COLIN Bickerstaffe – one of the North Lancs and Cumbria Cricket League’s finest servants – has called it a day.

In retiring from his position as league secretary, Bickerstaffe ends a 38-year stint involved in the competition’s management structure, which started when he took over as assistant secretary in 1977.

Bickerstaffe also enjoyed a long North Lancs League career, firstly as a player and then as an umpire and was still taking charge of matches when he celebrated his 80th birthday.

He played for Haverigg A throughout the 1940s and 1950s, except for a two-year period when he was doing his national service in the RAF.

Bickerstaffe also performed for West Coast Tannery and Millom Ironworks, ending his playing days in 1968. He served as a league umpire for 42 years, and was secretary of the Umpires Federation for 25 years.

North Lancs League chairman Gary Postlethwaite made a presentation to Bickerstaffe at the league’s AGM recently and thanked him for all his work and long service to the local game.

The draw for the league’s knock-out cup competitions were also made at the AGM.

Reigning Premier Division champions Furness face a long trip to Wigton in the first round of next year’s Higson Cup, while Millom have a tasty home draw against Cleator.

Victory for the St George’s Road side will see them take on Lindal Moor at home, while if Furness beat Wigton they will entertain Workington, in a repeat of last season’s final, which the West Cumbrians won.

Haverigg have a bye and will play the winners of the Whitehaven versus Carlisle clash in round two. Dalton also have a bye and will play either Keswick or Cockermouth in the quarter-finals.

Millom are at Kirkby in round one of the Sowerby Cup, with the winners up against the victors of the Ulverston and Seascale encounter in the semi-finals. Haverigg are at home to Lindal Moor and Workington A take on Carlisle.

In the Marsden Cup, Hawcoat Park host Cleator A, with the winners at home to either Lindal Moor A or Egremont in the last four. Cockermouth A v Dalton A and Vickerstown v Furness A are the other round one matches.

Whitehaven A are at home to Haverigg A in round one of the Vigodny Cup, with a home tie with either Vickerstown A or Egremont A the prize awaiting the winners.

It is Ulverston A v Windscale and Hawcoat Park A v Millom A in the other side of the draw.

CUP DRAWS

Higson Cup Round One: 1. Wigton v Furness; 2. Whitehaven v Carlisle; 3. Millom v Cleator; 4. Keswick v Cockermouth; 5. Bye – Lindal Moor; 6. Bye – Dalton; 7. Bye – Haverigg; 8. Bye – Workington.

Round Two: A: 1 v 8; B: 6 v 4; C: 3 v 5; D: 7 v 2. Semi-finals: A v D; C v B.

Sowerby Cup Round One: A. Ulverston v Seascale; B. Haverigg v Lindal Moor; C. Workington A v Carlisle; D. Kirkby v Millom.

Semi-finals: A v D; B v C.

Marsden Cup Round One: A. Hawcoat Park v Cleator A; B. Egremont v Lindal Moor A; C. Cockermouth A v Dalton A; D. Vickerstown v Furness A.

Semi-finals: D v C; A v B.

Vigodny Round One: A. Ulverston A v Windscale; B. Whitehaven A v Haverigg A; C. Hawcoat Park A v Millom A; D. Vickerstown A v Egremont A.

Semi-finals: C v A; B v D.