SEPTEMBER FIXTURES

By Brian Sanderson,

Somebody e-mailed this morning to say it was 31 August so I now enclose some fixtures for September you may wish to visit but there many more.

1  SEPTEMBER   ROMANY  V  GOLDSBOROUGH      2.00
                             
                            BRADFORD LEAGUE TWO FIXTURES
                            YORKSHIRE GENTLEMEN  V  DOGHOUSES
                           CENTRAL LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS
                           JACK LEE TROPHY   N.Y.S.D   V  HEAVY WOOLLEN MIDDLESBOROUGH
                                12.00
                         FAVERSHAM CUP FINAL  DUNCAMBE PARK   11.00
2 SEPTEMBER  UNDER 15 SCHOOLS FINAL ASHVILLE COLLEGE   12.00  ??

3 SEPTEMBER  DURHAM  V  SUSSEX   4 DAYS   10.30
                           NOTTINGHAM   V  WARWICK  4 DAYS  10.30.
4 SEPTEMBER  BRITISH FIREMEN  V  DURHAM ACADEMY   STREETHOUSES  12.00

5 SEPTEMBER   BRITISH FIREMEN  V STREETHOUSES X1

8 SEPTEMBER  CAMBRIDGE   V  CHESHIRE   WISBACH   4 DAYS
                          CENTRAL YORSHIRE FINAL   ACKWORTH
                           CRAKEHALL  V  ROMANY    2.00

11 SEPTEMBER  DERBYSHIRE  V  DURHAM  4 DAYS   10.30

15 SEPTEMBER  ROMANY  V  ARTHINGTON
                            GREY FOX FINAL  SCARBOROUGH  12.00
                            YORKSHIRE GENTLEMEN  V  RICHMONDSHIRE
17 SEPTEMBER  YORKSHIRE  V MIDDLESEX  4 DAYS
                             DURHAM  V  NOTTS  4 DAY
                            YORKSHIRE SECONDS  V  DURHAM  WEETWOOD  THREE DAYS
21 SEPTEMBER  ARTHINGTON   4 WEEK

24 SEPTEMBER NOTTS  V  SOMERSET  4 DAYS

Now 9.40 siging off.

CRICKET LEAGUES ROUND NORTH LEEDS

By Brian Sanderson,

The first match started at Weetwood were Yorkshire Academy were playing Sheffield Collegiate including Simon Guy. Start time was 12.00 and Tony Hutton was was quizing the scorer about future matches.

Sheffield batted first and started quickly with the help of no-balls however they soon lost wickets. I found out to-night Sheffield scored 180 with Walton scoring 55 and Carver bowling 17-9-27-3.Then Academy went on to win with Tattersall scoring 75 not out.

We then moved on to watch the Dales Cricket League which was established in 1955 and a excellent book called Cricket in the Dales tells the history.Only Crompark  are still in the league from the opening programme.

The first match was on Adel Second ground between Adel and Halifax Direct who were batting.The pitch is situated behind the first ground were Adel were playing Tong Park in the Airedale and Wharfedale League.

Moving on to the Bedquilt ground were Leeds Sikhs were playing Saville Stars.The first picture of the roller which is still used on the above ground to roll the pitch.Mick Bourne is not forgotten.The next picture is of the scorboard  with the name of the previous club.They orginal played on Farnley Park moved to Solders Field Rounday then to Y.M.C.A  ground and finally at the present ground.They were established in 1997.

Moving on to Cookeridge against Drighlington in the Dales LeagueA rural ground very near to thr Leeds and Bradford Airport.

Moving on to the Sandoz ground were there was no cricket but the ground wold be used to-morrow for four junior fotball pitches.Autumn is coming.

Moving down the  Ring Road we went to Rodley against Thornhill in the Yorkshire Council League. Rodley feel out  with the Dales League and have started to build a new pavilion.The new scoreboard above has just been built.Orginally the club was named Bramley Sports then Bramley and now Rodley.It is just over the Leeds and Liverpool Canel is again very rural.

Moving on to the Laisterdyke ground which used to be a famous Bradford League side which is no longer in exsistance but Undercliffe thirds were playing Crompark.I last played on this ground over twenty years ago and have fond memoirs as I scored runs here.

In contrast we moved to a new ground called Karman Community Centre were Bradford Moor had played Farsley. The match over at 4.50.The ground  overlooks Bradford and has only recently been established.

Back towards Leeds we noticed a match on Woodhall Playing Fields were West Bowling were playing Bradford Indians in the Bradford Mutual Sunday School Cricket League. This League was established in 1896..The web-site is out of date and shows 2007 League tables.

Eight matches and ten grounds  in six hours . Another busy but enjoyable day.

ANOTHER DEFEAT FOR YORKSHIRE SECONDS

By Brian Sanderson,

After two long days I decided to go to York to see Yorkshire Seconds against Nottingham  on the last day of  a three day match.The first person I saw was John Hampshire ex Yorkshire ,England and Derby player who is now mentor of umpires.I also saw him at Todmorden and Nottingham.

Yorkshire had to set up a run chase this afternoon to achieve a proper match. As I did not arrive until 12.00 Yorkshire were batting and losing wickets quickly chasing runs.Just before lunch they declared leaving Notts to score 240 in 72 overs which was a generous declaration.The crowd was very scarce but Tony Hutton was there behind the bowlers arm so I joined him to watch the match.

Above is the new York groundsman rolling a pitch,

Above is a photograph of Yorkshire getting ready to field after lunch.The pitch looked batsman friendly and the Yorkshire bowler struggled.In Notts first innnigs Hassan Azad who was born in Pakistan,scored 122 not out.After lunch he carried on in the same mode finishing up with 97 not out so Notts winning by eight wickets.

