TRIBUTES were paid to their former long-serving secretary Peter Sykes at Herefordshire County Cricket Club's annual general meeting at the GWR Staff Association Club.

Sykes died suddenly last September and chairman Bobbie Hadley said: Peter's loss leaves a huge hole in the cricketing world and to us on the HCCC committee it is even bigger. The work he did for us as secretary was immeasurable. We are hoping in the coming year to arrange, together with other cricketing bodies, a fitting tribute to a man who served cricket and his county so well."

"When the history of the club is written the name Peter Sykes will appear on just every page, such was his input and contribution," said president Nick Nenadich.

Cricket selection sub-committee chairman Ernie Morgan said: "Never has the phrase 'he'll be sadly missed' seemed more appropriate."

In his report of last season in which Herefordshire finished second in the Western Section of the Minor Counties Championship and reached the quarter finals of the MCCA Trophy Morgan said: "Coming second in the Championship by a small margin of two points, inevitably leads you to look back and think of all those situations where we could have picked up those few extra points which would have turned a very good season into a great one."

He congratulated Brad Wadlan, who took 38 wickets at 11.9 each, on winning the Minor Counties Frank Edwards Bowling Trophy.

Match manager Derek Hince thanked the Colwall, Eastnor and Brcokhampton clubs for allowing matches to be played on their grounds saying, "Without the help and co-operation of the three clubs it would not have been possible to play Minor Counties Cricket in the county."

The chairman said the sponsorship from Weston's Stowford Press gave the club a firm footing for the confidence to build on what they had established in the last 20 years and she thanked John Beaman for his continuing fund raising.

She said progress was being made with the Second Eleven and a new plan of action is being developed for next season and added, "Special thanks must go to Tom Bevan who manages the seconds so well."

Treasurer David Phillips reported that in the financial year ending 30 September 2014 income had been £43,043 and expenditure £43,725, and a loss of £682, resulting a favourable balance carried forward of £31,473.

Ken Sharpe was elected secretary, Bill Tansell, vice-chairman and David James, membership secretary. Edward Price and Tom Bevan were elected to fill two vacancies on the general committee.

Topping the batting averages in the Championship were: Liam Gwynne 703 runs at 45.6, Brad Wadlan 504 at 45.8 and Nitesh Patel 409 at 37.2. Bowling: Wadlan 38 wickets at 11.9 runs, Callum Stewart 16 at 14.4, Dan Conway 25 at 15.1, David Ball 12 at 20.9 and Mike O'Shea 17 at 23.3