout the winter months and then outdoor training, with Summer Camps, during the cricket season. The club is indebted to everyone who has helped to restart a vibrant junior section and therefore helping to secure the long term success of the club.
We were delighted to again enter an U11’s team into the York and District Junior Cricket Association league with a team of a relatively inexperienced youngsters who acquitted themselves very well.
4. Facilities, Grounds and Equipment
Saxton is blessed with exceptional facilities, both in terms of the standard of playing area and the pavilion. Our Groundsman, Nigel Gilbertson, works tirelessly to maintain the best place to play cricket in the county. This season saw Saxton again playing host to a number of junior county fixtures and the level of praise received for our ground, facilities and our setting never cease to amaze.
Work undertaken at the end of the 2024 season to improve drainage in the South-West corner of the pitch proved successful and no issues were encountered with standing water. That said, the weather throughout the 2025 season was exceptionally good and only one home game was lost due to rain.
With thanks to Dave Buck, the pavilion was redecorated prior to the beginning of the season and plans are afoot to possibly extend the bar/serving area to better cater for the growing demand of our licensed bar and for 3[rd] party events.
Regrettably the club did not manage to erect a ‘scorers hut’ during the 2025 season, as per the requirements of the league and this is an absolute priority to be in place prior to the start of the 2026 season. This delay also meant that we were unable to install our ‘NV Play’ live streaming service during the season and again, is a priority to be in place prior to April 2026.
Various equipment was bought and sold throughout the year to support our groundsman in his routines and tasks and thanks must go to those that have facilitated these transactions.
Our groundsman does an exceptional job and dedicates a great deal of his free time to making Saxton a fabulous cricketing venue. This does however highlight a key current risk to the club of having no level of resilience in the event that he is, for whatever reason, unable to fulfil his duties. However unlikely this might be, the club does need a back-up plan in place for this.
The club has been existing with a potential risk around the ongoing ownership of part of the land that is occupies which is held in a separate trust to that which owns the club. A legal change of
status for the club, to be ratified at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), will allow it to acquire the land from the secondary trust and therefore remove the associated risk.
5. Financial Overview
With thanks to our Treasurer, Gareth Bottomley, the club has remained in good control of our financial picture throughout the 2025 season. The club finished the year with a healthy bank balance of £16,270.73, a variance of £1,861.15 against the previous year.
As was the case during the 2024 season, sales associated with the club bar have made a significant positive impact on our financial performance. These sales have been boosted through the hosting of events such as a ‘ladies night’ and a wedding reception. Thanks go to all of the club members who gave up their time to staff these events and make them so successful for both our hirers and for the club.
A key risk highlighted throughout the year has been visibility and oversight of spending prior to decisions being made outside of the committee structure. Whilst occasional decisions have been made with best intentions and interest of the club at heart, the committee agree and acknowledge that a process is required to provide authorisation.
The treasurer highlights the need for further fund-raising activities throughout 2026 to continue to secure the good financial health of the club. Currently there are no significant fundraising/external events in the calendar.
6. Community, Social and Volunteering
The club is wholly reliant on the goodwill and dedication of its members and thanks goes to all who contribute their free time and occasionally their own money to support our ongoing needs. Each member of the committee willingly gives up their time to ensure the good running of the club so that all of our members can enjoying playing cricket at Saxton.
Our social events during the season helped to raise crucial funds through bar sales and included our ‘Mid-season Curry Night’ and ‘End-of-Season’ presentation evening. The club also hosted a ‘ladies night’ and a wedding.
In addition to the above, the club also hosts an annual ‘dog show’ and we hire out our pavilion one morning per week to a local pilates group.
The club would like to thank all its sponsors during the 2025 season. Sponsorship has not been a core focus in 2025, albeit receipts from sponsors and donations were increased at £2,680 during the season. The 2026 season should see a renewed effort to increase income streams from sponsorship, particularly with the installation of the NV Play live streaming service. Match Ball sponsorship should also be reinstated next season, creating a further vital income stream.
7. Looking ahead to 2026
With the prospect of some new players coming to join Saxton in 2026 to bolster our senior teams, the 1[st] XI will be aiming to at least consolidate its position in Division One Ebor. A
strengthening of the 1[st] XI should by default, lead to a strengthened and promotion-chasing 2[nd] XI as some of the older players move down to bolster the team.
