Coming to the boil

Posted by Peter Davies

The Allsop Cup final at Thurstonland...but a very damp and soggy event. Arrived at 5.15 to discover that the first innings - Almondbury Wesleyans batting against Cumberworth - had yet to be completed due to intermittent rain. But wickets started falling and by the time we left, about half an hour later, the Wes were all out and tea was being taken. Because of the weather the attendance at the event was low-ish, with most folk desperate for some cover from the drizzle in the area of the pavilion and tea room/bar. TCC VIPs were out in force including Cricket Heritage Project webmaster Lee Booth and secretary/scorer Andrew Pearson. The former said that if the final had to be adjourned to the following Sunday it would clash with a pre-arranged junior event, while the latter was talking baseball, American sport and possibly doing a cricket-related M.Phil some time in the future. It also transpired that the Thurstonland kettle was playing up and anyone wishing to purchase a cuppa was having to wait a short time. But the ground looked great even though it was a dismal day. Just very bad luck that the final should be rain-affected.

Colne Valley banquet

Posted by Peter Davies

Saturday 25 July

An afternoon in the Colne Valley - Paddock first, then Golcar. Almondbury were the visitors at West View and were batting first when we arrived. Wickets seemed to be falling at regular intervals, with the odd ball being struck onto the nearby railway line. The president of the club told me that the narrowness of the playing area - on one side the railway and on the other waste land - meant the club could never be really in the running for staging representative games. The sun was shining and there were a smattering of spectators perched on the railway side of the ground. Paddock's Perth all-rounder Steve Abbott was steaming in from the bowling green end, but then switched ends. He also dropped two catches while we were watching. In the clubhouse, Suzie the barmaid was preparing the teas - for the first time, she said. The food was gradually being laid out on the pool table, starting with three brands of crisps. The clubhouse looked newly refurbished. It also boasted a designer PCC clock and lots of impressive documentation on the club noticeboard. We then met up with Leeds-based Professional Cricket Watcher Mick Bourne - in Huddersfield to proof-read the 2009 Northern Cricket Society booklet which is being printed for the first time at the University of Huddersfield print room. He had had problems finding Paddock's ground - hence his desperate phone call for directions from near Milnsbridge!

Tea was being taken at Golcar with Huddersfield-based Professional Cricket Watcher Dave Thorpe attending to the wicket with two or three colleagues. Lots of spectators and banter outside the pavilion with many Skelmanthorpe followers having made the trip to the Colne Valley. Golcar pin-up boy Steve Whitwam had stroked (yet another) century and the visitors from Shat had been set a stern target. The teatime food was majesterial - with pizza, sausage rolls, pork pie, quiche, red cabbage and various types of sandwiches available. It was a banquet! I ate so well in fact that I didn't even look at the many sweets on display. All I did was pinch a couple of strawberries! Skelmanthorpe began their reply in studious fashion. I did a lap of the ground with Messrs Bourne and Thorpe and then sat on the banking for 15 minutes or so. A really gorgeous evening and Swallow Lane was looking a picture.

Cricket diary 2009 - Down by the Riverside

Swalwell cricket club and South Northumberland cricket club

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 22nd July - for many years now I have made an annual pilgrimage to Lord's to see the Minor Counties Knock Out Final. With a relatively small crowd it is always a pleasure to be able to stroll around and to visit the museum and the shop unhindered by the crowds at the big matches. However sadly this year Lord's cannot fit this game in and it has been moved to Durham's ground at the Riverside, Chester-le-Street. I think the decision was something to do with the unfortunate proliferation of Twenty/20 cricket.

Not to worry it is easier, and cheaper, to get to Durham so off we go to see Norfolk take on Staffordshire. Small numbers of supporters have made the long journey, particularly from Norfolk which is of course a long way from anywhere. Unfortunately for the spectators the wicket to be used is at the far side of the square and a very long way from the major facilities of the grandstand, members' lounge and dining room, with the boundary rope about thirty yards in from that side.

The morning sun shone, team photographs were taken, Norfolk won the toss and decided to bat but then just before the scheduled start of 11 a.m. a persistent drizzle started. This was really bad news, particularly for the travelling supporters, as the longer the delay the more likely the game would go into a second day. So it eventually proved, but when the announcement we are getting used to came regarding an early lunch and inspection later I felt this was an opportunity to try elsewhere.

Having done my research earlier I knew that Durham under 17s were playing Derbyshire at Swalwell cricket club, not too far away. In addition Durham 2nd XI were playing Leicestershire at the South Northumberland club, in Gosforth just to the north of Newcastle. Within about five miles of the Riverside, the roads were dry and no sign of rain. Play had commenced on time at Swalwell and I saw about three quarters of an hour of tidy spin bowling by Derbyshire at this very large ground with a big modern pavilion. A chat with the groundsman revealed that this ground had been half under water only a few days earlier.

So when they went off for lunch at 1 o'clock it was back to the Riverside where I found that after a spell of drying out another heavy shower had hit the ground and it would be a least another hour before they could start. So this time off to Gosforth, through Gateshead and over the Tyne Bridge not a sign of rain, dry roads all the way.

Play had been in progress at the pleasant South Northumberland ground, fringed by modern flats and a sports centre, since 11 this morning - no sign of rain here either. Leicester were being demolished by the Durham pace attack, not Harmison and Plunkett this time but Rushworth, Davies and Evans. They were all out soon after lunch for just over a hundred.

So having ticked off two more new grounds from my list back I went to Riverside, where to my great relief play had just started at 2.45 p.m. This of course meant that play would go on into the reserve day tomorrow and many people, including myself, would not be there for the finish.
Norfolk went off like an express train, the experienced captain Rogers and the young fair haired Patston set about the Staffordshire opening bowlers who I had seen demolish Northumberland earlier in the season.

