Sessay swop places with Driffield

posted by John Winn

I began my league cricket watching for this season back in April with a visit to Sessay, newcomers to Yorkshire Premier North. Under the title 'A good start for Sessay' I described their comfortable win over Acomb, for whom little has gone right since, while for Sessay things have been a little better but overall it has been a disappointing campaign for the North Yorkshire villagers. The fixture computer presented them with two home fixtures over the Bank Holiday weekend with both sets of visitors travelling from East Yorkshire.

On Saturday Stamford Bridge, third in the table, represented difficult opposition but when I arrived on a breezy but sunny afternoon the home team were making steady progress with skipper Mark Wilkie at the helm. Alas it never got better than steady with run making a chore on a slow pitch and attempts to force the pace usually ending in dismissal. Main tormentor for Bridge was Dave Chaplin who took 6 for 56. Wilkie who went for 77, ct Dominic bowled Will, Rhodes that is, received some support from Tim Hall, 28, and 182 all out was felt not to be enough amongst a crowd which included a fair representation from east of the Derwent.

And so it proved with Ryan McKendry anchoring the innings with 74 not out, Dominic Rhodes hitting 37 and Will Rhodes who I had seen on his way to a century for Warwickshire a week earlier, bagging a duck, Bridge got home with four wickets to spare and ten overs in hand.

This result left Sessay in the one relegation place not reserved for Acomb with Driffield, yesterday's visitors just a whisker ahead. Despite Sunday's rain, play started on time with Driffield batting.Through their Twitter feed Sessay had exhorted 'all (to) get behind Mark and the boys and make it a massive day for the club' and it was very apparent that 'the boys' were up for it with plenty of chat and good bowling backed up by keen fielding. On a pitch similar to Saturday's, Kavindu Kulasekara and Nick Hardgrave pulled things round after the loss of two early wickets but at a rate that rarely rose above three, progress was pedestrian. When KK chanced his arm he was brilliantly caught by Wilkie at deep mid off at 104 for 3 which proved to be The Lord Mayor's Show as spinner Langstaff got to work and none of the last seven batsmen got into double figures. 150 all out in the 49th,'game on' said one of the Driffield players.

Despair soon struck the home support when Wilkie was run out for 7 by 'Unsure'. Johnson who took five overs to get off the mark was unrattled by the incident but received little support until the arrival of Christopher Till when 5 were down for 74. No place for the faint hearted so home I went and in so doing missed a famous victory for Sessay who got home without further loss with Jackson 59 not out and Till on 41. The result leaves Driffield in the pink but probably not feeling it, 4 points behind Sessay with Clifton Alliance, Harrogate and Castleford above them in ascending order. Sessay visit Scarborough next Saturday while Driffield face a difficult East Yorks derby at Woodhouse. 

Championship cricket resumes on Wednesday with Yorkshire welcoming Somerset to Headingley. I shall be at The Riverside where Northants are in town, a chance to see Durham's new overseas player, Axar Patel who played such an important part in the recent win at Glamorgan. Leaving partisanship aside match of the week is probably at Old Trafford where the two bottom teams, Lancashire and Worcestershire, are in action. Yorkshire supporters and a few others  might be interested in that. 

Yorkshire's young hopefuls battle on

Posted by Tony Hutton

One wonders what the next generation of Yorkshire cricketers feel about the recent signings from far and wide. Do they feel they have a future or not? Obviously they will have to wait and see but the signs are not too promising.

For the present they battle on. Six of the under 17 squad spent last week at Loughborough University playing for the North in a regional under 17 competition. They were Wharton, Hill, Duke, Leech, Josh Sullivan and Wisnewski. Together with the rest of their Yorkshire team mates they will today be travelling to Arundel for the under 17s national final - a three day game with Surrey which starts tomorrow (Tuesday). There are concerns at this now regular venue for what is always a north v south fixture. Surely it should be held in the Midlands, as it was in the past, to enable more parents and supporters to attend.

This has necessitated Yorkshire Academy having to forfeit today's Yorkshire League North game with Scarborough. However, despite the absentees, Yorkshire were able to field an Academy side against Woodhouse Grange at Weetwood on Saturday. The Grange are having a good season and are giving leaders York a run for their money in second place. They are captained by James Finch, a former Academy player himself, who joined from Barnard Castle at the start of the season.

The Academy batted first and Harry Brook and Ben Birkhead together put on a hundred partnership before Brook was out for 54 caught from a careless shot into the on side. Birkhead went on to make 66 , followed by yet another half century from the ever consistent Tom Loten, who finished on 52 not out. He was given good support at the end by one of the incomers, Vikram Sharma, with a brisk 23 and the Academy innings ended on 239-6, which seemed well within reach of a powerful opposition.
The visitors are to be commended on their admirable over rate - 20 overs in each of the first two hours play, with the first innings of 50 overs finished in two hours and forty minutes.

Last week opener Andrew Bilton scored a century, but he was dismissed cheaply by Ed Barnes, who worked up a good pace to take three early wickets and the Grange were soon 20-3. Some may have felt the Grange had no chance from this situation, but they came back well. It was Andrew Bilton's brother, Chris, who got the century this week, just before the end of the game with the number eleven batsman in at the other end.

