Anne Craft has stepped down as Hampshire Cricket League secretary after almost two decades at the helm.
The octogenarian announced her retirement at the league’s annual meeting and will hand the secretarial reins over to Anne Carter, who plays in the women’s league for Langley Manor.
Mrs Craft, who took up her secretarial role in 2001, has been elected a life vice-president of the Hampshire League, with her outstanding service to be formally recognised at the awards presentations in November.
Until recently, the Hampshire League was the largest recreational weekend cricket competition of its kind in the country, with over 300 teams participating. Its has since been narrowly gazumped in size by the neighbouring Sussex league.
“Apart from dealing with the results and finances, Anne was involved in every aspect of the league management – a colossal undertaking, but one she handled with extreme care and efficiency for almost 20 years,” praised chairman Denis Emery.
“Organising the league’s annual end-of-season award presentation dinner functions with precision was just one of many tasks Anne undertook, never mind dealing with the needs of over 300 teams throughout the summer months.
Formidable
“Her service to Hampshire cricket has been immense and I cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for the past 19 years.”
Cricket has been deeply ingrained in Anne Craft life, her late husband Bill having been a stylish left-hand batsman for Lymington and her two sons, Charlie and Ben good cricketers, schooled at King Edward VI in Southampton.
A tall imposing all-rounder, Ben played throughout the Hampshire junior age groups and was a formidable hard hitting batsman in his time at Lymington.
Anne spent a spell as secretary at Lymington, running the club’s colts teams while her sons were playing – and then sowing the seeds for not only women’s cricket in the town but also the formation – in 2006 – of the Women’s Division of the Hampshire League, which this summer will have 19 participating clubs.
She also ran the New Forest CA Junior Cricket Association for over 20 years.
Her successor Anne Carter hails from Yorkshire and says: “I can proudly say I started my cricketing career at Headingley, with my grandfather, brother and a blue plastic bat - until the groundsman asked us to leave the outfield !
“This was followed by a long interregnum during which I pursued my career.
“Then five years ago, against my will (cricket was like watching paint dry), I was persuaded to join in with the Women’s W10, became hooked and I have played league cricket ever since. I now play for Langley Manor.”
The octogenarian announced her retirement at the league’s annual meeting and will hand the secretarial reins over to Anne Carter, who plays in the women’s league for Langley Manor.
Mrs Craft, who took up her secretarial role in 2001, has been elected a life vice-president of the Hampshire League, with her outstanding service to be formally recognised at the awards presentations in November.
Until recently, the Hampshire League was the largest recreational weekend cricket competition of its kind in the country, with over 300 teams participating. Its has since been narrowly gazumped in size by the neighbouring Sussex league.
“Apart from dealing with the results and finances, Anne was involved in every aspect of the league management – a colossal undertaking, but one she handled with extreme care and efficiency for almost 20 years,” praised chairman Denis Emery.
“Organising the league’s annual end-of-season award presentation dinner functions with precision was just one of many tasks Anne undertook, never mind dealing with the needs of over 300 teams throughout the summer months.
Formidable
“Her service to Hampshire cricket has been immense and I cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for the past 19 years.”
Cricket has been deeply ingrained in Anne Craft life, her late husband Bill having been a stylish left-hand batsman for Lymington and her two sons, Charlie and Ben good cricketers, schooled at King Edward VI in Southampton.
A tall imposing all-rounder, Ben played throughout the Hampshire junior age groups and was a formidable hard hitting batsman in his time at Lymington.
Anne spent a spell as secretary at Lymington, running the club’s colts teams while her sons were playing – and then sowing the seeds for not only women’s cricket in the town but also the formation – in 2006 – of the Women’s Division of the Hampshire League, which this summer will have 19 participating clubs.
She also ran the New Forest CA Junior Cricket Association for over 20 years.
Her successor Anne Carter hails from Yorkshire and says: “I can proudly say I started my cricketing career at Headingley, with my grandfather, brother and a blue plastic bat - until the groundsman asked us to leave the outfield !
“This was followed by a long interregnum during which I pursued my career.
“Then five years ago, against my will (cricket was like watching paint dry), I was persuaded to join in with the Women’s W10, became hooked and I have played league cricket ever since. I now play for Langley Manor.”