It feels a bit autumnal now. The leaves are starting to fall and cricketers in the island, are giving their kit a final wash before it gets filed upstairs in the loft for a few months.

We await the start of the new year in 2020 when nets will recommence and dreams of glory and derring-do on the cricket pitch shall return.

The young players of the Isle of Man Cricket Association’s Emerging Player Programme and the Academy will continue their training over the winter, working hard to improve their fitness and skills.

One training session starts at 6am before the start of school. This dedicated approach to training by our young players and coaches continues to bear fruit and it was certainly evident throughout the summer.

The young Callin Wild Development XI can claim, along with their senior colleagues, to be the most improved side of the summer.

Young players such as Nathan Williams, Jacob Butler and Ed Walker can compete in a manner way beyond their years.

My vote for Player of the Year though is George Burrows. This young batsman has worked immensely hard on his game and can be unstoppable at times.

He is the best player that I have seen in my 25 years of cricket in the island.

He deserves to take his game to other shores, where his dedication to the game will give him greater reward.

He has secured a winter in the sun playing for a side near Perth in Western Australia.

I am sure that the Australian game will strengthen his skills even more.

I just hope that I don’t have to bowl at him too often next year - I can feel my dodgy shoulder injury coming on.

There are many ways to enter the world of cricket and returning to the game should also have rewards.

Valkyres struggled to put together a weekend side and withdrew from the league for a season or two.

The club returned last year and have managed to become champions in 2019.

Their players are of the older vintage, with a training regime that usually includes the unhealthy practice of smoking cigarettes and the vast consumption of samosas and cake.

They can play excellent cricket, but they can also be dreadful, unable to bat properly and they have been known to drop the odd catch or two.

However, the players just love to play the game, anytime, anywhere. They arrive to play after completing a night shift and barely any sleep and try to have a laugh with team-mates and opposition alike.

Hannan Law Crosby won the midweek league, the Cain Cup.

Surprisingly, this win is only the second senior trophy that the Marown club have won. The Tinker Cup in 1993 was the other victory.

Their young players, such as Carl Hartmann, Jacob Butler and Ed Walker, backed up their older brethren to win the cup.

Do not believe a certain Gareth Rowlands if you hear him say that he won it for them.

Shimmin Wilson Peel and St John’s won the Tinker Cup. They didn’t expect to have a chance with some of their better performing players absent for the big day.

However, they upped their game against a Cronkbourne side which contained some excellent players.

Kieran Cawte was especially fired up for the game and deservedly won the Man of the Match award.

Baker Tilly Isle of Man Cronkbourne had a quiet season for them.

Their 2018 campaign had been especially successful, when they won all the senior trophies.

Their only success this year was the Blincoe Cup.

Despite a century by George Burrows in the final, good team work by the Cronkbourne lads ensured another success for the Tromode club.

Ramsey Crookall Finch Hill retained the Forrester league in 2019.

Their young side continues to grow in confidence and now that the club has been able to relay their pitch at Ballafletcher, they should be able to kick on in 2020.

The club won the Under-15 League to add to their tally of trophies for the season.

Newfield Castletown have invested in youth and they fielded two teams in both the u11 and u13 leagues.

They have some dedicated coaches, as do other clubs in the island, but this year, it was Castletown who came out on top in both scoring a first and second with the teams that they entered.

The southerners’ senior side also finished the campaign in dominant fashion to clinch Division One of the weekend leagues.

That is the season done - I am off to watch the Ashes on the telly.

ANDY COULSON