Patston played the pinch hitter role going down the wicket to the pacemen and carving them to all parts of the ground, whereas Rogers played the sheet anchor role and in retrospect probably the match winning innings. The pair put on a century opening partnership before Patston was clean bowled by Mo Sheikh, the former county player with Derbyshire. Sheikh bowled medium pace off a long run but then changed to two balls of off spin, the second of which bowled Patston.

Those two balls were the only spin we saw in the whole of the first innings, with the over rate very slow, and some of the bowlers seeming to take unduly long run ups. In fact only a late spurt enabled them to escape penalty runs for their slow over rate. The run rate slowed and Norfolk slumped to 157-4, but then Spelman joined Rogers and batted through to the end of the innings with a valuable 41 not out.

Rogers looked set for a century but as he tried to accelerate near the end of the innings he skied one and was caught for 91. A real captain's innings and Norfolk finished on 257-6 in 50 overs. Some thought this might not be enough in view of the start they had made and on a good wicket with a short boundary on one side.

With the first day play able to go on until 8 p.m. Staffordshire had to start their reply in worsening light and Bradshaw and Eccles the opening bowlers took full advantage, Bradshaw bowling Wilshaw and Eccles taking three more wickets (two lbw) before the umpires called a halt due to bad light with the score on 26-4.

The following day Norfolk took the trophy as expected, despite a late flurry Staffordshire were all out for 153. Eccles taking a splendid 5-34. So not for the first time the toss and the weather proved decisive and we were left to wonder what would have happened on a sunny day with a full day's play. Full marks though to Norfolk with a largely home grown side, only the former Kent batsman Trevor Ward being an 'incomer'. They proved worthy winners.

Cricket diary 2009 - Dodging the showers

St Peter's school ground, York and the Root family in action at Headingley

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 15th July - the month of July seems to have taken over the monsoon mantle of last season and cricket watchers have spent most of the time dodging the showers, which have been quite torrential at times. Today was just such a day and we arrived at Shaw Lane, Barnsley for what should have been day one of a three day second eleven game between Yorkshire and Glamorgan.

Heavy overnight rain ruined any chance of a prompt start and when the announcement came that the players would take an early lunch and review the situation thereafter I decided to travel north to York where I knew three other games were scheduled. On the way out of the Barnsley ground I encountered none other than Brian Senior who had travelled there by train, but on hearing the news was glad to join me on a trip to York. A few minutes later as we joined the M1 motorway we thought we had made the right decision as we passed through a torrential downpour which was to prevent any play at Barnsley that day.

We made for St Peters School where it was day three of the Yorkshire Senior Schools festival.
Brian had been there yesterday and seen the Yorkshire Schools loose to Leicestershire Academy in a high scoring game. Today Derbyshire Academy were the visitors and on arrival we were told play would start at 1 p.m.. with a reduction in overs from 50 to 40 per side.

If play had not been possible here we could have gone to nearby Stamford Bridge where Yorkshire's under 17 side were playing or to Escrick Park where Yorkshire Gentlemen were entertaining yet another Australian touring side. However with cricket possible here we stayed put at St Peters. The home side, which included several players from Huddersfield New College who we had seen earlier in the month made a good score of 217-8 although never really on top of the bowling.

The Derbyshire side's batting proved not up to the occasion and they lost rather heavily being bowled out for only 101. Full credit to the Yorkshire schools side who bowled and fielded well and looked to have a good team spirit.

Brian and I were delighted to meet up with an old friend of ours, George Abbey from Bradford, who is to this day almost the custodian of the old Bradford Park Avenue ground, which although almost derelict is still in use for club cricket. George despite being well into his eighties was in good form and enjoyed long conversations with both Arnie Sidebottom, who coached the Yorkshire Academy in their time at Park Avenue, and with Richard Hutton who is involved in the ownership of the ground through his connections with the charity which bears his father's name.

Thursday 16th July - back to Barnsley for day two of the Yorkshire v Glamorgan second eleven game. This time we are in luck and get just about a full day's play. Yet another connection with the old Park Avenue day's as Glamorgan's captain for this match was Alex Wharf who played for the Academy at Bradford and later Yorkshire's first team briefly before moving on to Notts and then Glamorgan.

Yorkshire's youngsters Joe Root and Charlie Roebuck stole the show with 80 and 73 respectively and helped by South African wicketkeeper Brophy, returning after a finger injury with 54, took Yorkshire to a respectable total of 310-7. The day was not without humour for the good sized and knowledgeable crowd.

Most of this was provided by the two umpires Jakeman and Malone who had a height difference of about a foot which meant that when they conferred about the weather late in the day Jakeman had to look a long way upwards. Someone suggested he was asking what the weather was like up there. In addition when the umpires were asked to change the ball, Mr Malone shouted to someone in the crowd to bring on the box of balls with the words 'It's behind you', only for the crowd to take up the refrain, until someone else shouted 'Oh no it isn't'. So the pantomime season came to Barnsley early this year.

The next day was again wiped out totally by heavy rain - a great pity for the hard working Barnsley groundsmen and officials. There always seems to be plenty of people to help out and of course always the chance of a celebrity visitor at Barnsley. Last season we had Geoffrey Boycott visit the county second XI match. This season we had former football league referee, Trelford Mills, who is a vice-president, serving our coffee.

Sunday 19th July - again showery conditions prevailed, but thanks to a sterling effort from the groundsmen at Headingley (not always the case for Academy games) the Yorkshire League cup semi-final with Sheffield Collegiate did get finished on the day despite a rather late finish.

