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It’s been a great year for Manx Cricket. On the island St Johns swept the board by winning all five major trophies, Cronkbourne topped the three Youth Leagues and in Italy the Island Juniors won the European Affiliates Championship.
 
In the final match of the year, St Johns retained the League Cup after an excellent final against Crosby. They also won the Standard Bank League, Tinker Cup, Six-A-Side Tournament and MAC Financial Cain League.  A Marvellous achievement and full credit to skipper Jaco Jansen who was an inspiration with both bat and ball.
 
The Saints dominated the season on the pitch and they also worked hard on their Mullen-e-Cloie base. The improvements to the pavilion and pitch have made this one of the best grounds on the Island.
 
Crosby were another big success story. Bottom of the Karran in 2004, they embarked on a courageous policy. The selectors brought into the first team many of their Youth Academy players and added Simon Watson and Jamie Tomlinson to the squad.
 
Simon made over a thousand runs and for the tenth consecutive year scored more runs than anybody else. Jamie bowled as quick as he has done for many seasons and the youngsters showed real promise. The result of this positive approach saw Crosby finish as runners-up in the Karran and reaching the League Cup final.
 
The Cronkbourne youth sides were outstanding. They topped the Lloyds TSB Under 11 League, Under 13 League and Under 15 League – a great achievement. The club also started putting their best young players in the first eleven.
 
The side came fourth in the Standard Bank League and gained promotion from Forrester One to the Cain. Their splendid new all weather nets were opened by South African Test Star Jonty Rhodes. The club’s future looks very bright – watch out for them next year.
 
Castletown were blighted by injuries. Skipper Christian Steriopulos was out for much of the season and Andy Cross was another on the casualty list. On the other hand Garreth Morris hit three centuries and Dale Killa was in frightenly good form. He finished with a batting average of 112 and the two highest scores of the year – 186 and 163.
 
Ramsey played well and just missed out on a top four spot. Chris McConnell shone with some sharp bowling and his aggressive batting was a real plus to the team. Joe Berry was on target with 41 wickets and James Berry chipped in with thirty very useful wickets.
 
Finch Hill returned to the Karran and although they came bottom put in some creditable performances. They never gave up and definitely improved as the year went on. Peter Norris was a class act with 456 runs and 27 wickets.
 
Valkyres turned in some fine performances, but their supporters were confounded by the team’s inconsistency.  They were sixth in the Karran, but showed what they could achieve when they finished runners up in the Cain.
 
Peel didn’t have the best of times. The first team was relegated from the Cain and the second eleven came bottom equal in the Forrester One.  However they went down as well after losing a dramatic play-off to Ramsey B.  The Northerners then completed a good week by going to Mullen-e-Cloie and defeating Finch Hill in the final of the Blincoe Cup.
 
A very determined Ronaldsway were back in the Cain and held their own by finishing in mid-table. The ever reliable George Broad showed the virtues of bowling line and length. He claimed twenty wickets at an average of only ten. 
 
Union Mills had a good year. They ended as runners-up in Forrester One and got through to the final of the Tinker Cup. Once again the dangerous Johnny Palmer caught the eye. His highlight was to batter 150 not out in a twenty overs match – thrilling stuff.
 
For the second year running Grasshoppers just missed out on promotion from Forrester Two. It won’t be long now before they finally make it.  In Matt Greenbank they have a fine batsman who scored over 400 runs at an average of above 70.  It is surprising that none of the bigger clubs have not tried to lure him away.
 
For the most part the weather was good and the batsmen fared better than the bowlers.  In 2004 we had 12 centuries, but this year there were 15 with both Gareth Morris and Simon Watson hitting three each.
 
In Europe the Island went to Belgium for the Affiliates championships. It was a steep learning curve. They lost the first three games, but bounced back in the next three with two victories and a game rained off. The experience has done the side no end of good.
 
But surely the big plus was the performance of the Island Junior Squad. They were the first Manx side to play in a European tournament. The team traveled to Italy and won the Affiliates Under 15 Championship which is the second division of the whole European Junior Scene. Cronkbourne’s Max Stokoe was named the player of the tournament. 
 
The whole youth scene on the Island buzzed and full credit to all the players and coaches responsible for this triumph.  It didn’t come overnight and an enormous amount of work, patience, practice and dedication went into it. Well done everybody.
 
It’s not quite the end of the season.  St Johns will soon be off to represent the Island in the Menorca International Sixes and of course the Dinner and Prize Presentation is due in November. 
 
