Two new grounds in the Langbaurgh League

posted by John Winn


Having discovered the hard way last year that the post code on the Swainby CC website is for the club secretary's house not the ground, on Friday evening I telephoned the secretary of the Langbaurgh League to make sure I did not have another wasted journey. His clear instructions saw me arrive at the ground shortly after 2:00 for the local derby  between Swainby and Hutton Rudby A. Actually once you know that the ground is not in Swainby it is easy to find, being just off the A172, a couple of miles south of Stokesley and squeezed in between the road and the former Picton to Battersby railway line.

Parked next to me at the ground was the chairman of the league, Brian Mitchinson , in the past a distinguished umpire and who supplied me with a league handbook and being originally a Swainby man, a potted history of the club. Swainby were evicted from their ground in the village about ten years ago in controversial circumstances and moved across the A172 to the present Busby House ground. The ground had belonged to the defunct Carlton in Cleveland club and had stood unused for some time. Use of it was granted to Swainby on the condition that they kept it in good condition. This they certainly have done, for although the dressing rooms are fairly basic the rest of the ground, which is quite spacious, is very well maintained. The playing area is surrounded on three sides by woods but there are fine views of the Cleveland Hills on the open side.

Hutton Rudby A, relegated from Division 1 last year had made a good start when I moved on to my next destination, Chop Gate (or Chop Yat to give it its colloquial pronunciation) where there was another Langbaurgh Division Two match in progress between Chop Gate and Teesside outfit Norton IV. Chop Gate had finished bottom of Div 2 last year and there had been rumours that they might fold so I had decided to make a visit as early as possible in the season. The ground is situated in Bilsdale and the backdrop of hills is even more attractive than at Swainby. The visitors were batting and as at Swainby had made a good start. The results of these two matches are not yet available on the league website. (6:00 pm Sunday evening)

From Chop Gate I retraced my steps down the A19 and called at Boroughbridge's  Aldborough Road ground. Until about forty years ago they had played across the road in a field next to the River Ure but now share a clubhouse with the local football club. They groundshare with Helperby III and it was the tenants who were at home yesterday taking on North Stainley II in a Nidderdale League Division 8 match. Helperby's innings was coming to a close and their 180 for 4 looked a good score, but again the result is not on the league website this evening.

Last call of the day was at Ouseburn CC where by chance it was teatime and the board showed visitors Killinghall had made 219, When I left, refreshed by tea and cake, Ouseburn, who were a little understrength were  scoring quickly but had lost three wickets. This result is on the league website and Ouseburn suffered their first defeat of the season by thirty runs.

I had hoped to report on a visit to Alne this afternoon for a first round group 4 tie in the National Village Cup but their opponents Staxton had cried off this morning and so Alne will progress to Round Two. Little comfort here for this blogger who made the short journey over the River Ure only to find the entrance gate to the ground locked. I was grateful to a gentleman in the neighbouring property for informing me of the circumstances.