A rather small but select crowd of spectators had gathered to see the Yorkshire Academy win the toss and bat against a Sheffield Collegiate side who are sadly no longer the force they once were. The highlight of this game was a superb innings from the young Zimbabwean born batsman Gary Ballance, who came to Yorkshire via Derbyshire and Harrow School. Indeed he scored a century at Lord's for Harrow against Eton

Today he tore the Collegiate attack to pieces with an unbelievable innings of 236 not out in 50 overs out of a total of 357-1 by the Yorkshire Academy. His opening partner, the even younger Joe Root, who started his career with today's opponents, made 85 out of an opening stand of 296. Ballances' innings contained 24 fours and 10 sixes, no mean feat on a wicket almost in the centre of the Headingley square.

Root's effort was no doubt made better for him in that the Collegiate side not only included his father, but his younger brother Billy, who has already made a century for the the Yorkshire Academy against Ireland 'A'. So obviously a very talented family, but not I am told related to the famous Fred Root of pre-war days, who played for Derbyshire and Worcestershire.

So young Billy Root, who is left-handed unlike his brother. opened the innings in reply He made only 18 before being bowled by his brother, but showed plenty of promise for the future. It will be good to see them batting together soon. Father Matt must not be forgotten as he made a valiant 34 out of a spirited reply which was never going to overtake such a large total. So 202-8 in the 50 overs was respectable, but the Academy go through to the final to meet the winners of Scarborough and York.

Cricket Diary 2009 - The Aussies are here

Harrogate cricket club (above) and Doncaster Town cricket club (below)

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 5th July - with the start of the Ashes series only days away the country seems awash with Australian touring sides who have come here not only to play cricket but to support their national side in the Test Matches which start at Cardiff this week.

At Harrogate cricket club we had a double dose of Aussie visitors. On the main ground, sadly a pale shadow of it's former self following the fire which destroyed the main pavilion, the home side were taking on no less than the Melbourne cricket club. The visitors are probably the Australian equivalent of the MCC in England, with their hooped caps of red, white and blue, they certainly looked the part as they took the field.

The home side, struggling somewhat in the Yorkshire Premier League these days, batted first and made a reasonable score of 214-9 in their 45 overs. Youngster Owram with 68 and veteran skipper John Proud with 40 being the main contributors. However the above average number of spectators basking in the afternoon sun had no idea what lay in store.

Melbourne's opening batsman Rob Cooper took the game by storm. He obviously put his local knowledge to good use, having played for Upper Wharfedale cricket club at Grassington in recent years and by all accounts broken so many batting records that they re-named the bar after him. Today he won the match almost single handed, with a great innings of 151 not out, which included nine sixes and nine fours. Melbourne finishing on 217-4 with four overs to spare.

So grand entertainment, but this was also the case on the adjoining junior ground where a team of Australian schoolboys from Westfield School in Sydney were also putting Harrogate Under 17s to the sword. They racked up a score of 286-5 in 45 overs on a ground where no sixes are allowed because of adjoining houses. A great display with another century maker in Williams who made 110. He did not have time to let his success go to his head as after his dismissal he had to take over the role of scorer.

So great entertainment from two very different Aussie sides. Let's hope their compatriots don't score so freely in Cardiff.

Tuesday 7th July - the Melbourne cricket club party, after a day at Ripon races, moved on to face Doncaster Town, another Yorkshire Premier League side. This time the home side, perhaps warned of the visitors' strength, put a rather stronger looking side into the field.

Sadly however a torrential downpour just before lunch curtailed proceedings and the game was abandoned with the visitors on 76-4 in 26 overs. Still there was time to chat with some of the Aussies and to find out a little more about their club with some useful literature including their impressive fixture list being handed out. By all accounts the tourists were royally entertained for the rest of the day and certainly enjoyed their visit to Doncaster.

Although I was not present the following day they ended the Yorkshire part of their tour with a visit to Upper Wharfedale to play against Rob Cooper's old club. After watching the start of the Cardiff Test on TV they had a narrow victory with Cooper making the most of it again with another 80 not out, with six sixes and seven fours. The club website reports another great day with a few 'frothies' with the locals in the village pub. So Melbourne head off down south not only to see the Lord's Test but to play a game there themselves against MCC.



Monday 6th July - in between these tourist matches a very domestic occasion took place at the beautiful Follifoot ground near Harrogate. The Addison Cup is played for by clubs competing in the Harrogate evening league, many of them reinforced by players from other leagues.
After heavy rain during the day and even en route to the match, the teams took the field on time and played the game without interruption much to everyone's suprise.

The favourites Knaresborough batted first, but not against the winners of the other sem-final Studley Royal, who had been disqualified on the grounds of fielding an ineligible player. Apparently not the first time this sort of thing has happened as players in the cup competition have to play a minimum number of league games to qualify. So the loosing semi-finalists, Blubberhouses, were reinstated.

In view of what happened Blubberhouses might have wished they were not there at all as Knaresborough batted with great confidence to run up 172-2 in their 20 overs. By this time the crowd has built up significantly during the evening as word obviously went round that the game was one despite the weather.

The spectators, including a large number of people I had not seen since last season, were to be
disappointed as Blubberhouses, who were apparently well below full strength, never looked like getting the runs. They lost wickets at regular intervals and contributed to their own downfall with three successive run outs in mid-innings. So 62 all out was a poor effort and Knaresborough took the cup, but a happy ending for many who thought it would be a day without cricket.

