SUN,SPORTSMAN'S EVENINGS AND SAUSAGE ROLLS

By Peter Davies


Hanging Heaton ; Dean and Mel Dearden

Hanging Heaton, Batley, are a top Bradford League Club. A big clubhouse and lots of significant names ,including Ismail Darwood and Dilip Vengsarker. Also two of the nicest guys we met during our university cricket project; club officials Mel Dearden and Nat Lawrence. They were playing Undercliffe and the sun was shining. Spotted a poster for a sportsman evening on Thursday this week; Dean Windass. I may pop in.On the boundary edge  I sat next to a girl who explained to me that her boyfriend was batting in the middle as we spoke. He was out the next ball.

Mirfield Parish Cavaliers; Small is beautiful.

A very small ground close to Mirfield Parish Church, with whom the club  has a link.We parked on the main road but discovered that the gate we usually walk through was locked up.So a bit of a walk round the outside of the ground to the main entrance by the clubhouse.We arrived just for tea. The tealady gave me a couple of sausage rolls and I bought a cup of tea for my Dad. MPC  beat Batley by four wickets in their Central Yorkshire League game. Enjoyed the view from the inside the pavilion and watched a bit of England -New Zealand on the TV- the game was brewing up very nicely.

Mirfield; Aussie rules.

Arrived just after 6pm  but Mirfield's game was over.Their 2nd X1 had beaten Adwalton; Mirfield had made 180-9  , Adwalton had been bowled out for 63.So popped into the pavilion and asked for a league handbook-but they had none.Bumped into Aussie Paul Newton; top Mirfield batter and ex-colleague of mine at the University. A few people milling about and playing cricket on the outfield, but very much a post-match  atmosphere. The clubhouse has been renovated in recent years and the outside now looks very smart. Said Hello to another guy I knew but would have liked to have seen Pat Neal-club stalwart and historian.

Moorlands

But the "other " club, next door, was playing . In   fact , there was a good crowd ,ringing part of the boundary edge. We popped into the pavilion, Moorlands were playing Elland in the Huddersfield League, a league they have recently joined. We sat outside in the early evening sun. Bumped into a club official   I knew and enjoyed the atmosphere. Had some salad and bought my Dad a cup of tea. Moorlands were originally known as Dewsbury Moorlands and had Methodist connections.