The Ladies section will likely require a winter recruitment drive to ensure the ongoing viability of the team for 2026 but with a young and enthusiastic Captain, the team can look forward to another championship chasing season.
It is vital that the good work and huge effort made by our Junior coaching team continues to be built upon in 2026 and other senior members of the club need to provide support wherever possible. Junior cricket provides for the future of the club and our facilities and club ethos should stand us in good stead to continue this initial growth.
In addition to the erection of ‘scorers box’, plans are afoot for internal changes to the bar area, together with new seating for the pavilion, to better accommodate players/members and increased seating capacity for events.
2026 promises to be another successful year for Saxton CC.
SAXTON CRICKET CLUB TRADING AS SAXTON CRICKET CLUB UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2025 Prosper Accountancy Solutions Limited
Saxton Crlcket Club Tradlng As Saxton Crlcket Club Contents P)ge Busine55 Details Profit and L055 Account Balance Sheet Notes to the Accounts
Saxton Crlcket Club Tradlng As Saxton Crlcket Club Business Details For The Year Ended 31 October 2025 Proprietor The Saxton Cricket Club Trading Coldhill Lane Leeds LS24 9TA A¢¢ountants Pmsper Accountancy Solutions Limited 18 Craig Hopson Avenue Castleford West Yorkshire WFIO SUS Page I
Saxton Crlcket Club Tradlng As Saxton Crlcket Club Profit and Loss Account For The Year Ended 31 October 2025 2025 2024 Turnover Kitchen and Bar Sales 11,362 4,097 4,945 1,040 2,413 2,582 8,430 14.549 3,420 4,795 1,080 1,450 2,207 5,521 1901 1,481 Subscrlptlons Recelved Match and Net Fees Presentation Evenings and Dinners Donations & Tax Refunds Ground Hire Equipment & Clothing Sales All Star Refunds Camp Income 994 35,863 34,413 Cost of Sales Kitchen Shop Presentation Evening Other direct cost5 5,516 2,200 4,657 8,882 29 2,196 12,373 11,107 GROSS PROFIT 23,490 23,306 Other Income Bank Inte$t receivable 168 121 23,658 23,427 Expenditttre Fient 250 250 utility Costs Building Costs Grounds & Machinerv Insuranc 1,743 2,291 15,145 1,141 210 1,294 4,182 13,265 1,802 240 Training Telecommunications 415 390 Webslte costs Bank charges Charitable donations 390 212 85 232 180 21,797 21,920 NET PROFIT 1,861 1,507 Page 2
Saxton Crlcket Club Tradlng As Saxton Crlcket Club Balance Sheet As At 31 October 2025 2025 2024 Notes CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank and in hand L6,271 14.409 CURRENT LIABILrrIES Trade tditOrS NET CURRENT ASSETS 16,270 14,410 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 16,270 14,410 NET ASSETS 16,270 14,410 CAPITAL ACCOUNT Balance at l November 2024 ProfiVILos51 for the periodlyear 14,409 1,861 12,903 1,507 Balance Carrled Fonvard 16,270 14,410 Page 3
Saxton Crlcket Club Tradlng As Saxton Crlcket Club Notes to the Accounts For The Year Ended 31 October 2025 l. Accounting Policv These unaudited accounts have been copIeted in accordance with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice guidelines and pmvides sufficient and relevant information to enable completion of a tax return. Page 4
6[th] May 2026
Dear Sirs,
Saxton Cricket Club
Charity registration number: 1140654
We can confirm that we have been asked to carry out an independent examination of the above accounts for the period ended 31st October 2025.
In carrying out this task we discussed and reviewed the accounting processes undertaken by the relevant people involved in the above club; and had no reason to believe that the answers given were not anything but an honest reflection of the activities undertaken by the club.
The club provided copies of expenditure receipts which I reviewed and found all to be valid.
We can therefore give an unqualified opinion on the accounts.
For the avoidance of doubt the work carried out by Prosper Accountancy is on an independent basis and we have no self or financial interests in the club whatsoever.
The review was carried out on an arm’s length basis and a fee was paid on a commercial basis.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Michael Harle
Michael Harle
Prosper Accountancy Solutions Ltd – Registered in England and Wales – Registered Office: 18 Craig Hopson Avenue, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 5US
Company Number: 09487619
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