Into the Bradford League

Posted by Peter Davies

Saturday 18 July

Cleckheaton, like Mirfield, is an interesting cricket town with five big league clubs: Scholes, Gomersal, Spen Victoria and the two on today's agenda: Cleckheaton and Hartshead Moor. Cleckheaton was first up. Not the prettiest environs - Chain Bar roundabout, lots of industrial units and houses - but a really beautiful playing area and good facilities. Woodlands 2nd XI were the visitors and there were plenty of spectators gathered on the clubhouse side of the ground. My dad was upset that the tea ladies weren't serving sandwiches pre-tea: 'a money-making opportunity lost', he opined to anyone who would listen! So he had to get in his car and patronise the local shopping centre. I bumped into two interesting people: the club barmaid (a former University of Huddersfield History student) and Mike Baker (a Bradford League VIP who had attended the East Bierley cricket heritage exhibition in May). Mike takes lots of photos for the excellent league website but was not on camera duty today. Instead he told me about the lack of big star names in the leagues these days, except the odd ex-county pro eg. Gareth Clough, John Wood. Inside the clubhouse - shared with the local bowling club and rugby union players - a mother and daughter-in-law were on catering duty. They seemed to specialise in egg mayo slices, scotch eggs and Mr Kipling's apple pies. The big screen was showing the Second Test - with England accumulating lots of runs before putting Australia back in at Lord's. Out in the middle the one noticeable thing was the number of run outs - very slipshod!

Down the road at Hartshead Moor, Great Horton were the visitors. When we arrived at teatime they were batting. Moorend Lane is one of my favourite local grounds. It has a real air of history - eg. the '1953' gates by the entrance - and the noise of the M62 (only yards away) is ever present. People tell me the club are not one of the big-hitters in the Bradford League but they have had their moments in local competition and in Len Squire they have one of the nicest and most kindhearted supporters/officials/ex-players. They also serve a fine pint of diet coke! We had eaten well at Cleckheaton so we had no need to nibble at the uneaten delicacies from tea (which seemed to include plenty of samosas and onion bhajis). Mike Baker had told me that the ground had been smartened up quite recently - the scoreboard and the benches round the ground - and he was right (although I think the benches had been done last year when I visited). There were dog-walkers on the boundary and a good huddle of supporters by the pavilion and also inside it. The plasma TV screen was showing the wonderful Collingwood-Prior partnership that was taking England to a position of strength in the Test.

Midges and snoozes

Posted by Peter Davies

Sunday 12 July

Could England save the first Ashes Test? Would radio reception in the Calder Valley enable us to keep in touch with goings-on in Cardiff? The big questions of the day. It wasn't looking too promising as we meandered through Sowerby Bridge en route to Grassy Bottom, Triangle. England were losing wickets and the reception on my digital radio for Radio Five Live Extra was worryingly poor. By the time we arrived at Triangle for the Crossley Shield semi v SBCI, the reception was non-existent so we consoled ourselves with a cuppa and a scone with jam and cream. Yummy indeed! The Triangle tea ladies were out in force, with club stalwart Ken Beaumont sitting in the set of seats next door to the pavilion. Triangle were on their way to a score approaching 300 with the help of some poor SBCI fielding and - obviously - their small, high-scoring ground. Triangle players Gary Rodger and John Moore said hello to me as they circled the perimeter of the ground - which was looking gorgeous in the July sun.

At Sowerby Bridge the radio reception was much better so we found a deserted spot on the top boundary and spread ourselves out. My dad fell asleep for what seemed like hours. Midges are an occupational hazard at Walton Street - there were lots being very annoying by the river and even on the top boundary there seemed to be plenty about. Stones were the visitors today - a mixture of experienced pros and young guns. The away side reached an average total in their overs but there was nothing average about the homemade cakes in the pavilion. Many had been individually iced with cricketing or, even better, Sowerby Bridge CC-related motifs or images. Very impressive - and the senior tea lady on duty was rightly proud. There were a couple of mini-showers but nothing too serious. The Stones CC secretary/tea lady was also present on a fact-finding mission: Stones are staging the Crossley Shield final in mid-August, while Sowerby Bridge are hosting the Parish Cup final in early August - with the former trying to pinch ideas off the latter!

In the nude!

Posted by Peter Davies

Saturday 11 July

Mirfield is one of my favourite cricketing towns with three high-pedigree league clubs - and all three within easy walking distance of each other. Mirfield Parish Cavaliers were playing Townville in the CYL. I really like their ground because when you're sitting on the boundary you feel involved in the action. Intimate is the word. The playing area is small and boundaries are, seemingly, ten a penny. You also have to have your wits about you because balls come flying at all angles. Missed the 202 bus from Huddersfield so had to make do with the 203 - which left an annoying walk through a big residential area, but thankfully it wasn't uphill. Townville were batting and about to post a big score - but at Parish even big scores don't necessarily win games! Tea was a cheese roll with salad accessories, a scone and egg custard. A club official bought me a pint of diet coke and explained that he had got involved at the club because a ball had landed in his garden, he got chatting with club people and liked what he saw! Great story. I also received a complimentary fundraising calendar. The club has been raising money for breast cancer charities and some of the cricketing lads had stripped off for a 2009 calendar. And quite explicit it was too! The club seem to be going down the route of homegrown rather than imported talent - probably like many other clubs in these difficult economic times.

A nice meandering stroll took me past Mirfield Parish Church, down onto the main road - and then I was in hitting distance of Mirfield CC. It was only 5pmish but there didn't seem to be much happening at their place. No match going on, certainly. But the pavilion was open so I bobbed in and met the two tea ladies having a well deserved cup of tea after an afternoon's work. But the cricket had finished much earlier - Mirfield all out for 30-odd, with Cawthorne knocking off the runs easily. I think tea may even have been taken after both innings had been completed, rather between them! Some of the Mirfield cricketers were still around, having a drink and watching the match on the adjacent ground - Moorlands v Carlton. Anyway, the tea ladies made me a cup of tea and said I could finish off a few of their uneaten mini sausage rolls and mini pork pies. Very kind. They said they did teas four or five times a season because their other halves were Mirfield (and ex-Harry Lime) cricketers. The clubhouse is always packed full with interesting club memorabilia - due mainly to the enthusiasm of club historian Pat Neal.

