Posted by Peter Davies
Southowram v Lightcliffe in the Halifax Sunday Section - and glorious sunshine. The tea ladies had been inconvenienced by the skittling of the visitors by the home side. 80-odd all out in quick time...so the players had to wait a few minutes for tea to be served. SCC stalwart Peter Jowett was entertaining by the pavilion entrance - tales of the wickets he had just taken and I had just missed, of the new marquee (put up for a big social event the night before) and plans for the future. Son David and wife Joyce were also in attendance along with Parish Cup-winning captain Ian Uttley and another legendary club stalwart, Dave Hirst. Tea was a tuna sandwich and cream cake - and the ice-cool diet coke was very welcome on a hot afternoon. The club doesn't have Sky Sports so there was no news on the Sri Lanka-Pakistan final - for some reason, I was yearning for a Sri Lanka win! The gossip was that ex-England paceman Angus Fraser would be speaking at a club event in September - a major coup, according to Mr Jowett.
Rastrick and Badger Hill were both cricket-free zones as we passed by (the game at Rastrick had finished early) so we headed for Elland - glorious in the late-afternoon sunshine. Bradshaw were the visitors in the Sunday Section of the Halifax League and they had included a number of juniors in their side. And so their run-chase effort was even more admirable for that fact. Pakistan were outclassing Sri Lanka on the big screen in the pavilion (boo, hiss), Midwoods Snr. and Jnr. were at large in the bar area and there were pork pies, cuppas and crisps on sale (teatime had been and gone). There was a small crowd, which included ECC junior coach Adrian Finn and Bradshaw veteran Mick Turner, circling the perimeter of the playing area in his club tracksuit.
At Blackley, the Parish Cup tie against Booth was reaching a climax, with the visitors - for the loss of only two wickets - about to overheal Blackley's 260+ total. When we arrived it was as if the home team were already in surrender mode, with boundaries being hit left, right and centre. There were masses of spectators. Blackley and Halifax League VIP Julie Pearson was dispensing drinks from behind the bar and the league's press officer Geoff Wright was off duty, enjoying the sunshine and reading his Sunday paper. We had arrived just after the raffle had been done, which struck one or two people as a cunning plan (it wasn't!) and there were a couple of dogs on the boundary edge (one dog lead seemed to get caught up in the bench I was sitting on at one point). In the end, the Blackley total proved to be not too much of a challenge for the Booth batters.
Sunday 21 June 2009
Saturday 20 June 2009
Stoic spectators
Posted by Peter Davies
Delph & Dobcross v Shepley...but lots of lunchtime rain meant a plethora of club officials were out mopping up and getting the ground ready for play. Lots of activity but judging from the black clouds hanging over Saddleworth, not that much possibility of play. So, on to Broad Oak where the sun was shining but the rain was also drizzling. The covers were off and on and catches were being taken, and also dropped, by the Clayton West fielders. A number of stoic spectators were undaunted by the weather - by the clubhouse bar, by the car park and on the top side of the playing area. A young couple were getting married at the nearby parish church - and one cricket-watcher, having spotted the bride and groom, was mumbling 'Don't do it!' under her breath! In the tea room, two Broad Oak women were working hard and dispensing teas and coffees. Cuppas were £1 each rather than the normal 50p because the club was helping to raise funds for Clayton West's Aussie pro - who had been viciously attacked during the week in a Leeds nightclub. Great solidarity. By the clubhouse, Huddersfield Examiner cricket correspondent David Lockwood was studying form and chatting with locals. A very quiet and tranquil afternoon - there was peace in the valley.
At Cartworth Moor v Mirfield, the away side were batting - easy to spot given the sky blue caps being worn by almost every Cartworth fielder. Teatime was approaching and the cricketers' food was tantalisingly under wraps on the main work surface in the tea room. So it was a hot drink and a Twix! Moor legend Dougie Thorpe was in attendance, as were posses of spectators by the entrance to the ground and by the new scorebox. Finally, a late tea at Shepley v Kirkburton. The second innings had just begun so there were tuna and egg mayo rolls left, plus pizza, pork pies, pasta salad and other gorgeous delicacies. The tea lady was in fact having a late tea herself in tandem with her mum, who was also helping in the kitchen. It was cold but sunny and Kirkburton 2nds were batting and doing a decent job of knocking off their target. The views out over Shelley Park and towards town were magnificent; the Kirkburtoners waiting to bat were either circling the playing area or sat in front of the scoreboard.