The Grange ended just twenty runs short, but picked up a valuable four points to the Academy's eight.
Bilal Anjum took over the number one spinner role as Harry Sullivan suffered an unfortunate injury in the field and was unable to bowl. Bilal removed the middle order with a fine spell of 5-70 and the Academy looked like getting the maximum ten points by bowling their opponents out. It was not to be as number ten Steve Burdett hung around to make 27, before number eleven Josh Jackson batted out time and helped Chris Bilton achieve a well deserved century.

This was an excellent performance by the Academy without so many of their regular players and we can only wish the Under 17s well in their battle for the national title this week.

Not quite a total wash out.

Posted by Tony Hutton

The rains came today with a vengeance all over the country and played havoc with a whole series of cup games in Yorkshire, as well as the T20 Blast quarter final between Somerset and Notts which will now be played tomorrow at Taunton, as will the Minor Counties T20 finals day at Wormsley.

The Bradford League's Priestley Cup final between Farsley and Woodlands was due to be replayed tomorrow but Farsley have since withdrawn from the competition as they cannot raise a full team tomorrow. The two delayed Black Sheep Champions Trophy semi-finals were decided on the toss of a coin, which now means that Hanging Heaton will play Pudsey St Lawrence in the final at Cleckheaton on Sunday 9th September.

There was also no play in the Yorkshire Leagues Rudgate Cup Final at Treeton, between Woodhouse Grange and Barnsley, which I understand will also be played on Sunday 9/9, and presumably not in the over 50s semi-final between Yorkshire and Essex at Streethouse, although no news yet of a re-arrangement. The other over 50s semi final between Lancashire and Gloucestershire has been put back to next Sunday (2/9) at Stretford.

However very surprisingly one game did beat the weather. The long delayed ECB national club knock out quarter final game between Richmondshire and Ormskirk did take place this morning on a ten over per side basis. Whether this was played in the rain is not yet clear, but a result was obtained. Remarkably Gary Pratt's Richmondshire totalled 158-2 in only ten overs. Matty McKiernan, now of Derbyshire, scored an amazing 100 not out with five fours and ten sixes in the ten overs. Some achievement that.

Matty McKiernan

In reply Ormskirk could only make 92-5, so Richmondshire go through to a home semi-final with Northern CC of Crosby (Lancashire) next Sunday 2/9 with a 12 noon start. The other semi-final on the same day is between Stanmore of Middlesex and Roffey of Sussex. I believe the final of this competition is being played at the Bristol county ground on Sunday 23/9.

Starting afresh with Championship cricket

Posted by Tony Hutton

Monday 20th August at Scarborough for day two of the Championship game between Yorkshire and Worcestershire. Although I have watched cricket of some description almost on a daily basis throughout the season, this was only the first day of seeing Yorkshire first eleven since Friday 20th April at Headingley, such is the crazy fixture list we find ourselves saddled with. One day county cricket of any description does not fit into my calender, but as regular readers will know there is plenty going on elsewhere.

Welcome back - county cricket.

Another large crowd present to see Worcestershire begin the day on 39-0 after bowling out Yorkshire for just 216 on day one. Only New Zealander Williamson made any kind of a score, with 87 aided and abetted by some late hitting from tailender Brooks. Dillon Pennington, the young fast bowler had destroyed the Yorkshire middle order with a fine spell, which ended with figures of 4-53, probably getting most satisfaction from removing Worcester old boy Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a duck.

Today was without doubt the batsmen's day. Veteran Daryl Mitchell, one of county cricket's unsung heroes, and Tom Fell, still a youngster, who has battled through various health problems, took their opening partnership to 111, unlucky 'Nelson'. A shout of relief from the spectators as the umpire's finger was raised to Brook's lbw appeal. Yorkshire's bowling attack looked rather thin, given the absence of Patterson and Coad, probably their two most reliable bowlers.

So it proved as Mitchell and acting captain Moeen Ali batted, and batted on for the rest of the day. For the purist it was old fashioned county cricket. The two batsmen batted with admirable good sense, taking their time, treating each ball on it's merits and hitting the bad balls for four at regular intervals. The spectators, despite their obvious dissatisfaction with the quality of the bowling, were generous in their applause of every good shot, together with every individual and partnership landmark. It was like old times and for old timers like me reminiscent of the day back in 1990 when Alan Fordham and Alan Lamb put on 393 for the third wicket for Northants at Headingley.

However with both players reaching their century, Mitchell first followed by Moeen Ali just before the close Worcestershire ended the second day on 310-1, with more to come we were sure. After Brooks took the only wicket of the day, the four seamers, including acting captain Willey, all toiled in
vain. One could only feel sorry for newcomer leg spinner Poysden, strangely signed from Warwickshire, who must feel that he was thrown in at the deep end.

Spectators ponder the unanswered questions.

Not a day to remember for the White Rose with lots of unanswered questions for the long suffering supporters to ponder. Why make Willey captain? Why sign Poysden? Why are young bowlers like Wainman, Carver and Logan not given a regular chance in the first team? Why are players leaving the club or being released when they are better than the ones being brought in? It is all a mystery.

Are we ready for the fray? Afraid not.

Moeen Ali and Mitchell march out together to start day two.