And over the wall to Moorlands of the CYL. Lots of spectators on the boundary edge, including the Mirfield cluster (who all seemed to run a mile, rather than attempt a 'spectator's catch', when a six was hit in their direction - one of them joked that this showed how useless they were!). One batter didn't like the decision he received and had a little bit of a verbal altercation with a spectator who seemed to have enjoyed his dismissal! Lots of photos and other items on the clubhouse walls. Chatted with club stalwart David Sykes by the pavilion - and I said I was very sorry to hear about the death of Derek Taylor, club groundsman and legendary club man (who I interviewed last year for the project website). The club had named their new roller after him and there was also a framed photo of him in the clubhouse. A very lovely man. Moorlands are a progressive club - previously known as Dewsbury Moorlands CC, and before that the club was linked explicity to a local Methodist church. And it is always an experience to visit Memorial Park - with the two grounds joined at the hip (a bit like Northowram in Calderdale).

Cricket Diary 2009 - Lascelles Hall continued

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 1st July - Just to expand a little on the excellent summary of the game between Huddersfield New College and MCC at Lascelles Hall. Peter Davies, who sadly missed much of the day due to work commitments, was only there for the last part of the game but obviously enjoyed the thrilling finish and as usual the food.

Earlier in the day the MCC captain, John Booth now of Slaithwaite, but formally with Lascelles Hall, seemed to have assembled a strong side to face the college boys who we knew very little about. That was soon to be rectified when it became apparent that most of them were playing good standard league cricket. The Walmsley twins from Bankfoot have been well known for many years in schools cricket and are now doing well in the Bradford League.

The others were all from clubs in the Bradford League, Huddersfield League, Central Yorkshire league and Yorkshire Premier league - so a very good standard. MCC as is the custom batted first and even without one of their leading players made a very useful 238-7. Top scorer was number three batsman, the left handed Taylor from Old Almondburians with 77 and skipper Booth did well with 60. The locals suggested he wouldn't declare until he was out and this proved to be the case.

The College started well with an excellent first wicket stand between Jack Pulley of Elland and Marcus Walmsley who put on 100 for the first wicket before Walmsley was out for 53. Pulley carried on to score a fine century before he was out at 190-5. A good long spell by veteran off-spinner Peter Hepworth seemed to be turning the game MCC's way and as wickets continued to fall the College were struggling at 201-9. However the last pair put on 38 to give New College a win by one wicket with time running out.

Always a good day out for me as I lived in the village for three years as a young boy and in many ways the ground itself has hardly changed in the amazing sixty years since I left.

Thursday 2nd July - a suprising sequel to yesterday's game. Commuting between Yorks 2nd XI at Headingley and Yorks Under 17s at New Rover, we were told that Leeds Metropolitain University freshers were playing a trial match for next season at Kirkstall. So we just called in for a quick look and to our suprise Leeds Met were playing the same Huddersfield New College side we had seen yesterday.

On inspecting the scorebook, we found that the Walmsley twins had both been dismissed for ducks and yesterday's centurion Pulley was also out with the score on 90-5. So we thought a low
scoring game we won't bother to stay, only to discover later that New College had recovered to 280 odd and presumably won the game. You never know !

Cricket Diary 2009 - Mixed results for Yorkshire youngsters

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 28th June - Yorkshire under 15s play Durham at the New Rover ground in north Leeds.
For years Yorkshire under 15s have carried all before them but today they were well beaten by a very useful Durham side who inflicted a very heavy defeat on them

New Rover is known for it's perfect batting wickets and fast high scoring outfield on the ground created and so carefully maintained by former Headingley groundsman Keith Boyce.

Yorkshire declared on 208 before using up all their possible overs and this proved an expensive mistake as Durham proceeded to compile 212-1, winning by nine wickets.

Thursday 2nd July - again at New Rover and again in perfect weather the Yorkshire under 17s managed a victory, also against Durham, but it was a tight run thing. Durham batted really well to compile 269-9 in 50 overs, but Yorkshire were handicapped by loosing opening bowler Lilley to injury after he had taken 2-11 in his opening spell.

The professional cricket watchers had assembled their chairs in the shade under a hedge near the scoreboard to form a sort of Wimbledon Royal Box, the company and the conversation was again excellent all day as Yorkshire batted their way towards victory. Good innings from Alex Lees from Illingworth, McKendrey from Thirsk and finally Jack Hargreaves who is playing with the Academy saw Yorkshire home with nine balls to spare. Hargreaves hitting a big straight six to win the match.

Much of the conversation centred on why no one has yet written a book on cricket watching eccentrics, complete with cartoon sketches of them all. There is certainly plenty of material to go at.

Saturday 4th July - Yorkshire's Academy side are top of the Yorkshire Premier League and so far unbeaten as they go into today's game against their main challengers York. Unfortunately they are the victims of their own success as Rafiq and Bairstow, their two main men, have progressed to the Yorkshire first team and Joe Root their most consistent batsman is apparently away at an England Under 18 training squad.

The Academy bat first at Weetwood and another England Under 18 candidate, Charlie Roebuck, plays a sparkling innings, dominating the scoring to make 77 out of 114-2, before he was run out.
That was the signal for a dramatic collapse and soon the Academy were 124-7, before captain and coach John Blain came to the rescue with a valuable 37 not out.

The final score of 186 all out did not seem enough against York's powerful batting line up, but the
Academy dismissed prolific scorers Snell and Wilson cheaply before the experienced Simon Mason hit what proved to be a match winning 77. A flurry of wickets near the end gave the Academy a chance with young spinner Randhawa again proving his worth, before the inevitable defeat by three wickets.

However the Academy remain top of the league but with York now pressing strongly. It might have been different if they had been able to field their strongest team. What goes without saying is that Yorkshire still have a huge amount of young cricketing talent at all age levels, but sadly after an amazing victory by Somerset against Yorkshire at Taunton yesterday, scoring 470 to win, the Yorkshire senior side must be at it's lowest point for many years.

