A short lesson in abbreviations

Posted by Tony Hutton

Tuesday 20th April - Leeds/Bradford MCCU v Cardiff MCCU

As cricket between the leading universities is now sponsored by the M.C.C. what was known as Leeds/Bradford UCCE (University centre of cricketing excellence) has now become Leeds/Bradford MCCU. Their headquarters is the Leeds University ground at Weetwood a vast playing area open to all the winds that blow and not blessed with great facilities for spectators.

Their rather abbreviated season is already underway having played two away matches against the county sides of Essex and Worcestershire. As well as these friendly matches against counties, the university side plays in two competitions - a one day competition known as BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) and a two day competition now known as MCCU. Strangely this two day competition has a one day final at Lord's.

If you are still with me after all that you are nearly half way to a university degree ! Today's match at Weetwood was in the one day competition and by coincidence was between the two teams who played in last year's Lord's final, which was won by Cardiff.

Most of these games start at 12.30 which confuses a lot of people programmed for 11 0'clock starts. I understand the reason for this is that the visiting teams can travel on the morning of the match thus saving hotel expenses. However on this occasion Cardiff had travelled on the previous day.

I learned later that the two umpires received letters from the ECB telling them to report for an 11.00 start. They breakfasted together quite early and were at the ground soon after nine, only to find no one else there apart from the groundsman, so a long wait ensued.

However the game did eventually get underway in sunny but very windy conditions. The dozen or so hardy perennials (spectators that is) found a sheltered spot amid the daffodils under the pavilion wall completely out of the wind. The Cardiff coach Kevin Lyons, former Glamorgan player and first class umpire, greeted us with 'Is this the member's enclosure ?'.

The next surprise for the assembled multitude was the appearance of the Cardiff players - coloured clothing no less, a real shock for the system. Whereas the Leeds players came out in smart navy blue and yellow outfits which were fairly acceptable, the Cardiff players had a mixture of some in grey shirts and some in black track suit tops. Then the crowning glory for the already bemused spectators appeared in the shape of a box of pink cricket balls.

However as the day progressed it must be said that most spectators found the pink ball much easier to follow in flight rather than either the red ball or the white ball that looses colour so easily. So a plus point there.

Finally to the match itself. Leeds/Bradford had a lot of new faces in this year's squad but it was initially two of the 'old stagers' in Dougherty the Irish opening batsman with 85 and Blake from Kent with 42 who got most of the runs. Then towards the end of the 50 overs innings, when the total looked as if it might be a little below par, new boy Ross Whiteley, an all rounder who plays for Derbyshire 2nd XI, weighed in with a hard hit 42 not out, including two fours and three sixes.

So the final total of 235-6 looked pretty respectable but not beyond the capablilities of the Cardiff side we saw last season. However things did not work out for them from the word go and leading batsman Bishop was run out almost immediately going for a risky second run.

Things went from bad to worse as the evening progressed, getting colder all the time, and wickets fell at regular intervals. Only one person, number six Barber made double figures with 26 and the visitors were all out for 117 in 39 overs. Another 'veteran' of last season, Hawley, was the best bowler with 4-34.

By this time the band of spectators had dwindled to only two or three, but probably even more will be here tomorrow for a two day game between the same sides, hopefully played in whites and with a more competitive conclusion.