EAST RIDING CRICKET SOCIETY

Undeterred by the freezing weather, Jim Love made his way from Tadcaster to Hull last night for a really enjoyable evening. Jim's work as Regional Manager (North) for the charity Chance to Shine is keeping him very busy at the moment. Described by Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson as 'one of the most successful grassroots sports initiatives in this country', Chance to Shine aims to reverse the rapid decline in state school cricket experienced since the 1980s. The scheme has already given cricketing opportunities to over 1.5 million primary age children nationwide. And now with new funding from Sport England Jim and his colleagues are preparing to go into the secondary sector for the first time. It's a campaign which certainly means a lot to Jim, a one-time pupil at Brudenell School in Leeds, where a cricket-loving headmaster helped him take his first steps towards a professional career. Now Chance to Shine has produced its first county player in sixteen-year-old

Yorkshire and England batsman Jim Love is making a welcome return to Hull on Wednesday 12 th December. The city holds happy memories for Jim. He played regularly at the Circle in the 70s and 80s, with an unbeaten century against Notts in 1986 a particular highlight. Jim last visit ed the East Riding Cricket Society in 1987, the year his match-winning 75* gained him the Gold Award in a thrilling B&H Final against Northants. The scores were tied but Yorkshire had lost fewer wickets and Jim successfully blocked the last ball of the match to secure victory. Retirement from first-class cricket came in 1993, but that was just the start of a hugely varied career in the sport . As Director of Cricket for Scotland between 1992 and 2001, Jim led the Saltires to the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 1999 World Cup. He is now Head Coach of the hugely successful York CC, winners of six consecutive Yorkshire ECB Premier League titles, and crowned as the best club side in the