Cricket diary 2009 - Closer to home

Posted by Tony Hutton

Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th Jun - back from our travels only to find an unwelcome clash of fixtures back home. Yorkshire 2nd XI are playing MCC Young Cricketers from Lord's, who are now members of the 2nd XI championship, at Stamford Bridge and at the same time the Yorkshire Academy have a three day game with Ireland 'A' at the Leeds University ground at Weetwood, Leeds.

Inevitably we are in the wrong place on these two days. Wednesday is day two of the match at Weetwood and on a scorching hot day we opt to stay closer to home, the Academy having made 337 the previous day bowl Ireland out and make them follow on. So nothing much to write home about. Whereas if we had gone to Stamford Bridge for day one of the three day match there we would have seen Yorkshire II make almost 500 runs, with Gary Ballance scoring a double century and Johnny Bairstow 147.

However we move on to Stamford Bridge for day two in the company of two grand octogenerians, John Rex and Harry Jackson, treasurer and secretary respectively of the Northern Cricket Society. Three of of us were commentators on Leeds Hospitals Radio for many years and always greatly enjoy our days out together, particularly this one with lunch at the admirable Gold Cup in the next village, Low Catton. The conversation and the laughter continue all day but the cricket does not really match the weather.

MCC Young Cricketers all out 174 are also asked to follow on and in fact the game finishes late on day two with an innings victory for Yorkshire, so no play on day three. This is a great shame as matches at Stamford Bridge always attract large crowds which would amaze people from the south of England who usually see the proverbial two men and a dog at second XI matches. I understand that the car park here had to be closed for the one day fixture which preceded the three day one due to the size of the crowd.

Meanwhile back at Weetwood, we had again missed the best of the action. Ireland 'A' having followed on made a remarkable 399-7 declared thus setting the Academy 230 to win in 40 odd overs. This they proceed to do with yet another newcomer Billy Root, younger brother of 19 year old Joe Root who was playing for the seconds at Stamford Bridge, getting a century in a dramatic three wicket win. The grandfather of these two very promissing batsmen was commuting from one venue to the other in the hope of seeing both of them bat - we hope he succeded.

Cricket Diary 2009 - Two days at Brockhampton

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd June - after yesterdays tour of the Cotswolds time to settle down and relax at the perfect venue for Minor Counties cricket - The Park at Brockhampton in the Wye Valley between Ross and Hereford. Visitors to these parts are often confused by the other Brockhampton further north in the county and even those who find the sign to Brockhampton church still have to negotiate narrow country lanes before you come across a drive which says 'Stables and Cricket Ground only'.

Once there you will be delighted with the ground surrounded by trees, the old fashioned pavilion with hanging flower baskets and the more modern clubhouse and bar which does not detract from the ideal surroundings for watching cricket. It was a visit here in the early 1990s which really got me into Minor Counties cricket, something I remain grateful for to this day. Some years now since my last visit but I was not disappointed.

Herefordshire were playing Cornwall in this three day championship match and had brought a fair few committee men and supporters with them which all added to the event. The Reverend Canon Ken Rogers, the Cornwall President, sat next to us for a while but failed to pull out one of our tickets when the raffle draw was made.

We recalled our visit to St Just, as near to Lands End as you can get to watch cricket, when the big event of the day was the announcement that the pasties had arrived. Obviously the Cornish equivalent of the Lancastrian 'The pies 'ave come'. There is a lot of cricket played in Cornwall, which suprised me at first but the strength of today's team reflected that.
Indluded in their ranks was none other than leg-spinner Michael Munday who we had seen performing for Somerset at Headingley only a week ago. He did not really have a great match there but did bowl Johnny Bairstow with what was described as a 'donkey drop', which hit the off bail.

He had more success here and it was really his bowling along with that of his off-spinning captain, Tom Sharp that won the match for Cornwall. The foundations though were laid on the first day by a splendid innings from an unknown 19 year old, Dan Davis, who made 153 in splendid style. I was told that he was a bowler until an injury made him concentrate on his batting. Keith Parsons, the former Somerset player, joined in with 84 and Cornwall made a very satisfactory 384 all out in only 83 overs.

Herefordshire's best bowler was Charlie Griffiths (no, not the West Indian of long ago) a left arm spinner who took 5-98. This set the tone for the rest of the match with spin bowling dominating and keeping up both a very brisk over rate but a fast scoring rate as well. Perfect for old fashioned cricket watchers like me. In reply Hereford's first innings was quite respectable with 299-8 in their 90 overs. This was thanks mainly to David Exall's splendid innings of 98 not out.

Exall was unlucky to be stranded just short of his maiden championship century, due in my opinion to the scoreboard not showing his individual score. I am sure he did not know how many he had got during the last over, although we did being sat just in front of the scorers' caravan.
He got to 97 with two balls remaining and took a single which could have been turned into two even with the risk of running out his partner, but he declined and did not face the last ball.

A minor point perhaps, but a better scoreboard could have added to the day. The spinners Munday and Sharp had bowled 61 overs between them and taken 7 wickets. The action continued fast and furious as Cornwall added to their first innings lead with 69 from opener Mark Robins and another 63 from first innings hero, Dan Davis. Griffiths the Hereford spinner took 5 more wicket to make it 10 for the match, but Cornwall set a target of 356 when they declared on the last morning and Hereford subsided to defeat with 231 all out. David Exall got some consolation for missing his hundred with another 46 not out.

Captain Sharp led from the front bowling 35.3 overs in the second innings and taking 5-78, whereas Michael Munday bowled only 29 overs and took 5-96. So the Cornishmen went home happy, as did most of the spectators after a real feast of Minor Counties cricket in the best possible surroundings. Roll on next season - we will be back.

