THE success for quadruple trophy winners Steeton’s glorious season was laid as long ago as last winter, reckons second-team skipper Simon Cox.

The Summerhill Lane club not only won the Aire-Wharfe League’s Waddilove and Birtwhistle cups but their second team also lifted the Division Five championship, while the third team won their Division Two, as well as the club picking up two individual awards at the league’s annual dinner at the Howard Suite at Headingley.

Cox, who was at the helm for both the Birtwhistle and championship triumphs and joined the club 18 months ago, said at the dinner: “It has been an unbelievable season.

“We don’t pay players but we are moving forward as a club and hopefully people will see us the club that we are and will continue to support us.

“It is all down to our spirit, which was built from our winter nets at Ermysted’s Grammar School in Skipton.

“We signed three or four lads and they all came for a pint after the nets, and you could see our spirit even tonight at our table.

“The first and second-team lads all went for a pint after nets, and the addition of Paul Quinlan (mid-way through the season) from Keighley was a massive addition to us, as were the signings of Craig Walton from Earby and Ryan Ridehalgh.

“We have strength in depth, and team spirit was evident also in the Waddilove Cup final, where our first team have three or four class players.

“Skipper Stephen Pearson, for example, could play Bradford League at the drop of a hat but chooses to play at Steeton, and a few of the lads look at that and get on board.”

Cox added: “I would love to take all of the credit for Steeton’s second team successes, but it is down to a mixture of experience and youth, and team spirit yet again.

“The experience of John Akrigg and Gary Boulton will always give you half a chance, as anyone in the Aire-Wharfe League knows, and we have added some good young lads who we hope will go on and play first-team cricket.”

As a Division Two side, Steeton’s Waddilove Cup success was a surprise, especially as they put out four Division One sides en route, and Cox said of the Birtwhistle: “In the final we played Collingham, whose loss to us was their first defeat of the season (they went on to be Division Four champions), and although they were the best side that we have played this year, I think that we can play at that level week in, week out.

“I am confident that I can take this side on and do very well in Division Four next season, while the first team (who finished sixth in Division Two) are an enigma.

“The messages are already flying about whether our overseas, Jack Ramage, is coming back, is Stevie Pearson stopping, but if we have a settled side next season, with the addition of one or two, there is no reason why we cannot be challenging for promotion.

“If our first team are not in the top three or four next season, we will be a little bit disappointed as a playing group and a committee.”

Akrigg won the Boddy-Walker Trophy as Division Five’s leading batter, while Caleb Gledhill won the third XI’s Tom Pratt Trophy as the top bowler in Division Two, with both trophies being presented by England star Jonny Bairstow.