TWELVE-YEAR-OLD James Hall was the most important person in Addingham Cricket Club's first match of the season - for without him the game might not have been played at all.

The Ilkley Grammar School pupil was not even in the team, but he played a vital part, all because of the foot and mouth outbreak.

James was the official 'ball retriever' - the only person allowed to go into neighbouring fields to retrieve the ball when it was hit out of the ground. Because of the foot and mouth restrictions, Addingham CC had to nominate a member of the club to retrieve the ball.

And each time it went over the wall, James had to disinfect himself before going after it and throwing it back. No-one else was allowed to retrieve the ball and James - who had volunteered for the job - found himself a busy young man indeed.

"It was fun," he said. "But sometimes I had to go into the fields three balls in a row. Altogether I had to disinfect myself, climb over the wall, throw back the ball and climb back again ten times."

Bad weather ended the match early and there is no way of telling how many times James, a member of the Junior Section at Addingham CC, would have had to go through the ritual if it had been played to a finish.

A cricket fanatic, James made his debut for the Under 13s when he was eight. He is a batsman and medium-paced bowler, and possesses a good throwing arm.

The fields at the Ilkley end of the ground and at the back are owned by Alan Jerome and farmed by the Wallbank family. The land at the Addingham side of the cricket field belongs to Peter Johnson.

"They have all been very co-operative in allowing us to retrieve the balls," said Addingham CC treasurer Lynne Rishworth. She said that as long as the restrictions continued, Addingham would have to provide a nominated person to retrieve the ball.

James, who also plays for the Aire-Wharfe Taverners, said he enjoyed the experience so much he was quite ready to don his wellington boots and volunteer for the job again.

Beckwithshaw CC has a similar arrangement to that at Addingham, but Upper Wharfedale CC has a more difficult problem. The arrangement there is that no-one can go into neighbouring fields. The farmer will find and throw back the ball - but it may be 24 hours later.

Visiting sides are advised to take plenty of spare balls!