Cricket Diary 2009 - In the footsteps of Nico Craven

Sheepscombe (above) and Cheltenham College (below)

Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 20th June - for those of you unfamiliar with the works of Nico Craven, he is a prodigious cricket author (now retired) who wrote my kind of cricket books. At least one slim volume appeared every year describing cricket and it's characters at all levels. Despite living in Cumbria his passion has always been Gloucestershire, notably cricket at the Cheltenham festival and in the Cotswold villages.

Having met him several times watching Minor Counties cricket and corresponded with him since, I was determined to take this opportunity of following in his footsteps. Advance research on the computer revealed a morning start at the delightful Cheltenham College ground, where the College were taking on the Free Foresters, a famous old club of public schoolboys.

The ground was a picture with it's back drop of the College chapel and without the temporary stands and tents which will circle it later in the summer when Gloucestershire come to visit for the traditional festival. The college piled up the runs during the morning against a side which included their own cricket coach, none other than Mark Briers formally of Leicestershire and Durham , wearing his Durham sweater proudly no doubt still celebrating their championship title of last season.

However, after an early lunch and reunited with my wife after her tour de shops in Cheltenham, it was off to the Cotswolds to have a look at some of the grounds written about by Nico Craven.
First stop not far out of Cheltenham was Ullenwood cricket club, near the Air Balloon pub roundabout. In a hollow, surrounded by trees, and adjacent to the Crickley Hill country park it is a delightful spot. Little time to linger as Ullenwood took on Down Hatherley in the Gloucester County League division four, but Monday's paper reveals a three run win for the home side.

Next it was something like a treasure hunt to find a ground I had read about for years. Sheepscombe is not only a favourite of Nico Craven, but of many others who delight in out of the way village cricket grounds. Climbing the Cotswold escarpment on the main Gloucester to Stroud road, you eventually see a small signpost to Sheepscombe off to the left. You follow a narrow country lane for several miles with no sign of a village, until eventually you turn a corner and there is the landmark you need - the Butcher's Arms, Sheepscombe.

Passing the pub you take a no through road to Far End, before turning left at a sign to cricket club up a narrow track, which eventually leads you to a dead end in someone's garden. I had done what many must do on the first visit, missed the steep left hand hairpin bend which takes you up a narrow, unmade track, complete with boulders and no good at all for your suspension.

At this point my long suffering wife, said that if she had asked me to visit a shop up this track, I would have refused and turned back ! However, although she may have been right (she usually is), as it was a cricket ground I persevered. Soon the bumpy track gave way to a grassy plateau and there it was a long wooden pavilion perched high above the ground, which sloped away towards the marvellous view across this gently wooded valley. What a sense of achievement,
after years of reading about this heaven on earth, I had finally made it.

The ground is known as the Laurie Lee field, after the poet and author who came from the neighbouring village of Slad. He bought the field and leased it to the club free of charge. We later passed through Slad (no cricket ground), but a large wedding going on bringing traffic to a halt. It looked like the sort of event the great man would have written about.

The view from the pavilion balcony was stunning as Sheepscombe batted against Walls Crescent, an Asian team from Gloucester, who had done remarkably well to get eleven men and several supporters to the ground. The bowling was hostile and the home side soon in trouble at eight for three. The young man who was given out caught behind for the third wicket was disappointed by what looked a questionable decision from the pavilion. However he did not throw his bat or slam the door as so many do these days, but said the umpire was an experienced player who must have heared a noise, but he had not hit it.

A walk down the slope to third man at the far end revealed the other hazard of playing here. The fielder on the bottom boundary cannot see the bowler running in at the top end and only the upper half of the batsman. A six suddently flew off down the hill as if to emphasise the difficulty of fielding here. So an hour or so later it was time to move on, Sheepscombe making a slight recovery but Monday's paper again revealed the bad news, 66 all out and Walls Crescent won by five wickets. The splendidly named Fazalekarim Fadra was man of the match with 6-18 and 26 runs.

On now to Frocester,a very small village, just below the Cotswold edge, but a much higher standard of cricket - the Western Premier League no less. Frocester were taking on the might of Bath and putting them to the sword in emphatic fashion at their newish ground, Pound Close.
The man doing most of the damage was former Durham and Gloucester county player, Nick Trainor was made 128 in fine style out of a total of 234-8 in 55 overs.

The modern clubhouse had excellent facilities, but for me the best spot was opposite the pavilion where you could park under the trees with another fine view of the wooded hillside. This rural retreat was not far from the main line railway from Cheltenham to Bristol and a ride down the lane, crossing the railway, took us to the old ground, now used by the third eleven. This was St Peter's field, at the back of the church, with fine views across the Severn plain to May Hill a landmark in the Forest of Dean.

Our final call was to the village of Frampton-on-Severn which supposedly had the longest village green in England. The old cricket ground on the green, adjacent to an attractive pub has very short boundaries, but sadly was not in use today. The club has moved just up a lane opposite to a bigger ground, where the match was in progress, but nowhere near as scenic, being blighted by a line of electricity pylons. Hoever the groundsman was working on the old ground and there would be a game on Sunday, but we would be elsewhere by then.

We had been lucky with the weather, another splendid day and grounds anyone would want to go back to, although I have doubts whether my car would make it to Sheepscombe again !

Cricket Diary 2009 - Worcester memories

Azeem Rafiq returns to the pavilion after scoring a century (above)
The famous view of Worcester (below)

Posted by Tony Hutton

Friday 19th June - a long planned cricketing holiday based in Herefordshire means an early start down the motorway for the last day of the four day game between Worcestershire and Yorkshire at the county ground, Worcester.

This high scoring game was already destined to end in a draw, but such is my affection for the ground that I was determined to be there. The sun shone and the bonus was the fact that young teenager Azeem Rafiq was 60 not out overnight. Was there a chance that this very talented all rounder would reach his maiden century ?