There was not much optimism about at the start of day two. The regulars were still there in force hoping for a miracle. It was not forthcoming as Mitchell and Moeen carried on where they left off, taking their partnership to just short of 300 before Mitchell was finally out caught by Bresnan at slip off part time off spinner Adam Lyth. The score by then was 405-2. Mitchell received a tremendous ovation on his return to the pavilion.

The scoreboard reaches 400.

Enter Joe Clark, another of Worcester's young brigade and talked of as a future England batsman. He made a bright and breezy 34 before becoming Lyth's second victim at 473-3. Moeen Ali was finally out when Bresnan once more returned to the attack. Moeen had already passed the double century mark, again to tremendous applause, and was rightly applauded all the way back to the pavilion after a splendid innings of 219. Worcestershire 522-4.

Yorkshire are a picture of dejection.

Poysden managed to pick up three late wickets as the sloggers came in to add to the total but figures of 3-128 tell their own story. Not a home debut to remember. Barnard also enjoyed himself with a rapid 34 before Worcester eventually declared on 572-7. Yorkshire were just about out for the count and their batting during the final session of play left a lot to be desired. Again only Williamson provided any sort of opposition with 61 as Moeen now wreaked havoc with the ball to give his hopes of an England re-call added impetus. Yorkshire ended the day in total disarray on 140-6.

Not many people bothered to turn up on Wednesday morning for the last rites when Worcestershire won by and innings and 186 runs (Moeen Ali 6-49). We preferred to listen to the excellent Scarborough Spa Orchestra's morning concert along with quite a few more cricket followers who had seen enough.

Centuries keep on coming

Posted by Tony Hutton

Last Saturday's Yorkshire League North game between Stamford Bridge and the Yorkshire Academy provided a century on each side in a high scoring encounter which proved to be a prelude to a few more centuries over the next few days.

Stamford Bridge have been fielding a very powerful line up this season and although without Will Rhodes, doing well for Warwickshire again, his brother Dominic produced the best bowling figures of 3-44 as the Academy, batting first, made a pretty good total of 251-6. Hero of the day was Tom Loten, who has batted consistently all season and recently made his first second team hundred for Yorkshire against Worcestershire at Harrogate.

This very tall young man from nearby Dunnington cricket club and Pocklington school dominated the innings and was never in trouble from start to finish, scoring 127 from only 133 balls, with eleven fours and two sixes. Together with George Hill he added 66 for the third wicket after the Academy had struggled on 16-2. He was then joined by Bilal Anjum in a partnership of 149 for the fourth wicket before Anjum was out for a useful 53. Final score 251-6.

Tom Loten on his way to a century.

The powerful little and large opening partnership of Pradeeptha Gunaratne and Ryan Gibson got the home side off to the best of starts with an opening stand of 61 in which the Sri Lankan was the dominant partner with a fine innings of 46. After a quiet start the powerful Gibson soon got into his stride, being particularly severe on the spin brothers Sullivan, who for once were not among the wickets. Gibson's 110 came off 106 ball, with thirteen fours and two sixes.

Little and large (Gunaratne and Gibson) meet in mid wicket.

Helped by the ever dependable Ryan McKendry with a quickfire 69, Gibson was finally caught Harry Sullivan bowled Josh Sullivan on a day when all the Academy bowlers had a difficult time against such a formidable batting line up. Matt Taylor had the best figures of 2-54 as the Bridge won by six wickets with five overs to spare.

The following day, en route for Scarborough, we decided to forego the pleasures of North Marine Road, on day one of the Championship match, for the rural delights of Malton and Old Malton cricket club. Here the all conquering Yorkshire over 50s side were entertaining Cornwall in the quarter final of this national competition. This game had been postponed from the previous Sunday to avoid the risk of bad weather.

Rural surroundings at Malton.

The powerful Yorkshire batting line up was led by opener Kevin Bradley from Clifton Alliance, who we had seen make runs earlier in the season against Durham at Darlington. This time he did make it to a splendid century with twelve fours and a six on this large playing area. He was well supported by fellow opener Graham Wolfenden from Otley and although league cricket legend Babar Butt failed for once Stephen Foster and John Goldthorpe kept things going well to the end of the 45 over innings.

A close shave for Kevin Bradley.

Foster, such a fine all rounder for so many years, made an impressive 62 not out together with Goldthorpe who finished on 30 not out in what proved a match winning total of 263-3. The Cornwall side, who tried hard throughout the game, must have wondered if their long journey was really necessary as they were bowled out for 157 in the forty first over. Sadly their batsman/wicket keeper Andrew Jones could not match his performance in the previous round against Oxfordshire when he made 120 in only 92 balls with seven sixes.

The Malton pavilion.

The semi finals of this competition will be played this Sunday 26th August when Yorkshire entertain Essex at Streethouse cricket club and Lancashire play Gloucestershire at Stretford cricket club, Manchester. So it could be a Roses final next month.

Plenty of other cricket on Sunday with the Rudgate Cup Final (Yorkshire Leagues) between Barnsley and Woodhouse Grange at Treeton cricket club (after Yorkshire Academy were disqualified for playing an ineligible player). The Bradford League's Priestley Cup Final will also take place between Farsley and Woodlands at Undercliffe. I also believe the Black Sheep Champions Trophy semi finals are being played between Hoylandswaine and Hanging Heaton and Wakefield Thornes and Pudsey St Lawrence.

