Same old story

posted by John Winn

Last Saturday was like so many others this season but just for the record I went along to Ouseburn CC just after two o'clock to be met by groundsman Edward Pearson who told me that the persistent and heavy showers we had had on Friday had proved too much for the covering system and the match against Helperby had been called off. Indeed of the 52 fixtures due to be played in The Nidderdale League that day, only two got started and only one of those reached a satisfactory conclusion, namely the one at Alne. Satisfactory for Alne that is who beat Burton Leonard.

A better day on Sunday with some warm sunshine and a drying breeze gave me hope that the National KO Cup match between York and Blaydon might be played but alas no. Most of the group finals were completed however and on a day of relatively low scores produced some exciting cricket. In Group 5 for example Ormskirk beat Northern by virtue of having lost fewer wickets. In Group 7 Neston were only five runs better than Boughton Hall and in Group 15 in a Middlesex League derby Teddington had only three runs to spare over Ealing. The remaining group finals will be played this Sunday (subject to you know what) and the draw for the last sixteen stage matches has been made and I will post it on Monday. .

Monday saw me travelling to Cambridge on non-cricketing business but tempted by the opportunity to see some cricket I took an early train. The game in question was between Cambridge University Women and an MCC women's team and was to be played on the ground of Fitzwilliam College. Before leaving home I telephoned the college who helpfully gave me the number of the groundsman's mobile and if he was surprised as to why anybody would want to know , he did not show it in assuring me that the game was on. He might have added 'but hurry up', for although I did see some cricket on a lovely afternoon, the match was a mismatch  with the MCC winning by eight wickets in quick time. The college ground is off the Huntingdon Road and rather tucked away, being surrounded by houses on three sides. Bit disappointing really, a rather plain ground opened in 1927 in tribute to former Fitzwilliam staff and students killed in 'The Great War'. The standard of the cricket came nowhere near that provided by the Essex and Yorkshire women at Harrogate last month.

Like everywhere else Cambridge has enjoyed good weather this week and it was frustrating to spend two days in a building adjacent to Parker's Piece without the opportunity to see some cricket played on this famous 25 acres. Back home today has met the forecasters' promise of more rain and continuing unsettled, same old story.