Some cricket news (eventually)

posted by John Winn

Encouraged by a mild afternoon and seeking an antidote to frustration brought on by three successive Saturday afternoons in front of the TV, yesterday saw me make the short journey to Station View, the home of Harrogate Railway FC. The ground is much changed with a splendid new club house and changing rooms, but curiously erected outside the ground. Yesterday's fare was an  encounter with fellow strugglers, Radcliffe Borough in the Northern Division of the Evostick League. By chance I attended last season's match between these two teams which was a rather tame affair which ended in a 10-3 (sic) win for the visitors. Yesterday didn't quit live up to that, ending all square at 2-2, probably a fair result.
 At the match I enjoyed the company of my friend  and fellow Yorkshire member, Dave Masterman. Our winter meetings are usually at the more senior Harrogate football ground, Harrogate Town's Wetherby Road but such have been Town's pitch problems they have played their last two' home' games at Doncaster and York and there has been no match at Wetherby Road since December. As Dave and I went our separate ways at 4:45 I remarked that should Town play at their proper home in the near future that would probably be our next meeting. Dave replied that if not,then he would see me at Headingley on April 10th for the opening of the championship campaign. It was heartening to think that was only just over eight weeks away. Which brings me laboriously to the proper purpose of this blog (allegedly), namely cricket.

In my last posting I described the major restructuring of  league cricket in the north east, today's offering concerns more minor changes to leagues nearer home (mine if not yours). Firstly some in The York Vale League which this season celebrates its eightieth birthday to be marked by a special  match at Clifton Alliance on Sunday June 23rd. The league comprises 47 teams and they will be organised in four divisions of ten and a fifth division of seven, where teams will play each other three times, giving a total of eighteen games for all sides across the five divisions.

 One notable absentee from last season will be Copmanthorpe I who have decided to try their luck in the other York based league, the York and District Senior League, where they have been placed in Division 6 (of 7). Another interesting newcomer are Brandesburton who too will play in the sixth division. This East Riding outfit featured in the league's Eastern Conference which began life in 2012 and mainly comprises clubs from the former East Riding Independent Cricket League. Brandesburton finished third in Division 1 of the  Conference behind Walkington and Middleton. The step up to the YDSL will involve a big increase in travelling from YO25 with the longest trip to Whitwell in LS15 a more than 120 mile round trip, which rather stretches the concept of 'district'.

One other notable change in the YDSL is the merger of two York based clubs and fairly close neighbours, Rowntress and Huntington. These two clubs have a combined membership of the league of over 150 years and the new club will play at Rowntrees' Haxby Road ground.

In my next posting I will detail some changes in The Dales' Council and Central Yorkshire League and while I remember there is a new club in the Darlington and District League, namely Oxbridge Cricket Club, previously of The Cleveland League and who will play their home matches at Norton CC.