The High Peak Cricket Society is pleased to announce that its Service to Cricket Award for 2009, .The Norman Harris Trophy., was awarded to David Waterhouse.
David is currently Secretary of Birch Vale & Thornsett CC as well as a member of HPCS Committee.
As a player he is a left-hand batsman, occasional wicket-keeper & 'desperation' bowler.
His interest in local cricket started in the early 1960's when he did the scoring for both senior teams.
He started playing in 1964 when he made his debut for the Junior XI. He was a member of the Birch Vale team who won the D&CCL Junior League in 1966 when Chris Oates was non-playing captain and again in 1968 when David Hibbert was non-playing captain.
His senior 2nd team debut came in 1966 and he was a regular member of the second team by the time he made his first team debut in 1969. In 1973 he was a member of the 2nd X1 who reached the Hawke Trophy final under skipper Maurice Hargreaves. The same year the first team won the D&CCL title. He was a member of the First X1 who won the D&CCL title in 1976, which was the first season that 'overs cricket', was introduced for all League matches. David was a regular member of the First XI by the time he played his last full season in 1981 prior to moving away from the area due to his work. This took him to the Scottish Borders where he had 6 seasons playing and 3 years as Secretary for Gala Cricket Club in the Border League. "This was certainly a different experience than the D&CCL. Very often away matches involved journeys of more than 100 miles round trip, which makes a trip to Buxton a mere hop". During this time the National Village Cup commenced and he played against Freuchie the 1985 Lords winners.
David returned to Birch Vale in season 1989 and managed to win the D&CCL 'A' Division (2nd XI) batting averages.
1991 saw the dawning of a new era at Birch Vale under the new chairman Peter Burns. Young players who had come through the juniors in the 1980's broke into the clubs senior teams to join the more seasoned players such as Peter Owen & Bill Hyde.
The next 15 years saw six 1st Division titles & 10 Bissenden Cup victories for the First X1. There was also one 4th Division title, two 3rd Division titles and two Hawke Trophy victories for the Second Team under Paul Sharp and Duncan Hibbert's captaincy. A place in last 16 of the National Village Cup was also achieved in 1994.
There was also plenty happening off the field. The Clubs new pavilion was opened in 1997 after a fantastic fund-raising effort by all members. "To be a part of all this was tremendous".
David still plays occasionally for the Second Eleven - "when they are short".
For the record his career statistics, hardly extracted from Wisden but they reflect typical Waterhouse modesty: - Runs: About 15,343 - Highest Score: 120 not out. Wickets: Not many. Catches - Dropped a few. Wicket-keeping - victims unlucky.
David has been an integral member of the HPCS Committee for the last seven years. It is with that in mind plus his dedication to duties both on and off the field at Birch Vale that the Committee consider him a worthy recipient of this award.
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