CRICKET: Ricks wins landslide victory in Cherwell battle

Ricks, Dick Giles, David Pryor and their supporters crushed the gang of eight rebel executive members 26-7 in the showdown at a packed Rover Cowley Sports & Social Club.

Three clubs abstained in the vote at the extraordinary general meeting, while Brackley and Bourton Vale were not represented.

It was a resounding triumph for Ricks’s team with the clubs leaving no-one in doubt who they wanted to run the league.

At the same time it was an ignominious defeat for the rebels – Don Brooks, fixture secretary John Pearson, secretary Peter Tomlin, treasurer Jim Lodge, Mick Boyden, Tariq Mehmood, Graham Stearn and Ken White – whose strategy in forcing the EGM backfired in such spectacular fashion.

After the meeting, Ricks said: “I was relatively confident that the clubs, who backed me at the AGM, would continue to back me.

“It was a victory for the team I have managed to put together.

“They are playing, umpiring or in a senior administration position with a Cherwell League club, and putting those people together I came up with the A-team.”

At the same time, Ricks thanked his opponents for their work.

“Before we move on to the job in hand it is very important that we do not forget the tremendous amount of work that has been put in over many years by many of the outgoing executive to ensure the efficient running of the Cherwell League,” he added.

Brooks took defeat on the chin.

“I am quite happy with the result,” he said. “I am looking forward to spending as many years that I have devoted to the Cherwell League in other channels, which are already in place.”

Tomlin declined to comment.

Giles was co-opted as secretary and Len Payne as treasurer, with Stephen Brain, Keith Arnold, Lee Morgan, Stuart Misseldine, Peter Tubb and David Ward forming the league’s interim management team.

It is expected that a further EGM will be held in the next month when the above – plus any other nominations – will be voted upon.