Delph & Dobcross v Shepley...but lots of lunchtime rain meant a plethora of club officials were out mopping up and getting the ground ready for play. Lots of activity but judging from the black clouds hanging over Saddleworth, not that much possibility of play. So, on to Broad Oak where the sun was shining but the rain was also drizzling. The covers were off and on and catches were being taken, and also dropped, by the Clayton West fielders. A number of stoic spectators were undaunted by the weather - by the clubhouse bar, by the car park and on the top side of the playing area. A young couple were getting married at the nearby parish church - and one cricket-watcher, having spotted the bride and groom, was mumbling 'Don't do it!' under her breath! In the tea room, two Broad Oak women were working hard and dispensing teas and coffees. Cuppas were £1 each rather than the normal 50p because the club was helping to raise funds for Clayton West's Aussie pro - who had been viciously attacked during the week in a Leeds nightclub. Great solidarity. By the clubhouse, Huddersfield Examiner cricket correspondent David Lockwood was studying form and chatting with locals. A very quiet and tranquil afternoon - there was peace in the valley.
At Cartworth Moor v Mirfield, the away side were batting - easy to spot given the sky blue caps being worn by almost every Cartworth fielder. Teatime was approaching and the cricketers' food was tantalisingly under wraps on the main work surface in the tea room. So it was a hot drink and a Twix! Moor legend Dougie Thorpe was in attendance, as were posses of spectators by the entrance to the ground and by the new scorebox. Finally, a late tea at Shepley v Kirkburton. The second innings had just begun so there were tuna and egg mayo rolls left, plus pizza, pork pies, pasta salad and other gorgeous delicacies. The tea lady was in fact having a late tea herself in tandem with her mum, who was also helping in the kitchen. It was cold but sunny and Kirkburton 2nds were batting and doing a decent job of knocking off their target. The views out over Shelley Park and towards town were magnificent; the Kirkburtoners waiting to bat were either circling the playing area or sat in front of the scoreboard.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Cricket Diary 2009 - Innings of a lifetime
Duncan Snell, with Dan Woods, returns to the pavilion 248 not out
Posted by Tony Hutton
University cricket is coming towards the end of it's short season as the students will soon all depart for their long vacation. However recent weeks have been full of action for a young cricketer by the name of Duncan George Headley Snell having a particularly good run. His father must have been a cricket fan to give him the name of the famous West Indian batsman.
Snell, a left hander, who has played with considerable success for York cricket club for some time, is a student at Leeds Metropolitain University. On the first of June the Leeds/Bradford University played, and lost to, a strong MCC side at Weetwood, with Snell top scoring with 60. Two days later,with Leeds Met. playing Loughborough 2nd XI in the national university knock out at Kirkstall, Snell scored an excellent 117 as Leeds Met piled up a huge score of 348-7.
Then on the 8th of June came a slight blip, when Leeds/Bradford were suprisingly easily beaten in their cup semi-final by Oxford at Weetwood and Snell scored only 16. Two days later however he bounced back with what can only be described as the innings of a lifetime.
Leeds Met. were playing local rivals Leeds University again at the excellent Kirkstall Educational ground looking it's usual immaculate self thanks to the hard work of groundsman and club president Dave Hodgson. This was a national cup quarter final and Leeds Met. with seven members of the Leeds/Bradford UCCE side were strong favourites. So it proved as the openers Snell and Dougherty put on an opening stand of 177 in only 20 overs, of this Snell had made a 100 of only 58 balls when the reliable Dougherty was out for 68.
Snell completely dominated the rest of the innings hitting the ball repeatedly out of the ground and the major problem became the shortage of balls as many were lost in the mayhem. Snell hit no less than 20 sixes and when the innings was closed in the 46th over at 378-8, he had made an impressive 248 not out. Even allowing for the smallish ground and modest opposition it was a remarkable innings with clean hitting in all directions.
The following day it was back to earth with a three day match against Gloucestershire at Weetwood. A mixture of county first and second team players gave the Leeds/Bradford team a hard, close game and the county men came out winners by only two wickets in the last hour of the third day. Snell, no doubt keen to impress, scored 29 and 36 but was unable to really dominate. However all good experience and this young man, who after one game with Yorkshire's second XI seems to have been ignored since, may still have a future in the first class game.
