The Great Escape and other stories

Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 11th September - Beckwithshaw v Adel and one or two others.

Before I set off on my wanderings on the last main Saturday of league cricket - I have updated the PCW fixture list for what is left of September - please see fixtures posted on 3rd September for latest information.

The relegation battle from the top division of the Airedale and Wharfedale league involved Adel's visit to Beckwithshaw, the league's second placed side, and the two other candidates for the drop met at Rawdon where Pool were the visitors. Whatever the result at Rawdon it seemed that only a full six point victory could save Adel.

A handful of regular Adel supporters (there aren't many more) had made the trip, but not number one supporter Reg Parker, who presumably could not stand the tension and stayed at home to watch the 2nd team ! His presence would no doubt have only resulted in yet another rant about the lack of practice, lack of dedication and almost everything else you could think of.

However when Adel, batting first, had slumped to 69-6 they looked doomed, but some lusty hitting from the tailenders took them to almost respectability with 131-9.
At this point I must admit I feared the worst and set off for a tour of nearby grounds to ease the tension.

This led me into unchartered territory in more ways than one. First to Ripon where in the York Senior League, visitors York 2nd XI were bowling out the home side, including former Yorkshire veteran Peter Squires, quite cheaply. On the adjacent rugby union ground Ripon were making mincemeat of Old Rishworthians.

Just round the corner, at Ripon Grammar School ( a new ground for me !) I discovered Ripon's third XI taking on the might of Helperby's third XI in Division 7 of the Nidderdale League. A very large field, with the impressive school buildings complete with clock tower made me forget what might be happening back at Beckwithshaw.

Looking at my dog-eared fixture list I saw the possibility of yet another new ground, Wath & Melmerby were entertaining Sessay third XI. Off I went - a pleasant new ground for this recent addition to Nidderdale League cricket. A reasonable crowd watching lots of quick runs. I took my photographs and departed.

Much later in the day, I learned from the league website that Sessay had in fact conceeded the game, as most of their players were travelling to London to see their first eleven play in the national village cup final at Lord's the following day.
So what had I been watching ? Presumably some sort of friendly game. I am still in the dark, although have e-mailed the club secretary in an effort to find out.

Onwards and upwards, I could still not face the prospect of returning to see Adel's humilation and went to Newby Hall for some first team cricket, or so I thought. On arrival Newby Hall had been dismissed for 45 and lost by ten wickets. Cricket however was going on at their second ground - not in Division one but in the depths of Division 8.

This turned out to be Burton Leonard thirds against Spennithorne and Harmby and I was just in time to see the end of the B/L innings with two youngsters trying to bat out the final over to achieve one point. Sadly they failed to do so being all out from the penultimate ball. Later I learned that S & H won comfortably by nine wickets.

I was really feeling somewhat punch drunk after all this excitement and decided to head for home and leave Adel to their fate while I watched the end of the two CB 40 semi-finals, including Yorkshire at Scarborough on TV.

Of course I could not resist going to the league cricket round up on Radio Leeds when a long wait ensued before any news of the Aire Wharfe League. Amazingly the first news revealed that Beckwithshaw, remember chasing only 132 to win, were 90-8.
Another long wait until eventually Howard Clayton revealed that Beckwithshaw were all out for 101. Adel had their six points and the great escape was complete.
Mark Shires, who had done so well in recent weeks, again the match winner with 5-62, well supported by skipper Tim Grey who took 3-14.

Just for the record - Yorkshire lost at Scarborough, but Sessay won at Lord's the next day.