Lemon cake has narrow escape at Follifoot

posted by John Winn

On Sunday I drove to Follifoot near Harrogate for a semi final in the Waddilove Cup the premier knockout cup for teams in the Aire Wharfe League. The ground is a favourite of mine surrounded as it is by trees and with red kites in the vicinity. Yesterday's  match was between Follifoot, who are rooted to the bottom of the top division and Burley in Wharfedale, currently second and  who the local press understandably saw as likely winners.

My appreciation of the ground was marred somewhat last year when my deckchair collapsed  leaving me helplessly waving arms and legs in the air while bystanders looked on as though I might be auditioning for Harrogate's got talent and should not be disturbed. No such incident yesterday as I joined a very good crowd as the first over got underway. The home team batted and made very slow progress losing an early wicket on an afternoon much cooler than of late. After nine overs and with the score at 18 for 1 opener Jimmy Pickles struck successive fours which changed the complexion of the innings. A tall left hander, Pickles dominated Follifoot's innings and he finished undefeated on 109. He hit two sixes, one through the open tea room door and narrowly missing a lemon cake which was part of a splendid spread.

Support from the middle order enabled Pickles to get the total up to 194 for 6 off their 45 overs, about thirty short of what was needed according to some supporters sitting near me. They were in touch with the golf, the test match, the other semi final and events at Headingley but still found time to make observations on events in front of them.

I  left at this point and went home to watch England clinch victory in the test match but in my absence Burley reached  their target with time to spare and three wickets in hand. Their hero was DR Brook who hit 105 off 101 balls with four sixes. Whether any  went into the tea room Total Cricket Scorer does not record. In the other semi final Beckwithshaw, who head the league by a considerable margin, overcame Otley by three wickets with just an over to spare, a tighter finish than might have been predicted. Thus arguably the two best teams in the league will compete in the final, lemon cakes take cover .The same advice might apply at Darlington CC this week knowing the likely audience for the games against Leicestershire II.