Morkel saves Yorkshire from the zone.

posted by John Winn

1312 spectators were at Scarborough yesterday for what proved to be forty minutes play. The four from the Lower Ure Valley who had journeyed on the other three days were not amongst them for there had come a point on Tuesday afternoon, round about the fall of Yorkshire's fourth wicket, when discretion overtook valour and one by one we announced we would not be gracing the A64 on Wednesday morning. By the time I reached home on Tuesday evening two more wickets had fallen which erased any lingering doubts that the wrong decision might have been taken.

Yesterday was not wasted however for first thing I took the opportunity to catch up on a few domestic duties and from 11:00 onwards I was always within earshot of the excellent coverage of the games in the championship which lasted longer than the test match and Yorkshire v Worcestershire. First commentary was on Somerset v Essex, a game which a year ago I think the latter might have won, but once wickets were pitched at The Oval attention switched to Surrey v Lancs. Late in the afternoon I connected to the streaming service from SE11 which was perfectly in sync with the commentary.

The news that Somerset had overcome Essex ratcheted up the tension at The Oval and while Onions and Bailey were at the crease I made Lancs slight favourites but Surrey had kept the best to last and Morkel and the new ball did the trick. Seven more runs and Lancashire would have a further sixteen points in today's table, sixteen points that would have lifted them above Yorkshire who would then have had only Worcestershire below them.

With the nights drawing in and even the mention of frost in tonight's forecast it is tempting to think the cricket season is drawing to a close but with most teams still having five games to play there is more than a third of the campaign to go. Starting next Wednesday when all 18 counties are in action there is barely time to draw your breath before the last round starts in a little under five weeks time. Yorkshire go back to Headingley next week and with Scarborough having not been the happiest of hunting grounds recently, five defeats in six, a return to LS6 might bring a change of fortune. Coad is expected to return but with Plunkett seemingly having sent his kitbag ahead of him to Surrey and Patterson possibly not being fit for the rest of the season all is not rosy in the garden.

The Lower Ure Valley four  reconvened last night in our local in the knowledge that despite Yorkshire's plight only Surrey and Somerset can consider themselves exempt from relegation, Notts who are third are 25 points clear of Yorkshire but have played a game more and the two sides will meet at Trent Bridge in two weeks. The weather of course may play a part, yesterday for the third time this season there were no draws in any of the round's matches but with the weeks of sunshine that graced May, June and July behind us the draw may come back into fashion in which case those who have points on the board will hold the trumps.

Wandering in Warwickshire Part Two

posted by John Winn

Kineton marked the southernmost point of my journey into The Cotswold Hills League and for my fourth new ground of the day I headed a few miles up the B4086 to Wellesbourne, population almost 6000 and to a Premier Division game between Wellesbourne and Alcester and Ragley. It was coming up to tea time here the arrival of which was accelerated by the swift demise of Wellesbourne's tail. I was welcomed by a group of experienced spectators, surprised perhaps to find someone had travelled from York to visit their large ground. I explained as briefly as possible that there was more to my visit than this match but despite their reasonable suspicion that I was bonkers I was offered a cup of tea and a handbook and made to feel very welcome.

Wellesbourne had been bowled out for 166, disappointing by their standards my new friends told me, for Wellesbourne, champions in 2016 and 17, are top again and anxious to make it three in a row. I complimented the spectators on the size of the crowd, 'worst of the season' I was told, football and holidays to be blamed. Two things that should not be allowed in the cricket season was my reply. The Alcester openers looked in reasonable shape when their reply began but they finished fourteen short with Wellesbourne's  only serious rivals Lapworth just seven points behind in a league where there are twenty points for a win. Just two weeks to go and they will be able to play football or go on holiday.

The 'smallest crowd of the season' enjoys a close game at Wellesbourne.

From Wellesbourne it is but a few minutes drive to Norton Lindsey where the visitors were Overbury and whose accents identified their Gloucestershire origins. Premier Division again with Overbury leaders of the pack trailing Wellesbourne and Lapworth, Norton Lindsey towards the bottom. The homesters had begun their reply to Overbury's 230 for 6, and the few spectators gathered by a most attractive pavilion grew increasingly gloomy as had the evening, and when I left a little after six there were six back in the shed. 115 all out means they only got halfway to Overbury's total. 

Norton Lindsey CC

So ended my day's groundhopping in Warwickshire and I drove back to Birmingham where I spent the night before reporting to Edgbaston early on Sunday morning. Despite thick cloud, with the aid of the lights play started on time as I settled into the Bob Wyatt Stand while those around me discussed the prospects for The Villa, The Baggies and The Bluenoses. The day was made memorable by a spectacular Gloucestershire collapse after lunch and as I am sure most of you know, Warwickshire went on to a massive win. With the 150th of the 153 ticked off I left at tea and  found my way back to the M42 and was home by 6:30, very pleased with my two days away. Up early yesterday morning to travel to Scarborough, more of that anon. 

Not The Cotswold Hills League.

Wandering in Warwickshire

posted by John Winn

As described in my last posting Sunday was set aside for a trip to Edgbaston but a few days earlier I decided to make a weekend of the visit so Saturday morning saw me heading down the A1 with a list of visits to league grounds in Warwickshire in my pocket.

