Bad light frustrates Kent

posted by John Winn
Brightening skies over the Lower Ure Valley persuaded me to head for Leeds after an early lunch, calling first at New Rover who were playing Adle in a forty over friendly.Wickets were pitched just as I arrived and after the traditional promenade I sat in my car and watched the visitors, after an edgy start, reach 42 without loss of 11 overs.
Bereft of any company I decided to head for Headingley where Root and Sayers were making steady progress as Yorkshire followed on after being 'shrecked' this morning. Here there were familiar faces and inside the long room I enjoyed conversations with the two Brians (Senior and Sanderson),and the grandfather and father of Joe Root, Messrs Don and Matt Root respectively. Joe's dismissal for 76, chopping one on off spinner Riley, swung the game in Kent's favour and with Sayers, Gale and Bairstow following in quick succession Yorkshire were 146 for 4 and relieved when for the third time in the match bad light brought the day to an early conclusion and the match result to a draw. Not the start Yorkshire were hoping for but at least five of the top seven batsmen made substantial scores. As for the weather Barbados must seem 4200 miles away, which it is,and apart from after lunch on Thursday conditions have been miserable for both fielders and players. All other six games produced victors and Yorkshire members may have mixed feelings when they read that David Wainwright spun Derbyshire to victory over Northants with six wickets.
Where next for the pcw? Wednesday sees the start of a three day friendly between Durham II and Yorkshire II at Marton. Marton are an up and coming NYSD club based on the outskirts of Middlesbrough. The ground is at the junction of the A172 and A174, and on the bus route from Middlesbrough town centre. For sat navs the postcode is TS7 8JU. I have not visited the ground before but remember running cross country in Stewart Park which is next door. Let's hope it is not necessary to do a lap of the park to keep warm.
On Thursday Durham play their first championship match of the season when Notts visit The Riverside, the Trent Bridge outfit will travel buoyed by the victory over Worcestershire today but for Durham's coach, Geoff Cook, who to leave out will be the problem. How much guidance will he draw from their victory over Durham University today with the students being bowled out for 18?. I note they batted one short, wise man.
The next first team cricket for Yorkshire is against Leeds/Bradford MCCU at Headingley. Seats available in all parts. I have yet to find anybody who thinks the elevation of these matches to first class status is anything but a travesty.
Going back to Yorkshire v Kent it was good to see Mark Davies having a good start for Kent. Injuries and illness had seen him slide from the fringe of test cricket to a position way down the pecking order of fast bowlers at Durham. I was reminded of a match at The Riverside in 2008 when in four completed innings Durham and Kent could only muster 465 runs.Davies took five wickets in each innings and Robert Key's comments about the pitch panel when no points were deducted cost him £1250. Something to chat about as the now team mates make the journey south this evening?
And finally one other important event in the week ahead: Playfair is published on Thursday, what a pity it wasn't available for the opening of the season.