Monday 15 June 2009
Mince pies and Mars bars
Saturday 13 June
Bright sunshine at Emley v Almondbury. The yellow seats were glistening in the stand at the adjacent Welfare Ground, used now by a re-formed Emley Football Club. There were a smattering of spectators by the pavilion, including a lonesome Almondbury supporter who said his club had only a few fans. Tea was being prepared in the pavilion - a tea lady apparently on her first day on duty. Also, cuppas were 50p a time, as were Mars bars. The home side were batting and club chairman John Moors was circling the playing area in his handsome straw boater and bemoaning the cost of hiring professionals (his club made the decision not to have one this year). His wife, the club webmaster, or mistress, was also in attendance, watching from the boundary. John told me that you could see Matthew Wood's old house from the ground, and that during his last spell at the club he enjoyed playing cricket with his ex-school pals but that he was quite 'intense' in the way that he wanted the Emley 1st XI to prepare for games - training routines etc. Emley now have big plans for a new extended clubhouse, if they can raise the necessary finance.
Down the road, Flockton were entertaining Upper Hopton in the Huddersfield Central League. Tea had just been taken but there were still marshmallows, almond slices and, believe it or not, mince pies to be consumed! 'Mr Flockton' Harry Marsden was umpiring elsewhere but his right-hand lady Mavis Dobson was hard at work in the kitchen. The club's new tea room is now fully refurbished and looked fantastic: spacious and very homely, with the two scorers seated at the front. Just outside the building there is a little ramp with 'bats' and 'balls' built into the design of the railings. Very cute! The views out over to Emley Mast, from the far side of the ground, are magnificent. Upper Hopton seemed to be chasing down their target with little difficulty. It was now or never for the home side - resplendent in their bright red caps - but in the end they could not halt the victory charge.
Bright sunshine at Emley v Almondbury. The yellow seats were glistening in the stand at the adjacent Welfare Ground, used now by a re-formed Emley Football Club. There were a smattering of spectators by the pavilion, including a lonesome Almondbury supporter who said his club had only a few fans. Tea was being prepared in the pavilion - a tea lady apparently on her first day on duty. Also, cuppas were 50p a time, as were Mars bars. The home side were batting and club chairman John Moors was circling the playing area in his handsome straw boater and bemoaning the cost of hiring professionals (his club made the decision not to have one this year). His wife, the club webmaster, or mistress, was also in attendance, watching from the boundary. John told me that you could see Matthew Wood's old house from the ground, and that during his last spell at the club he enjoyed playing cricket with his ex-school pals but that he was quite 'intense' in the way that he wanted the Emley 1st XI to prepare for games - training routines etc. Emley now have big plans for a new extended clubhouse, if they can raise the necessary finance.
Down the road, Flockton were entertaining Upper Hopton in the Huddersfield Central League. Tea had just been taken but there were still marshmallows, almond slices and, believe it or not, mince pies to be consumed! 'Mr Flockton' Harry Marsden was umpiring elsewhere but his right-hand lady Mavis Dobson was hard at work in the kitchen. The club's new tea room is now fully refurbished and looked fantastic: spacious and very homely, with the two scorers seated at the front. Just outside the building there is a little ramp with 'bats' and 'balls' built into the design of the railings. Very cute! The views out over to Emley Mast, from the far side of the ground, are magnificent. Upper Hopton seemed to be chasing down their target with little difficulty. It was now or never for the home side - resplendent in their bright red caps - but in the end they could not halt the victory charge.
Tuesday 9 June 2009
Coleslaw and the cold
Posted by Peter Davies
Sun 7 June
Augustinians v Rastrick in the Halifax League Sunday Section. Rastrick were batting and making strides towards 150. The home side looked as if they'd recruited a few juniors to make up the numbers with one little lad standing out conspicuously on account of his size. There were some big hits and there was a bout of frantic running, and in the end Rastrick gave the impression they were pretty pleased with their score. There didn't seem to be any spectators to speak of, bar a woman hiding from the cold in the garage below the scorebox. Two guys set about rolling the square during the interval, while everyone else sampled tea in the Lawrence Batley clubhouse. Sandwiches, coleslaw and extras were on the menu - and the TV was booming out with 20/20 World Cup action. Scotland v South Africa, I think.