First stop was at the extremely well appointed ground of Knowle and Dorridge, just off J5 M42, for a Birmingham League Premier Division match with Moseley the visitors. K and D are very much the cream of the crop in this league, champions in 2017 and current league leaders, and I arrived in time to see both sets of players warming up in a manner that would not have disgraced many county teams. The day was overcast with a hint of drizzle but the game started on time with K and D batting. Opening for them was NZ international George Worker who produced two lovely boundary shots to get the board moving.

It came as something of  a surprise when Worker was dismissed with only 9 to his name and by the time I left after an hour's play Knowle were 69 for 3 but such is their strength in depth they finally totalled 325 for 6 with Oli Haley hitting 101. Impressive with the ball was Herefordshire quickie Freddie Eburah who took four for fifty. Moseley fell well short, 156 all out, a result that leaves Knowle 12 points clear of Berkswell at the top with four games to go. Moseley are mid table. 

Doing some research last week to decide how best to spend the afternoon I came across fixtures for the Cotswold Hills League, a competition previously unknown to me, and picked out four grounds to visit all in Warwickshire although as its name suggests the league extends well into Gloucestershire. First stop and not too far from Knowle was the ground of the quaintly named Catherine de Barnes CC, situated behind The Boat Inn, the only pub in the village of Catherine de Barnes*. 'Situated behind' is barely enough information to find the ground, 'hidden' and 'hard to find' ought to come into the directions and in my case 'ask at shop opposite pub' which I duly did and received clear instructions from the shop assistant. 

Despite my problems in locating the ground I was in time to see Leamington III take first knock and I fell into conversation with the club chairman whose name, alas, I did not note, who outlined some of the club's problems not the least of which are their rather tired facilities, a post war prefab which has served as their pavilion since 1980 and which the brewery who own the field will not allow them to redevelop. As the northernmost club in the league they are not popular with other clubs, especially those travelling up from Glos, and on the field fortunes have slumped with a successive relegation in the offing. Their problem is not so much a lack of players but a lack of quality. As the chairman put it 'they would rather not play for better clubs than play for us'. I think I know what he means. Another defeat came on Saturday as Leamington hit up 231 for 9 to which CdeB made the respectable reply of 194 in this first division fixture. 

My next call involved the longest drive of the day to the village of Kineton, one of the main settlements in the Vale of The Red Horse which lies between the escarpment of Edgehill and the northern Cotswolds. Another Division One game here with Ashton under Hill, situated between Evesham and Cheltenham, visiting and in the field. Kineton batsmen were cashing in on some wayward bowling and creaky fielding, not helped by the hazards of an out

field showing no signs of recovering from summer's heat.

Kineton finished their 45 overs on 293 for 6 and Ashton fell 108 short. The league's excellent website shows Kineton in second place with Ashton fourth from bottom. Of the six sports advertised on this board,apart from cricket, I saw only evidence of bowls. Two more grounds to go, both premier division matches, and I will describe these in my next posting.

* known locally and colloquially as Catney

Long delay at the seaside.

Posted by Tony Hutton

Another journey into Lancashire on Thursday 16th August, for day two of the county second eleven game between Lancashire and Leicestershire at Stanley Park, Blackpool. The weather improved as we got further west and hopes were high for a prompt start, after one or two rain delays yesterday.
However on arrival it soon became apparent that a long delay was likely. The wicket ends looked particularly wet and it transpired that the plastic sheeting around the covers had blown away during the night allowing water to get under the covers leaving a soggy mess, particularly at one end.

The sun was shining, with a warm breeze blowing and a good gathering of spectators had time to find alternative amusement before the first inspection due at 1.30. Certainly good drying conditions and we were optimistic that play would commence after lunch. Quite a long walk round the attractive Stanley Park and it's lake, becoming a regular feature on our travels around the country. Several people we know were in attendance and time for a catch up on people we had met and places we had been to.

The overnight score at Blackpool.

The first inspection was non-committal with another scheduled for 2 p.m. So off we went for a drive up the coast in a northerly direction alongside the tram track to have a look at the sea and preparations for the Blackpool illuminations which will be coming shortly. On our return play had been scheduled to start at ten past three.

Leicestershire take the field.

Play finally gets underway.

Lancashire had batted on day one and a strange looking scoresheet had emerged. Young Hameed was 130 not out, but numbers two, three, four and five, including Chanderpaul had all been dismissed for ducks. Parry at number seven had improved things with 64 and Lancashire were 270-7 at the close. Strangely, we felt, they batted on when play did start and Hurt with 40 and new boy Sanders with 46 helped take the score to 383 all out with Hameed left 183 not out.

Hameed 183 not out.

New boy Sanders, from Cheshire via Loughborough University, opened the bowling with Hurt and looked distinctly brisk, removing Swindells lbw first ball and after Evans and Ali had taken the score to 40, took two further wickets in two balls to leave Leicester 40-3, on which score they remained for almost half an hour. By the end of the day with an extra hour played to make up time Evans and Azad had taken the score to 95-3.

The view from the balcony in the evening sun.

So despite the long delay an enjoyable visit to the seaside with the ground looking a picture in the evening sunshine, distant views of Blackpool Tower and good food still available in the bar during the late evening session.

I assume the rain must have returned on day three as the match ended in a draw despite a couple of declarations which meant Leicester needed 319 to win. They got as far as 152-1 when play ended with obviously the chance of a good finish if play had continued.

