Better luck this year

Last year Yorkshire's second team  game at Marske was abandoned after eight overs when the umpires deemed the pitch was too dangerous. Having checked before I left that play was in progress, by the time I reached this north eastern corner of North Yorkshire the field was empty and the bar full. All of which made me more determined that I would make the trip again today to see Yorkshire entertain Durham in a Second Eleven Championship game but before setting off I made two phone calls and checked the website the results of which enabled me to drive up the A19 feeling reasonably confident that I would see some cricket.
When I was a child Redcar was a place one went too on day excursions like the Sunday school outing, and if one fancied slightly more rarefied air Saltburn's Edwardian charms  further down the line were the answer. Marske was a station between the two resorts where people rarely got on or off, certainly not if they were carrying buckets and spades. Driving through it today en route for Windy Hill Lane it is obvious that there has ben a lot of fairly recent development and the cricket club seems very much  part of this growing community
The concession admission was 50p and a souvenir programme and scorecard were available at £2 and a good read this was, detailing all Yorkshire's previous visits.The game was only four overs old when I arrived but Durham had already lost one wicket and barely had I taken my seat than skipper Muchall was out caught and bowled by Ashraf. Muchall, along with Claydon had been in the Durham eleven at The Oval yesterday and presumably neither will be appearing at Taunton tomorrow in the Championship game.
Muchall's dismissal brought in Richardson and with opener Jennings  he added 149 for the third wicket.When Jennings was out Pringle joined Richardson and they took the score to 252 for 3 after the allotted forty overs with some spectacular hitting especially by Pringle who helped himself to 43 off just 18 balls including three sixes. The  three wickets were shared evenly between Hannon-Dalby, Ashraf and Pyrah, with Hannon-Dalby the meanest of the three.
Despite a cold, overcast day a goodly crowd had assembled and very reasonably priced refreshments were available throughout the day. I recognised a few of the spectators, several of whom had made the journey from West and South Yorkshire. When Yorkshire began their reply Durham opened the bowling with Claydon and Brathwaite, both whom were in Durham's championship side at The Riverside two weeks ago.
Yorkshire were never quite up with the run rate and despite the top six all getting a start they were all out in the fortieth over still 21 short of the target. The teams move down to York tomorrow and as I drove home the sun appeared somewhere between Northallerton and Thirsk and I think those planning a day at Clifton Park for the first day of the three day game can confidently expect summer weather at last.