At the centre of things

posted by John Winn

There is a corner of Yorkshire that is forever wet, or at least it is when I go there in the cricket season. The corner referred to is that at the north east edge of the county separated from County Durham by the River Tees and from Denmark by the North Sea and in the last four seasons I have made three trips to cricket grounds in this area and on each occasion seen no play.In 2009 I visited Middlesbrough CC and the match was abandoned. Last year it was Marske by The Sea where the match was abandoned after eight overs because the wicket was deemed dangerous and having been assured there was play by somebody who didn't look out of the bar window I travelled in vain.Yesterday I went to Marton CC, Middlesbrough,in the hope that there would be time before heavy showers intervened for some cricket. Alas the showers got there before I did, and I was there by 11:05,and they fell on top of turf soddened by heavy overnight rain and play was abandoned for the day at lunchtime.
An interesting feature of all three of these matches, apart from their losing battle with the weather, is that despite being played in Yorkshire they were all hosted by Durham.As I mentioned in Sunday's blog Marton are a thriving member of the NYSD league and last year won its knockout cup, the Kerridge Cup, which is proudly displayed in the very well appointed clubhouse. The friendly match between Durham II and Yorkshire II was scheduled for three days, but no play has been possible again today.One feels so sorry for the hosts in these situations for it is obvious that here is an ambitious club, proud to host such a game, perfectly capable of doing so and yet thwarted by rain. If the rain they have had today has been of the same intensity as we have experienced in the Lower Ure Valley this afternoon, then tomorrow's prospects must be doubtful.
What of tomorrow? I made an early decision this morning not to travel to Chester le Street where after a late start there have been 58 overs bowled so far (17:15).I console myself that my friend who has texted me with news of the steady fall of Notts' wickets is wearing fleece, overcoat, hat and gloves and is atill cold. A doctor's appointment in the morning prevents an early start and therefore probably rules out a trip to The Riverside.
Marton would be a new ground but I would not make the journey without the assurance that play was in progress. Headingley is the third option, Yorkshire v Leeds/Bradford University, the first day of three, and here again a late decision is possible.The forecast is a little more optimistic for tomorrow so here's hoping.
On a brighter note I had a phone call from a neighbour this afternoon whose family were very much involved in the running of Hessay Cricket Club until its demise about fifty years ago. Just in cae you are not familiar with the geography of the Vale of York, Hessay lies just off the A59 about five miles west of York and The Ordnance Survey has decreed it to be the centre of Yorkshire. If you don't believe me stick 'Hessay the centre of Yorkshire' into a search engine and without too much trouble it will lead you to an article published in The Yorkshire Post in February from which this information is taken, so it must be true.As well as its cricket team Hessay has lost many other things once considered essential to village life, its pub, school, station and shops, perhaps owing to its central position, there was even a Hessay Evening Cricket League. Not only does my neighbour own the very field deemed to be the centre of Yorkshire,more importantly she has in her possession memorabilia linked to Hessay CC which she is prepared to lend me. Not for nothing are the words cricket and heritage in the title of this blog even if Hessay is far removed from Kirklees and Calderdale.