Finally many thanks to the umpires and sponsors. Gentlemen we are indebted to you all. It’s been a great year - Roll on 2006!
 
 
ISLE OF MAN CRICKET ASSOCIATION
2005 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR
 
CHAMPIONS
 
Standard Bank League …………………….. ……... ST JOHNS
 
Aon Cain League…………………………………..   ST JOHNS
MAC Financial Forrester Division One…………..  CRONKBOURNE
MAC Financial Forrester Division Two)…………. CASTLETOWN 
 
Tinker Cup…………………………………. ……… ST JOHNS
Standard Bank League Challenge Cup…………..  ST JOHNS
 
Blincoe Cup………………………………………     RAMSEY
 
Six-a-Side Trophy…………………………………..  ST JOHNS
 
Under 15 League…………………………………     CRONKBOURNE
Under 13 League…………………………………     CRONKBOURNE
Under 11 League…………………………………     CRONKBOURNE
 
 
THE SEASON
 
Total Runs Scored  38.707
Total Wickets Lost  2,137
Hundreds Scored  15
Fifties Scored  110
 
Analysis of  Wickets Lost
847  Caught
877  Bowled
163  LBW
 66   Stumped
   1   Hit Wicket
183  Run Out
 
Highest Team Score  392 for 9 – Castletown v Finch Hill
Lowest Team Score in a Completed Innings  37 – Cronkbourne v St Johns
 
 
Most Run Outs in an Innings   4  Peel v St Johns
Most Ducks in a Match   8  Ronaldsway v Castletown
Most Games Played  40  Adam Peel
Most Innings   39  Adam Peel
 
Most Centuries  3  Simon Watson, Gareth Morris
Most “50”s Scored (inc centuries)  11  Jaco Jansen
 
 
INDIVIDIUAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
THE BATSMEN
 
Most Runs in a Season
All Games   1,212 Simon Watson
Island Matches  173 Graeme Garrett
Karran  609 Simon Watson
Cain  532 Simon Watson
Forrester One  313 Pete Richards
Forrester Two  291 Matt Greenbank
Cup Games  289 Jaco Jansen
 
Centuries
186  Dale Killa (Castletown v Cronkbourne)
163  Dale Killa  (Castletown v Ramsey)
150  John Palmer (Union Mills v St Johns)
147  Simon Watson (Crosby v Finch Hill)
146  Garreth Roome (Castletown v Finch Hill)
121  Graeme Garrett (Cronkbourne v Castletown)
114  Gareth Morris (Castletown v Ronaldsway)
111  Gareth Morris (Castletown v Valkyres)
109  Gareth Morris (Castletown v Valkyres)
107  Simon Watson (Crosby v Valkyres)
104  Pete Richards (Cronkbourne v Valkyres)
103  Matt Greenbank (Grasshoppers v Castletown)
102  Eddie Cleator (Ramsey v Crosby)
102  Simon Watson (Crosby v St Johns)
101  Scott Pearce (St Johns v Finch Hill)
 
The Batsman who was out most times
Bowled : 12  Dave Hopkins 
LBW :  5  Ewald Killian, Pete Richards
Caught:   20  Adam Peel
Run Out:   4  James Berry, Joe Berry, Mark Williams
 
 
THE BOWLERS
 
Most  Wickets in a Season
All Games  45 Greg Hawke
Island Matches  11 Connor Byrne
Karran  21 Joe Berry
Cain  20 George Broad
Forrester One  16 Shiron Fernando
Forrester Two  14 Dave Hopkins
Cup Games  16 Scott Pearce
 
Most Wickets in an Innings   7 - Joe Berry(Ramsey v Finch Hill)
Most Overs Bowled  169 Chris McConnell
Most Maidens Bowled   40  Jaco Jansen
Most Times a Bowler took 5 wickets in an innings   2 - Jamie Tomlinson, Joe Berry. Andy Sewell,                                                                                        Gareth Morris, Greg Hawke
 
The Bowler who took most wickets
Bowled   21 Jamie Tomlinson
LBW   7 Scott MacGreggor
Caught  26 Greg Hawke
 
Hat Trick
Alex Sharpe (Castletown v Finch Hill)
Phil Knights (Finch Hill v St Johns)
Steve Cope (Cronkbourne v Finch Hill)
Chris Stockdale (Cronkbourne v Ramsey)
Jamie Tomlinson (Crosby v Castletown)
 
 
FIELDING
 
Most Catches  24 Rob Webber
Most Stumpings 15 Rob Webber.