Club Chairman Ray Senior (pictured left and on front row far left in 1984 Keighley Cup winning team below) has stood down after 4 years at the helm of the club in the run up to his 65th birthday in 2008. Ray Senior has been a highly respected leader at the Oakworth club, of which he has been a member since 1980. His Chairmanship since 2004 has seen a League Championship in 2006, the Wynn Cups of 2004 & 2006, the Keighley Cup of 2005 and of course a first ever Cowling Cup in 2006 all come to the Wide Lane clubhouse. A stalwart committee man for many years, Ray has taken particular interest in developing our bar sales capability, the money-handling side of things and in helping the club articulate it's youth policy. Always a promoter of opportunity for young players, perhaps his most important project has been to oversee the introduction of Third XI cricket for Oaks at Bronte Fields in 2006. His leadership will be most difficult to replace but he will not be lost to the club entirely and he may well retain the Chairman of Selectors role he has fulfilled with distinction in recent seasons. His ascerbic tongue and challenging humour will no doubt keep many entertained from the boundary in many a season to come.

Playing Career

Oakworth had at the first time of asking gained promotion to the Craven & District League Division One in 1979 and Ray Senior was one of a number of players who joined the club in 1980 to help them consolidate that status. His playing debut came on 19th April 1980, aged 36 vs Cowling (ct off Chris Isherwood for 13) after stints at Morton Banks, Cononley and Sutton. After a second promotion Ray assumed the Captaincy in 1982 for one season and he lead the side to a solid 5th place (11 wins) and to a first ever Wynn Cup Final, sadly lost to Cononley. All in all Ray played 108 times for the First XI with his bow, a cameo 3-ball innings, coming on 13th September 1986 vs Long Lee. His finest knock was arguably his 83 (14 x 4s & 1 x 6) v former team mates Sutton in 1981. He will no doubt remember with affection his part in his CDCL 10th wicket partnership of 73 with Dave Arnold in a June 1985 defeat vs Long Lee. Number 6 Ray played the anchor role, making 25 whilst Dave fired away for perhaps the only time in his Oakworth career to make a blistering 55 (6 x 4s, 3 x 6s). Ray is also the club record holder for most outfield catches in a season with 12 in his 1980 debut year. His 7-year career tally was 1,361 runs at 17.68 including five fifties (108 appearances, 94 innings) and he has a Keighley Cup winners medal from 1984. At the age of 43 he went on to play for the Second XI until 2000, taking the Captaincy in 1988-1990. In 10 seasons he made a further 60 appearances racking up 692 runs in 46 innings at 20.97 (3 fifties, highest 86). Ray twice captained the Second XI to third place in the CDCL Division lll.