Yorkshire under 17s reach county championship final.

Posted by Tony Hutton

Yorkshire under 17s began a three day semi-final in the northern group against Nottinghamshire at Caythorpe cricket club, a few miles east of Nottingham on Tuesday14th August and we were in position just in time for play starting on day two. Just as well as a wicket fell to the very first ball of the day. Yorkshire had been bowled out for 184 on day one and Notts had been 71-4 overnight. Harrison Quarmby, from Huddersfield had dismissed the Notts opener for a duck yesterday and got another victim, caught behind by Harry Duke from the day's first ball.

The Caythorpe pavilion.

So Notts already 71-5 and it was important for Yorkshire to press home their advantage to gain a first innings lead, which could decide the game if bad weather intervened. They were held up by Joey Evison, who had already scored a century in this competition earlier in the season. Batting at number four he held the innings together until he was ninth man out for a well made 65.

Wickets had been falling regularly at the other end, with Josh Sullivan taking three, including that of Evison who was lbw, and George Hill with two. A good all round performance by Yorkshire's bowlers, plus some good work in the field, eventually bowled out Notts for 141, a comfortable lead of 43. This became even more comfortable for the travelling supporters, mainly families of the players, when Wharton and Revis put on an opening stand of 92 in the second innings.

James Wharton leads Yorkshire's second innings charge.

The earlier sunshine turned to cloud in the afternoon and a stiff breeze blew across the ground all day, but Yorkshire looked to have things well under control until James Wharton, who had been the dominant partner was suprisingly caught and bowled by Ishraj Jandu for 59. This precipitated something of a middle order collapse as Finlay Bean went for a duck and Ramkumar made only three and Yorkshire were suddenly 98-3, with Notts buoyant and back in the game.

George Hill came in and stopped the rot in partnership with the very dour Matthew Revis, who played an extremely watchful innings and was quite content to just occupy the crease. Together these two put on a partnership of 67 and turned the game very much back in Yorkshire's direction. Hill was finally lbw to the very tidy young leg spinner Zain Ramzan, who proved hard to score off. He also had Duke lbw with his googly and Yorkshire were 183-5 with a lead of 226, which some onlookers thought might be enough.

George Hill out for 39.

The Yorkshire camp were perhaps not that convinced and Dominic Leech came in to play an excellent innings in support of Revis, who was finally out for 83 including 13 fours in well over three hours batting. This was a match winning innings, as an early dismissal could have led to a total collapse. As it was the lead was approaching 300 when he was out.

Matthew Revis, at the non-strikers end here, played the innings of the day.

Yorkshire took no chances and batted on the following morning to reach a massive 377 all out, with 59 from Archie Greaves the stand out performance at number eight. Notts facing a huge target of over 400 to win, were never in the hunt and despite 38 from opener Sebastian Menzhausen and another good effort of 36 from Joey Evison, they were all out in quick time for just 130. The tailenders disappearing at a rapid rate due to some more fine bowling from leg spinner Josh Sullivan who had the excellent figures of 10.3- 3-15-5 and 8-36 in the match.

A fine floral display at Caythorpe.

Yorkshire will now face Surrey, rather surprising winners over Somerset due to a first innings lead in a drawn match, in the three day final at Arundel Castle in Sussex starting on Tuesday 28th August.
What a shame this game could not be played in the Midlands, to enable a greater following for Yorkshire.

Lancashire over 60s beat Yorkshire in quarter final.

Posted by Tony Hutton

It's that time of year with quarter finals and semi finals coming fast and furious at all age group levels. Last Sunday's over 50s quarter final between Yorkshire and Cornwall at Malton was postponed, due to the weather forecast presumably, which saved Cornwall from a wasted journey.
The game has been re-scheduled at the same venue for this coming Sunday 19th August, but again the forecast is not good.

On Tuesday 14th August one game was decided when Lancashire over sixties took on Yorkshire in a quarter final of their competition at the Crimble ground in Heywood. First time I had seen cricket at this pleasant venue, although I did attend a lunch here several years ago. It was a Jim the Dog lunch organised by the late Jim Holt, a former groundsman at Heywood whose memorial stone is situated in the grass bank at the pavilion end of the ground. Apparently he got his nickname due to his dog always following him out to the middle at all times.

A close contest was predicted between these old rivals, all former league cricketers with great reputations during their earlier playing days. Lancashire batted first after a short delay due to several light showers and a lot of coming and going putting covers on and taking them off again. Mick Scott and skipper Martin Ivill bowled their usual tight opening spells to restrict the scoring rate and Scott removed both openers by the time the score reached 36.

Memories of the past - two large mills, now derelict, still stand at one end of the ground.

The number three batsman was Chris Dearden who had a very successful league career with Littleborough in the Central Lancashire League. Not very tall, but rather broad in the beam, Dearden dominated the rest of the innings. Starting slowly he gradually increased the tempo as wickets fell at the other end. Phil Taylor took two wickets but generally the Yorkshire bowlers could not keep their normal tight rein over the batsmen.

Tragedy struck just before the end of the innings when Dearden, who had been so dominant, was run out just one run short of his century, which would have been well deserved. However, unlike the modern day batsmen, he left the middle with a smile on his face and the congratulations of the fielders for a magnificent innings. Lancashire ended the 45 overs on 169-7 which seemed quite an achievable target for Yorkshire given their performances in the competition to date.

