'There's cricket at Weetwood today. Looks like a nice spring day so pop in and watch'. This is a tweet I received from LeedsBradford MCCU yesterday morning and having been tipped off by Tony Hutton on Friday that there was indeed such a match I made my way over to Weetwood arriving just as wickets were pitched at 11:45 for a 45 over game. Let's get the 'nice spring day' out of the way first. Friday was a 'nice spring day', Saturday ditto and Sunday not too bad but yesterday we were back to a biting cold wind across the steppes of the University playing fields, three sweaters if you had them and for the tiny handful of spectators, reluctantly watching from the car.
The match was between Leeds Bradford MCCU and MCC women who included a number of the MCC Women's Young Cricketers squad in their XI. They were captained by Sarah Taylor who has played four test matches, 60 ODIs and 24 T20 internationals for England women and who made the headlines earlier this year when it was announced that she might play for Sussex II men's team this year, although the prospect of this seems to be fading. At the weekend Sarah made her debut for Birmingham Premier side Walmley CC and top scored in a losing cause.
This was a rare opportunity to see some of the pick of the English women's game for they play very few of their 'out matches' in the north of England although I note they have two games in the north west in August. Next week they take on Japan* in London at a venue to be confirmed. Two of the brightest stars opened the batting, Tammy Beaumont (England and Kent) and Danni Wyatt (England and Notts) and the pair added 180 at 6 an over before Wyatt was out for 80. This brought 'gifted all-rounder' Natasha Miles to the crease. Natasha was born in Hong Kong where she played in the men's leagues when only 15. By now Brian Sanderson and I had retreated to the car and felt sure that the visitors would easily pass three hundred but to their credit the Leeds' women stuck to their task against very talented opposition. With Beaumont reaching 102 the final score was 290 for 5. Leeds did not help their cause by bowling 33 wides thus adding 5 and a half overs to the time they had to endure the freezing temperatures.
After lunch we were joined by Tony and much of our conversation was about the number of bizarre scores from local league cricket at the weekend, especially the very low ones, indicative of the lack of preparation time ground staff have had. No complaints about the Weetwood wicket but 290 always looked way beyond the universities. A hospital appointment took me away shortly after four but by following the tweets of some of the MCC players it has emerged that Leeds did indeed fall short. Estimates vary within the range of 130 to 100 runs. What is not in doubt that the tweeters had not experienced such cold conditions before!
The Leeds Bradford women travel to Durham tomorrow for the first of their BUCS fixtures. It is likely to be a little warmer but the place to be tomorrow is The Oval where 20c is a possibility. That is where I shall be meeting up with my Sussex friends who never left the long room at Headingley two weeks ago. Definitely a factor 30 day in the south. I shall report in due course.
*Both the Japanese men's and women's teams are touring the UK next week. Full details are on the ICC website.
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