Billy Bromilow is looking for more commitment in Lancashire golf

Dec 2 2009 by Our Correspondent, Formby Times

WITH the end of the year approaching, Lancashire’s captain Billy Bromilow has called for commitment to the county effort.

Both Lancashire and Cheshire failed in their campaign to win the Northern Counties League this year and also the “Bix Six”, the northern qualifying meeting leading to the England championship.

The last time Cheshire won the league was 2004. But for Lancashire the honours have been as recent as last season, which is why there must have been a mild sense of shock at the early setbacks this year.

Lancashire swept all opposition aside in 2008, winning the league, the “Big Six” and then the ultimate prize, the England title.

Not surprisingly, Bromilow was in a confident mood when the 2009 campaign opened.

As he says: “I could see us doing it all again.” Indeed the signs were promising in the opening match against Cheshire until the fight back in the singles and a match victory for Cheshire by one point. “I was gobsmacked,” says Bromilow.

Yet there were more setbacks ahead, defeat in the league against Yorkshire and then the great shock at the “Big Six” meeting, the scene of high triumph last year.

This year a player signed for an incorrect score and Lancashire were disqualified.

Reviewing the season Bromilow admits: “I was disappointed. It has been a bit of a learning curve.

“The previous season we won everything and then you don’t think about what has is going wrong.”

But he has been thinking about that at the end of this season.

He believes that the problem is non availability of key players at times and insufficient team spirit.

He had ten preferred players missing for the match against Yorkshire and fielded an almost second team.

He has had four top players including Formby Hall’s Walker Cup player Tommy Fleetwood missing for most of the season because of England duties.

During the northern league campaign there were 40 occasions when players were not available. Lancashire used a total of 26 players throughout the season.

Bromilow compares that with champions Cumbria’s 15.

The regular availability of players was obviously a key factor in Cumbria’s success.

Including this season and also last, Cumbria won nine matches in succession.

Bromilow accepts that a player’s first choice will be to play for their country.

But he thinks that two early league defeats followed by the shock disqualification in the “Bix Six” caused some lack of commitment among some players.

“The commitment was not there from my point of view, so many players who, for whatever reason, were not available. That is demoralising from a captain’s point of view. We do have the best players but you do have to get them out. You must pull together.”

But he praises the efforts of those who came in to the Lancashire team, including James Wilson of Formby, a new arrival from the ranks of the boys who had an outstanding season.

Cheshire started the season with high hopes, defeating Lancashire in the opening Northern League match. Lancashire were not only English champions but had presented a very strong team with a combined handicap of plus-30. Even after losing narrowly to Cumbria, Cheshire confidence remains high, helped by a second place finish in the “Bix Six.” But two league defeats followed.

Reviewing the season, manager Ron Harrison says there were times when Cheshire were weak in foursomes, at times scrambling a half from winning positions and there were some disappointing matchplay performances.

“We need to impose ourselves more in matchplay, need to keep going, keep the pressure on the opposition.

“We do have very capable players and they have proved themselves in winning strokeplay and other events. But you need a different mental approach in matchplay. You need to battle to the last opportunity and (instead) I think at times the head went down.”

He believes that there were occasions in matchplay when a player, believing he is going to lose, slips into the attitude that the margin of the defeat does not then matter greatly.

“But that will not do in a team event. The margin of a defeat does matter because if it is small and it is clear the player has battled to the last that will encourage the team, help keep the whole side to keep going. From the team point of view you must give everything you can.”

“We do need to be more focused as a team, make players believe that every hole, every point is important, even in a player’s defeat.”

He looks back on some fine individual performances including that of experience players such as Mike Bedford from Prestbury, winner of the County Strokeplay, runner-up in the County Matchplayer and winner the Mitsubishi Order of Merit.

Tom Boys (Royal Liverpool, Josh Evans and Richard Pickering (Mere) and Sam Connor (Sandiway, were among those making impressive debuts in the senior ranks. The young talent in the senior side next season will include Oliver Carr, Heswall’s 16 year-old, winner this year of the Cheshire Under 16 championship for the second year in succession and of the Faldo Series Under 16 title in Brazil.

Both counties will hold get togethers in the winter. For Cheshire the preparations for next season will include more focus on the foursomes, more effort in the pre-match practice days. “I think we can make that more productive, such things as how to improve course management.”