Chris Dearden leaves the field - run out for 99.

However after an excellent lunch and a walk round the neighbouring park lake for the spectators, Yorkshire began their reply. They lost their skipper, Martin Ivill early on to a dismissal by two players they will come to remember. Both opening bowlers were involved - caught Billy Smith bowled Richard Purser. Billy Smith, who later research showed is over 70, and from Bootle cricket club. He has played for both Cheshire and England over 70s  and bowled nine very tight and accurate overs, which meant that Yorkshire never got into their stride.

Purser, from Heywood, had an identical analysis, nine overs 1-17 and these two between them really decided the result of the match. With the dismissal of Flintoff and Frank, both century makers this season, followed by that of danger man Murphy Walwyn, apparently not fully fit, Yorkshire's hopes were in tatters as the scoring rate required went up and up.

Man of the match with the bat, Chris Dearden, suddenly did the same with the ball towards the end of the Yorkshire innings by taking the last five wickets for just 21 runs in his nine overs. Yorkshire ended the innings on a miserable total of 126-9 and lost by 42 runs. Full marks to Lancashire for a well earned victory and good luck to them with a home semi-final against Surrey on Tuesday 28th August.

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posted by John Winn

Leicestershire v Somerset

Leicestershire vWarwickshire

Gloucestershire v Somerset

Gloucestershirev Warwickshire

In 1990 or thereabouts Cricketer Magazine carried a piece about a man who had seen every county play every other county, home and away in the county championship. Being by nature a ticker of lists this aroused my interest and I decided that to attempt a watered down version of this feat. No sooner had I got started than things got a little more difficult when Durham were admitted to the competition in 1992 and further complications arose with the advent of two divisions in the early years of this century. The task I set myself was to see each county play every county at least once and as at that time I could only claim about 15 scalps and the target was 153 matches there was a long way to go. 

I have made reference to my pursuit of the '153 club' in the blog on several occasions but not recently, for it has been three years since I saw Derbyshire v Lancashire, leaving me just the four games in the table at the top of the page outstanding and after two blank seasons Warwickshire's relegation has presented me with the opportunity to reduce my target to just two. This Sunday Warwickshire will play Gloucestershire at Edgbaston and all being well I will be there. Annoyingly it is the only occasion on which these two will meet this season and a further irritation is the clash with Scarborough but the weather forecast suggests there will be play and under Winn's law one ball is enough to justify another tick in the book. Keep your eye on twitter at 11:01 on Sunday morning.

Leicestershire and Warwickshire will also meet this season, again just once, at Grace Road on Monday September 10th, this time clashing with the roses match and Durham v Sussex but with Warwickshire seeming very likely to return to Division 1 for 2019 Bears v Foxes takes top priority. So fingers crossed games 150 and 151 in the canon should be in the bag next month. What are the prospects for the other two becoming available? There was a time towards the end of last season when Somerset flirted dangerously with relegation which would have set up all four for this season and arguably they were only saved by men in suits following the arrow incident at The Oval but the west country men are currently second in the table and it would need a disastrous change of fortunes to make them relegation fodder. 

My best hope and it is  a slender one lies with Leicestershire who lie fourth in Division Two, ten points behind second place Sussex and as they have the Hove men and third place Kent to play to some extent the issue is in the own hands. Champagne celebrations at Grace Road? Don't hold your breath. 

Yorkshire Academy on top at Driffield.

Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 11th August - always a pleasure to visit Driffield cricket club in East Yorkshire, travelling on a splendid new bit of road over Garrowby Hill and traversing the Yorkshire Wolds, one of the hidden gems of Yorkshire. The Kings Mill Road ground covers a large area and is in fact large enough to have two cricket grounds, the first team entertaining the Yorkshire Academy on the main ground and Driffield Third Eleven hosting Welton 1st XI on the number two ground.

The Driffield pavilion.

Driffield are struggling somewhat this season having lost a few regular players at the start of the season, notably the two Kohler-Cadmore brothers and Sam Drury, who now captains Scarborough.
However, they have welcomed back young Alex Drury after a spell with today's opponents the Yorkshire Academy. They suffered a bad defeat at Scarborough last week and were missing another couple of regulars today.

Early discussions among the handful of travelling Academy supporters centred around the decision to disqualify the county side from the Rudgate cup final after their semi-final victory over Barnsley, described by John Winn last week. The problem seems to be that by playing Harry Brook in the semi-final they fielded an ineligible player, in that he had only played five league games this season instead of the statutory six, apparently a rule change made half way through the season.

This ruling apparently has other ramifications regarding Woodhouse Grange due to play Aston Hall in the other semi-final. They are having difficulty raising a side for this fixture and planned to field several regular second eleven players who have also not played the minimum number of games and would be declared ineligible as well. This seems another case of cricket shooting itself in the foot, surely any bona-fide member of the club should be eligible to play at all times as opposed to someone brought in from elsewhere at the last minute. We await further developments.

The Academy piling up the runs at Driffield.

Today's game proved to be rather a one sided affair with a fine batting display from the visitors built largely around a second wicket partnership of 146 between skipper Ben Birkhead and George Hill. Driffield were handicapped by the early loss, due to injury, of opening bowler Ollie Ezard and their attack was largely dominated by spin, with Nick Hardgrave and Kavindu Kulasekara both proving rather expensive.

