A Bradford tour with photo opportunities

Ancient and modern - All Saints Church towers above Girlington CC and across the road the brand new mosque adds a new dimension to Bradford Park Avenue

Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 1st May

As it was too cold to sit anywhere for very long today, after banking my first hour's cricket at Adel in case it rained, I set off for a whistle stop tour of some new (to me) grounds in the Bradford area.

First stop Woodhall Park, between Thornbury and Pudsey,a ground notoriously difficult to find, in the middle of a housing estate but down a hidden narrow drive at the end of what appears to be a cul-de-sac. However having done my research on Google Earth, I found it without difficulty. A heavy rain shower delayed the start until 2.30 but Bradford Gymkhana, the home side, were soon rattling up the runs against Yorkshire LPS.

This game was in the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League no doubt rarely visited by Professional Cricket Watchers, but worth the effort for some unusual grounds and very enthusiastic cricketers. Next stop in the same league was Muff Field, just behind the Richard Dunn sports centre opposite what I still call Odsal Stadium.

An undulating ground with slopes going off in all directions enough to cause problems for the best of golfers, but by now the sun was shining again and the visitors Heaton were taking wickets at regular intervals.

Then like Peter it was on into the Halifax league, firstly with Low Moor Holy Trinity, a ground you can see from the M606 motorway spur into Bradford, but one I had not visited before. It is at the end of Park House Road, not far from the Chapel House Inn where the Huddersfield University cricketing fraternity have been known to meet.

A fine open ground, with long distance views and a spacious pavilion, where a very ample amount of food was being readied for the tea interval - Peter Davies would enjoy it here. Clayton were batting and with two batsmen reaching fifties notched up just over 200. However I later learned that Low Moor knocked them off to win by five wickets.

Dark clouds were approaching again, so on I went intending first to visit Girlington in the Bradford Central League, but I got sidetracked. As I was passing the old Bradford Park Avenue ground, once a regular home for Yorkshire County cricket club, I saw an amazing sight. I was aware that cricket was still being played on the ground by Wibsey Park Chapel, now also members of the Halifax League. What I didn't know was that a giant mosque, with four huge turrets and a golden dome had been erected just across the road from the old football ground.

I realised straight away that this was a marvellous photo opportunity to get a picture of the cricket from the old pavilion end, with play in progress and the giant mosque in the background. Before I could do this however,I bumped into an old friend of mine, George Abbey, the patron saint of Park Avenue. George now 85 has watched cricket here for most of his life and has been presented with a cap which says 'Wibsey Park Chapel number one supporter'. Needless to say he is the only one.

So we had a long conversation as we watched the cricket, reminiscing about the good old days and the time when the Yorkshire Academy was based here. Eventually I got away to take my picture, before it rained again. I went back to see George again before I left and presented him with a copy of 'Two Men and a blog'. Hope to see him at the Yorkshire Senior Schools festival at St Peters,York, which he helps sponsor, later in the season.

Then just across the road a more traditional site at Girlington's Little Horton Green ground, with the parish church in the background, rather than the mosque, but again another photo opportunity and a nice contrast between the two. The theme of the day seemed to be batsmen getting injured as there was a delay here when someone was hit on the head (or helmet) - the second today.

Still ahead of the rain clouds I headed back to Adel after tea to see what Brian has already described, a collison between two batsmen which left Adel's batsman/wicketkeeper out cold. As he lay prone in mid-wicket the bowler removed the bails for a run out, but the umpire declared the ball dead. He retired hurt and did return later.

It stayed dry, but got colder and colder, and the final stages were watched from the car. Adel just holding on for a draw with eight wickets down and not doing enough to get the bonus point for scoring more than 75% of North Leeds' total of 233.

So another very interesting Saturday afternoon but the cold weather may be even worse next week at Scarborough.