From Kirkheaton to Kirkburton

Posted by Peter Davies

The Huddersfield League season officially began at 1.30pm. At Kirkheaton, the two umpires - David Haikings from Lascelles Hall and Philip Earnshaw from the home club - strode out to the wicket with the sun shining on their backs. Glorious weather at Bankfield. The mobile phone mast was looking particularly handsome but unfortunately the clubhouse was not open early doors for an April cuppa. On the boundary edge, club stalwarts Roy Castle - the other one - and Stuart Grey entertained me with stories from the club's past. Stuart's sister works at the university and his partner is the sister of the Cricket Heritage Project's webmaster, Lee Booth. Small world! Kirkheaton's football team were also in evidence - running from their changing rooms to their home pitch via the boundary edge.

At Lascelles Hall, the kettle was boiling - two fine cups of tea - but the atmosphere was low-key for a 2nd XI encounter. Things were not helped by the two batters wearing BLACK jogging bottoms at the crease! Whatever happened to whites?? The ground was looking pretty in the early-season sunshine and you could look across the fields to Bankfield, Kirkheaton - from where we had just come.

Finally, Riley Lane, Kirkburton was looking a picture for the 2nd XI fixture against Slaithwaite. All the Slawit players seemed to be wearing their 'moonraker' caps and, while waiting to bat, club veteran Chris Payne was opining on the merits of fathers and sons playing in the same eleven (his son had just signed for Barkisland). I interviewed Kirkburton's ex-chairman on the boundary edge for the Oral History section of the KCC page on the CK website and then indulged in an excellent pie-and-peas tea. The tea lady said it was a new initiative - with players encouraged to sit down at the set tables. Kirkburton officials Steve Ireland and Mike Nicholas said hello, with Steve telling me that I should visit the ground later on in the season too because they were having our exhibition boards framed and displayed in the pavilion. Great news!

To the Galpharm to round the day off. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos with the university's hospitality box hosting an array of guests including Huddersfield League chairman Roger France, his wife, Judith, the administration officer, and Phd cricket researcher Dennis O'Keefe. The game was poor but everyone had a good time in the box - with a half-time banquet of soup and sandwiches. It is always very nice to be able to offer hospitality to local cricket people who have assisted us with the project and tonight was a wonderful example of this.