George Hill finally dismissed for 107.

Birkhead unluckily missed out on a century when Hargrave had him lbw for 96, but Hill completed his century, the third we have seen him make this season, all for different sides - Sedbergh School, Yorkshire under 17s and now the Academy. Kulasekara picked up two wickets near the end when hitters Barnes and Taylor were promoted in the order. Tom Loten, who has been consistent all season, lost the strike towards the end and was left stranded on 49 not out. The Academy total by this time had reached 293-5.

End of the innings. Bilal Anjum and Tom Loten the not out batsmen.

Driffield's reply was led by the diminutive Alec Drury and with help from Kulasekara he took the score to 81 before the second wicket fell. After that it became a bit of a procession until wicket keeper Mark Goddard stuck around near the end with a useful 28. Soon after he was out Drury completed his century, which included eleven fours, and with the help of the injured Ollie Ezard coming in at number eleven, managed to hold out until the end with Driffield on 221-9.

Action from the neighbouring third eleven ground.

This meant the Academy only collected eight points for an incomplete win and Driffield managed two points for achieving a score in excess of 70 per cent of their opponents' innings. Joshua Sullivan again impressed with 3-58, despite lacking the support of his young brother who has been away at the Bunbury Festival this week. There was a certain sameness about the five man Academy seam attack. They all try hard but nobody stands out as a prospect for the future. Time may prove me wrong, but Yorkshire need another bowler like Ben Coad to make a breakthrough soon.

Between Wakefield and Doncaster

posted by John Winn

A trip to grounds in the Pontefract League has become something of an annual fixture in my cricket watching calendar and with the end of the league cricket season not too far away and with bigger fish to fry next weekend yesterday saw me heading down the A1 in search of new grounds. First stop was scheduled to be a Division 1 game between Brodsworth Main CC and Hooton Pagnell but relying on the advice of a man whose parting words to me were 'I'm not from round here' I ended up at the wrong ground in the wrong league and was misinformed as to the name of the opposition. Things could only get better, and they did, but first up I saw a few overs of a game in the South Yorkshire League Division Four  between Adwick le Street I and Conisbrough II, not Penistone as I was informed by an Adwick supporter. Conisbrough were batting and according to a couple of their players second was the best they could hope for and so it proved for their 143 for 7 off their 46 (sic) overs caused Adwick little trouble and a nine wicket win ensued. Adwick are by no means high fliers in this league but find themselves this morning well clear of the relegation zone while for Conisbrough Division Five looms.

Having taken fresh counsel within five minutes I was watching Brodsworth batting who were  finding the going tough against Hooton Pagnell aka The Black Rams. Fine leg filled me in on the few overs I had missed and he turned out to be on loan from Fenwick CC, a team I had planned to see later in the day. Would his temporary status mean the ignominy of fine leg at both ends? Not so for when bowling switched to the other end he rose to the dizzy heights of backward square leg.

Thanks to 52 not out from John O'Neill, Brodsworth reached respectability at 162 for 8 but Hooton got home with almost five overs in hand and with only five wickets down. 

Two miles away and a Division Four game between South Kirkby II and Fenwick and runs coming much more quickly. The visitors were batting and on a hot afternoon Kirkby's fielding grew increasingly ragged with a catch dropped and the captain's ire rising as the ground fielding became sloppy. 55 were scored off 7 overs while I watched with runs for numbers three, four and five and a final total of 210 for 7. Kirby tried nine bowlers, one of whom, Scott Smith bowled just one ball and conceded seven runs. Led by opener Matt Tarbuck who hit 64 the home team made a decent start but with seven batsmen getting only single figures subsided to 172 all out. This morning's table shows Fenwick third but Kirkby just one place above the pink ink. 

Still in postcode WF9 my next stop was at Frickley Colliery CC and a top of the table clash with Horbury Bridge in attendance. The visitors were batting and effecting a recovery through a sixth wicket stand which was broken by a good catch from first slip who had to turn and run before taking the ball over his shoulder. 144 for 6 became 189 all out but Frickley II could only manage 142, a result that widens the gap between the two teams to 47 points.

My afternoon was completed with a trip to Hemsworth Miners' Welfare CC. whose ground is in Fitzwilliam, the birthplace of you probably know who, and ground of the day to my mind. This gave me the opportunity to see Frickley I in action and their innings was drawing to a close as I arrived. Much of their total of 137 had come from the top order and numbers six to eleven made only 11 between them. Fortunately our old friend wides chipped in with 20 and the mood amongst  the decent sized home crowd was one of confidence that this was gettable. 

After an excellent cup of tea I watched the start of Hemsworth's reply but they were soon in trouble against the quick, straight and full length bowling of Jason Mills who took 4 for 37 while 'Unsure' captured 3 for 6. Top scorer Phil Crapper was the only one to make double figures and Hemsworth were all out for 70 on a square that is to be relayed over the winter. Amen to that say the Hemsworth batters. You need to look to the bottom half of the Division 1 table to find these two teams and Hemsworth might be a little anxious about their proximity to the relegation zone. A 12 point advantage over West Bretton is not a lot when there are 16 points for a win.