Indeed there was, thanks to some stout support from Matthew Hoggard. The former England bowler hit a stubborn 56 not out in a partnership of 150 with Rafiq for the ninth wicket. Rafiq's century came of only 95 balls with 13 fours and three sixes - a remarkable achievement.
He was out almost immediately and received a great ovation from the relatively few Yorkshire supporters still in attendance.

Yorkshire passed 500 in reply to Worcester's 415 and the game drifted predictably to a draw during the afternoon, Worcester's second innings ending on 203-3. However the sun continued to shine and you could walk around this always pleasant ground and explore the brand new Graeme Hick pavilion, built on stilts to be above the flood level. Talking to some Worcester members not everyone is happy with it - one suggesting that it was suitable for storing aircraft underneath in the large empty space. Inside it is very welcoming, still with the unchanging view of the cathedral. The steep steps down from the dressing rooms to pitch level might be something of a hazard for the players.

Walking round the ground, you could see two schoolboys games going on through the hedge on the adjacent school fields. Also a detailed wall display at the back of the Basil D'Olivera stand with pictures of players from the past and a long list of all international players who have played for Worcestershire.

This set me thinking about my first visit to Worcester, as a schoolboy, back in the 1950s. A check back into Wisden reveals Saturday 16th June 1951, Worcestershire v Cambridge University. I can remember vividly the bus journey from Birmingham, the walk over the bridge across the River Severn and this marvellous ground, still very rural and undeveloped then with the stunning view.

The cricket was pretty good too, in the days of county stalwarts like Reg Perks, a very good quick bowler and prodigious big hitter who was the schoolboys' favourite. Roley Jenkins, the leg spinner, who bowled with his cap on, and was very succesful for England in South Africa. Don Kenyon was the backbone of the batting for years and Hugo Yarnold the tiny wicketkeeper was another long serving regular.

The opposition was pretty special too. David Sheppard and Peter May were to become outstanding England batsman. Raman Subba Row and John Warr also played for England and the young off spinner Robin Marlar went on to captain Sussex and write on cricket for the Sunday Times for many years. So memories galore and perhaps everything has changed except the cathedral, but it remains a very special place for all cricket enthusiasts.

Delph drizzle

Posted by Peter Davies

A fleeting visit to Delph and Dobcross on the way back from an Oldham tour (Crompton and Austerlands). My Dad stops at D&D for a few overs when he's crossing the Pennines by car and there's a game on...so it's one of his favourite local grounds. Holmfirth were the visitors and had scored 231 for 9 in their overs. But Delph were easing to victory with few alarms. As we circled the ground we could spot HCC stalwarts Bruce Jakeman and David Whiteley in earnest conversation - the tall and the short of it, with the latter towering over the former by at least a foot. I've been to D&D several times but I don't know it that well as a club or a ground because it's just outside our project area. As a big Lancashire fan I'm always impressed by their Red Rose connections - with Kyle Hogg a regular in their side. And many other Lancashire and ex-Lancashire players have turned out for them too. We arrived at the same time as a rain shower and the players came off fairly adroitly. To be honest, though, it was only a bit of drizzle and I thought Premiership players would have been made of sterner stuff! But off they went for a short time. I went in search of refreshments but there were none to be had in the clubhouse or tea room (hard to avoid this particular facility with TEA ROOM painted on its roof in very large letters!).

MCC in town

Posted by Peter Davies

Wednesday 1 July

A couple of hours at Lascelles Hall for the extremely prestigious friendly match between Huddersfield New College and the MCC. The standard of cricket was very good, as would be expected, and lots of curiousities too: a wicketkeeper in his 70s, a piece of New College publicity which, inadvertently, featured a photo of legendary Headingley-based Professional Cricket Watcher Brian Senior, and belting hot sun. My pals Tony Hutton, Mick Bourne and David Thorpe were perched in the shade near the scorebox, with MCC pulling off an unlikely victory as evening fell. On the boundary edge there was talk of the ICC Centenary Conference in Oxford, the soon-to-be-published Northern Cricket Society booklet for 2009, and Andy Murray's amazing progress at Wimbledon. In the pavilion there were still leftovers from teatime available: onion rings, egg mayo slices and some of those gorgeous mini-sausages - with fruit pie, fruit cake and other delicacies to follow. The MCC sure did hire a top tea lady for the fixture! She turned out to be an acquaintance from Hopton Mills/Ossett, and her son, Stevie, was playing for the New College XI. The ground looked a picture - it was as if nothing had changed with the scenery (rolling hills and farmers' fields) since the 19th century. The New College umpire exerted quiet authority throughout the afternoon - Dave Robinson, Mr Thorpe's friend who switched from Golcar to Meltham a couple of years ago but who has now retired (sort of) and taken up umpiring.

Shades of Jacko

Posted by Peter Davies

Old Almondburians v Green Moor on a sunny afternoon...but with a gorgeous shaded area on the boundary under the tall trees. Teatime had been and gone, and the home side were now chasing a gettable target. The Arkenley Lane ground is adjacent to some very large houses in a very plush part of Almondbury. It is also one of the few grounds at which you can sit in front of the pavilion, look out on the cricket, and see no other buildings (except the odd house roof or two). On the boundary OA veteran Steve Slack - also tea lady for the day - was reminiscing about his 33 years at the club and how teachers at the nearby school used to utilise pupils on detention to help mow the wicket! Other club stalwarts were also pottering about in front of the outdoor scoring table. Green Moor are from the outskirts of Sheffield. Their home ground is allegedly one of the most undulating in the area, so they would have felt at home given the not insubstantial undulations at Arkenley Lane. OA take part in an annual 20/20 competition with the other two Almondbury clubs - and that was one topic of conversation on the sidelines. By the distinctive green pavilion, there were sun-bathing cricket-watchers aplenty. For my part, I was engrossed in my Observer special supplement on Michael Jackson's death - RIP the King of Pop.