Contrasts in LS15

posted by John Winn

Having driven back from Berwick yesterday morning, after lunch I made the relatively short journey to the Leeds 15 postcode area and enjoyed an afternoon of contrasting grounds and standards of cricket. First stop was Scholes, just on the outskirts of Leeds for a Wetherby League second division game with Hillam and Monk Fryston the visitors. These two teams were promoted from division three last year but their fortunes in 2012 have been in marked contrast, coming into this game with Scholes top and Hillam bottom of the division.
The ground is shared with football and although it rather lacks the 'wow' factor I sensed a welcoming club and for forty pence enjoyed a freshly made cup of tea and chocolate fancy; prices that would make most people feel at home. Scholes were batting and had made a decent enough start at 68 for 2 but no sooner had I sat down to drink my tea than a wicket fell and within an hour they were all out for 106. Hillam were keen in the field and took some good catches and as the innings subsided Ruth, the lady who had supplied me with my refreshments, expressed her concern that the innings would be too short for the players to generate an appetite and that food would be wasted. Even a stubborn last wicket stand which used up time without adding many runs did little to ease her fears. Chief tormentor for Hillam was John Tucker who had the palindromic figures of 11 overs , 4 maidens, 4 wickets, 11 runs. Having tasted the quality of Ruth's tea and cake it was tempting to stay and help to overcome the problem of excessive food but I resisted and moved on.
Next up, but still within The Wetherby League, I  headed for Amaranth reached by a very long and eventually bumpy road from Crossgates. So long in fact that my satnav announced that I had reached my destination at least half a mile before I saw the ground.Here it was Div 6 and Amaranth A v Sicklinghall A and tea was being taken with the home side 114 all out. This was very much 'lads and dads' cricket with the age structure of both teams being remarkably similar, with a big gap between the oldest youngest and the youngest oldest, roughly forty years.
Sicklinghall began their reply in a dispiriting manner with one of their senior players bowled first ball, enough to spoil a man's day, supper or even marriage. Falling into conversation with the gentleman, however, he took his disappointment stoically and was more concerned about the failure of the second wicket pair to take singles to a very fine leg who was kept busy as virtually every ball that passed the bat passed the keeper. The wicket was green, little different from the rest of the square which in turn was not readily distinguishable from the outfield. Running a cricket club in such an isolated place is not easy and a home supporter told me they had had problems with vandalism and break ins at the club house. A recent lottery grant may make life a little easier.
In my conversation with the Sicklinghall opener he explained about their problems in getting sides out: they only had ten men yesterday, but they have won three games this season and are nearer the top than the bottom of the league. Yesterday was not their day however for when I checked the website this morning they had been dismissed for 36.
Another short journey took me to Colton and a big step up in facilities and standard of cricket. This large ground boasts an impressive clubhouse, which on yesterday's evidence keeps busy, for the number of spectators almost constituted a 'crowd'. This was Aire Wharf Div 3 second eleven cricket with Horsfall the visitors. On a lovely sunny late afternoon Colton II had begun their reply to Horsfall's 183 and in the end fell short but with only six wickets down they gained two points to Horsfall's four. Nice to see a fourteen year old leg spinner Tom Colley begin with two maidens for Horsfall.
To tie up a loose end the Scholes tea lady was right to be pessimistic for Hillam and Monk Fryston knocked off the runs to win by six wickets for their second win of the season, sufficient to move them out of the relegation positions.