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).