Sun 7 June
Augustinians v Rastrick in the Halifax League Sunday Section. Rastrick were batting and making strides towards 150. The home side looked as if they'd recruited a few juniors to make up the numbers with one little lad standing out conspicuously on account of his size. There were some big hits and there was a bout of frantic running, and in the end Rastrick gave the impression they were pretty pleased with their score. There didn't seem to be any spectators to speak of, bar a woman hiding from the cold in the garage below the scorebox. Two guys set about rolling the square during the interval, while everyone else sampled tea in the Lawrence Batley clubhouse. Sandwiches, coleslaw and extras were on the menu - and the TV was booming out with 20/20 World Cup action. Scotland v South Africa, I think.
Sunday 7 June 2009
Cricket Diary 2009 - Spoilt for choice
Posted by Tony Hutton
Living as I do in North Leeds the number of cricket grounds within a short distance of my home is almost beyond belief. Just around the corner is my local club Adel, who play in the Airedale and Wharfedale League, they also have a second ground used by their third team who play in the Dales Council League.
Another Airedale and Wharfedale club a few minutes walk down the road is New Rover, once the home of the Yorkshire Academy, which also stages many Yorkshire schools matches. The Academy have moved across the ring road to the Leeds University sports complex at Weetwood which has two cricket grounds. This is now the home ground of the Leeds/Bradford University Centre of Cricketing Excellence who play against all the major universites such as Oxford, Cambridge, Loughborough and Durham.
Most university matches are played mid-week and the Academy's Yorkshire league games are played on Saturdays. Leeds Metropolitain University do not have a ground of their own and play most of their matches at the ground of Kirkstall Educational cricket club, just a couple of miles away from Weetwood in Queenswood Drive. Leeds University have three mens cricket team and womens team. Leeds Met have two mens teams and a womens team.
So to illustrate the diversity available to professional cricket watchers in this area let me take you back to two recent Wednesdays.
Wednesday 13th May - four matches to choose from at the start of the day, but this does expand into five as the day goes on. This calls for difficult decisions to try and get the best of the action in all the games, but obviously this is not always possible.
So we make a start at Kirkstall where Leeds Met first team are taking on Manchester University who make a respectable 184 batting first, but are beaten fairly easily when we return later in the day.
Then on to Weetwood where two games are going on. On the main ground Leeds University rack up a very good total of 324 in 50 overs and then bowl out visitors Liverpool University for 149. A closer contest on the smaller second ground sees Leeds Met women beat their local rivals Leeds University by 40 runs.
However probably the best batting performance of the day comes at the other side of the ring road at New Rover where Leeds Met second team manage a huge 356-5 with the only century of the day from Greenwood who makes 113 not out with some powerful hitting. Opponents Newcastle University score a respectable 231 but are well beaten.
While we are watching the runs pile up here a mini bus pulls into the car park full of schoolboy cricketers already in their whites searching for the nearby Adel cricket ground. It proves to be a prep school team from near Malton who are playing a local school. So of course we call in later to see a few overs to make it our fifth match of the day.
So an exhausting and exciting day with lots of good cricket but I am sure many people would find this totally eccentric and ask why we just didn't stick with one match all day. Perhaps we should have done, but then you always have this feeling that something better might be going on round the corner !
Wednesday 27th May - A fortnight later, after a period of one match a day, we do it all over again. This time it is also a matter of dodging the showers on a cold wet day. Happily however all the matches not only start but are all played to a finish.
Two games at Weetwood see Leeds University first team comfortably beat Manchester after a stoppage due to rain. This brings protests from the York University second team playing Leeds thirds on the adjoining pitch where the umpires insist they play on through the rain. As York are bowled all out for 78 you can see their point, particularly when Leeds knock them off for the loss of only two wickets.
The big excitement of this day came elsewhere. We call in at Kirkstall out of curiousity, not expecting to stay long, to see Leeds Met women taking on Leeds University women yet again.
We had to stay to the end of the eventful Leeds Met innings as openers Petty and Briggs put on no less than 203 for the first wicket. Briggs made 62 but Rochelle Petty, who is a member of the Yorkshire cricket Academy, went on to an incredible 164 not out. She was exhausted by the end of her innings, but played superbly, using her feet to go down the wicket to the spinners in great style.
Not suprisingly Leeds university were rather deflated after all that and were bowled out for 145.
