Sunday soap operas

Posted by Tony Hutton

If you thought Saturday's wanderings were a bit weird, stand by for even more eccentricity much closer to home on Sunday. I had decided not to venture far today with the chance of watching the later stages of the one day international from Headingley and Leeds Rhinos vital rugby league play off game with Wigan on TV during the early evening.

My internet researches came up with no less than three games in very close proximity in the Horsforth area. First stop the Clariant ground, just off the Leeds ring road, a huge field, once belonging to the adjacent factory now being demolished.

It is now the home of friendly club Cambridge Methodists who were entertaining Yorkshire Post cricket club. They have had an outstanding season in the Wetherby League and won promotion. The Posties as they call themselves batted first, which was just as well as it turned out. They were piling up the runs at a rapid rate and perhaps the fielders were confused by the new markings on the outfield, which suggests three or four soccer grounds will soon be in operation here.

The ultimate cricket enthusiast Steve Bindman, eventually tried his luck with the ball but although he proudly informs everyone he is top of the club's bowling averages, he was out of luck today. Yorkshire Post eventually made 263-7 in 40 overs.

Not until the following day, when I encountered Mr Bindman during a rain break at Headingley, did I discover that it had been the Methodists worst display of the season as they were dismissed for a paltry 44 all out. However they will get their chance of revenge in the Joe Dews Cup Final between the same two teams to be played on Sunday 26th September.

Just up the road in the normally pleasant surroundings of Horsforth Hall Park, a more serious game of cricket was going on. Hall Park 3rd XI were playing Adel 3rd XI in the semi-final of the Aire Wharfe 3rd XI play offs. There seems to be a recurring theme of third eleven cricket this weekend.

However, if the skateboard park just to the side of the pavilion was not enough to put off the discerning cricket watcher, a vast fairground was in full swing on the other side of the ground, just behind the scoreboard. Loud music and screams from the people brave enough to visit the scary looking rides drowned out the sound of bat upon ball completely. Needless to say I did not linger long, Hall Park seemed to be putting up a good score.

It turned out that Adel won by six wickets and will now stage the final against Guiseley next Sunday, 19th September. By strange coincidence Brian Senior had been watching the other semi-final at Ilkley.

So another short journey to the ground of Horsforth cricket club behind the Old Ball pub. They were playing a friendly against one of the few remaining Sunday wandering sides - The Jesters, a team full of characters and some very good cricketers. See their excellent website (jesterscc.netfirms.com) for more details.

Today proved to be a one man show. That man was youngster Josh Atkinson from Otley cricket club who has had an excellent season. He completely dominated the Jesters innings against some rather friendly bowling, with sixes galore, and ended with 150 not out as Jesters were all out in the final over (only 35) for 228. The next highest scores were two players with 19.

It turns out that the young Horsforth side won the game by three wickets with only one ball remaining. Their main contributor was Oliver Hardaker with 90. He is the young man who hit the national headlines earlier in the season with an innings of over 300 for Horsforth's third team.

One final twist in the tale on my way home for a late tea and some sport on TV, I called in on the off chance of a game at Cookridge cricket club and sure enough a game was going on. Yet again in the lower reaches of league cricket, this time in Division C (East) of the Dales council league. Amazingly the weekend's theme of third teams recurs again, Cookridge C as they are known, against Pudsey St Lawrence third team.

The game is nearing its end as I arrive, Pudsey made 182-9 in their 45 overs and amazingly Cookridge level the score off the final ball. 182-6 means that the game ends in a tie - eat your heart out Mick Bourne !

The day's drama continued by curtesy of Sky Sports. England winning a high scoring one day game with Pakistan at Headinley in the last over, thanks to some bat swinging and good fortune from Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan - and finally as they say, Leeds Rhinos winning an all action play off game at Wigan by just one point, thanks to a late Kevin Sinfield drop goal and a missed penalty kick by Wigan in the last minute.

Perhaps it's a good thing that the end of season is approaching - after all that I think I need a long rest !