The excitement was not over though as the game at New Rover where we had called in earlier provided an amazing finish. Leeds Met 2nd team again batting well as they did two weeks ago, totalled 262-9 in their 50 overs. Despite the cold and drizzle opponents Sheffield Hallam came within one run only to loose off the last ball - drama indeed.
So there we are. So much action packed into two days of cricket, but well worth all the short distance commuting. Not to be recommended for every day of the week of course, so hopefully back to some semblance of normality next time.
Living as I do in North Leeds the number of cricket grounds within a short distance of my home is almost beyond belief. Just around the corner is my local club Adel, who play in the Airedale and Wharfedale League, they also have a second ground used by their third team who play in the Dales Council League.
Another Airedale and Wharfedale club a few minutes walk down the road is New Rover, once the home of the Yorkshire Academy, which also stages many Yorkshire schools matches. The Academy have moved across the ring road to the Leeds University sports complex at Weetwood which has two cricket grounds. This is now the home ground of the Leeds/Bradford University Centre of Cricketing Excellence who play against all the major universites such as Oxford, Cambridge, Loughborough and Durham.
Most university matches are played mid-week and the Academy's Yorkshire league games are played on Saturdays. Leeds Metropolitain University do not have a ground of their own and play most of their matches at the ground of Kirkstall Educational cricket club, just a couple of miles away from Weetwood in Queenswood Drive. Leeds University have three mens cricket team and womens team. Leeds Met have two mens teams and a womens team.
So to illustrate the diversity available to professional cricket watchers in this area let me take you back to two recent Wednesdays.
Wednesday 13th May - four matches to choose from at the start of the day, but this does expand into five as the day goes on. This calls for difficult decisions to try and get the best of the action in all the games, but obviously this is not always possible.
So we make a start at Kirkstall where Leeds Met first team are taking on Manchester University who make a respectable 184 batting first, but are beaten fairly easily when we return later in the day.
Then on to Weetwood where two games are going on. On the main ground Leeds University rack up a very good total of 324 in 50 overs and then bowl out visitors Liverpool University for 149. A closer contest on the smaller second ground sees Leeds Met women beat their local rivals Leeds University by 40 runs.
However probably the best batting performance of the day comes at the other side of the ring road at New Rover where Leeds Met second team manage a huge 356-5 with the only century of the day from Greenwood who makes 113 not out with some powerful hitting. Opponents Newcastle University score a respectable 231 but are well beaten.
While we are watching the runs pile up here a mini bus pulls into the car park full of schoolboy cricketers already in their whites searching for the nearby Adel cricket ground. It proves to be a prep school team from near Malton who are playing a local school. So of course we call in later to see a few overs to make it our fifth match of the day.
So an exhausting and exciting day with lots of good cricket but I am sure many people would find this totally eccentric and ask why we just didn't stick with one match all day. Perhaps we should have done, but then you always have this feeling that something better might be going on round the corner !
Wednesday 27th May - A fortnight later, after a period of one match a day, we do it all over again. This time it is also a matter of dodging the showers on a cold wet day. Happily however all the matches not only start but are all played to a finish.
Two games at Weetwood see Leeds University first team comfortably beat Manchester after a stoppage due to rain. This brings protests from the York University second team playing Leeds thirds on the adjoining pitch where the umpires insist they play on through the rain. As York are bowled all out for 78 you can see their point, particularly when Leeds knock them off for the loss of only two wickets.
The big excitement of this day came elsewhere. We call in at Kirkstall out of curiousity, not expecting to stay long, to see Leeds Met women taking on Leeds University women yet again.
We had to stay to the end of the eventful Leeds Met innings as openers Petty and Briggs put on no less than 203 for the first wicket. Briggs made 62 but Rochelle Petty, who is a member of the Yorkshire cricket Academy, went on to an incredible 164 not out. She was exhausted by the end of her innings, but played superbly, using her feet to go down the wicket to the spinners in great style.
Not suprisingly Leeds university were rather deflated after all that and were bowled out for 145.
The excitement was not over though as the game at New Rover where we had called in earlier provided an amazing finish. Leeds Met 2nd team again batting well as they did two weeks ago, totalled 262-9 in their 50 overs. Despite the cold and drizzle opponents Sheffield Hallam came within one run only to loose off the last ball - drama indeed.
So there we are. So much action packed into two days of cricket, but well worth all the short distance commuting. Not to be recommended for every day of the week of course, so hopefully back to some semblance of normality next time.
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