Lees who had been dropped by Yorshire first team scored a good hundred on the first day.However no bowlers could stop another defeat fothe Seconds.

SCARBOROUGH PICTURES

By Brian Sanderson,

I have been to Scarborough for the last two days and saw numerous Professional Cricket Watchers.These included Brian, Senior, Tony Hutton, David Thorpe, Brian Cobb, Ron Deaton, Bob Procter and Peter Mann. The first day I went with my sister and family and the second day Ron Stansfield and Bob Procter .During the match I sat with Andrew from London who is on his own as his brother can not travel now.

Above is the Photograph of the pavilion.I see no point in writing a report of the two days as in is on the internet and papers.Below is a photograph of the crowd on the bank opposite Trafalgar Square.The next is JRichardson for Durham after he scored his first hundred. The top picture is of the scoreboard with the Durham total.

IN ALONZO,S FOOTSTEPS

By Brian Sanderson,

After a Archives meeting I decided to drive to Honley to see Yorkshire under19 against Lancashire.Lancashire had to obtain three bonus points to win the league.As I arrived I notice Peter France sat we with the Wilson family watching Eddy batting.They were struggling with three batsman scoring 150 runs out off 206.These were Eddy Wilson with 80,CameronPitt with 30 and B.Morley with 49.

There were no scorecards so again we struggled to name the players.Brian Lymbury has promised some for to-morrow but I will be at Scarborough.During the break I walked down to Honley Graveyard to find Alonzo Drake grave.He played at Honley before the first World War and his photograph is hung in the pavilion. Thanks to Peter Dibb who rescued it from a back room.

Above is the photograph of the super-star.He played at Honley in 1907 and 1908 with aversage of 58 with the bat.In 1914 he took 10-35 against Somerset.He deid on 14th February 1919.Unfortunate I could not find the grave but Philip Paine has a photograh of the grave in one of his books.

Above is a photograph of the enterence to the graveyard and looked goulish in the sunlight.

When I got back to the match Yorkshire had taken four wickets but Lancshire had got enough bonus points to win the league.There is another day to-morrow so let us hope Yorkshire might win a match against Lancashire as recently we have failed.

Tough going for Quakers

posted by John Winn

 

Yesterday I took the train to Darlington and after al fresco refreshment at a pub in the splendid market square with my friend Alan Pinkney we walked down to Feethams where Darlington CC have played since 1866 when they moved just two hundred yards from the old Park Street ground. Yesterday's opponents were Marton CC from the outskirts of Middlesbrough.

Last season Darlington were pipped for the NYSD title by Richmondshire and the Swaledale team are the current leaders but before yesterday's game their advantage over The Quakers was onlt three points. Marton were a further 23 points away in third.

Whilst waiting to be served at the pub I had remarked to the man next to me in the queue how warm a day it was and he explained to me that this was because the gulf stream flowed through the town. Climate change indeed but if this interesting theory is correct it may well account for the greenness of yesterday's Feethams wicket. Darlington were batting when we arrived and were finding it hard going on a strip that was giving assistance to the seamers. Two an over was barely reached and three wickets fell before the total reached twenty,

At the fall of the third wicket we were treated to a display of dissent by the out coming batsman accompanied by foul language and equipment abuse on the players' balcony which amounted to a show of appalling behaviour of the worst kind. The offender clearly thought the ball had hit his shoulder rather than the bat and for sometime afterwards he was prepared to demonstrate this to anybody who would take interest. We did not.

Towards the end of their fifty overs DCC managed to pick up the tempo a little but thanks mainly to some good catches in the deep the innings closed on 159 for 8 with a six coming off the last ball*. At this point I left which, to some, is comparable to going to see Hamlet and leaving before the play starts for it means one is denying oneself the opportunity to enjoy one of Sue Mulholland's teas, the fame of which has spread further than her butter.

Throughout the afternoon I had kept an eye out for Messrs Cobb and Senior who it was thought were touring some NYSD grounds but with tea at Feethams planned as the icing on the cake.. Surely they had not found better elsewhere? For me it was Victoria Road rather than Victoria sponge and the climb up to the station to catch a slightly delayed train back to York. It was standing room only and I was glad I was only doing a 25 minute journey rather than the two and a half hours to London.

A day off today but Scarborough tomorrow for top against second in the county championship. With the forecast set fair a large festival crowd is anticipated and the Scarborough treasurer has much to look forward to. Thursday I am off to Lord's for one of my listed matches, Middlesex v Somerset. Middlesex lie third but lost to Derbyshire last week and are thirty three points behind Yorkshire, each with four games left. For Somerset it is a very different story for only the hapless Surrey are keeping them off the bottom and they have played a game more than their London rivals. Somerset coach Dave Nosworthy whose astuteness I have noted before this season , believes his charges need  'a few wins'. You're not wrong there, Dave. The other crunch game this week starts at The Oval on Thursday when Surrey host Derbyshire. It is understood that the BBC plans a remake of The Great Escape in the form of a miniseries. Whether it will star Karl Krikken remains to be seen.

* Alan has just texted me to say that Marton won by two wickets and Richmond's lead is now 16 points. The photograph is of Darlington town centre in the 1920s.

WAGG WAG THE TAIL

By Brian Sanderson,

Back to cricket after the trip to London.I met Richard Griffiths ,who is Hampshire supporter,to enable him to obtain some signatures of Trevor Jesty who is retiring from umpiring this year as he is 65.The match was a forty over match between Yorkshire and Glamorgan. This could be the final match at Headingley for a forty over mtch as next year it is been changed to 50 overs.Glamorgan were favorites as they required to win the match to have a chance to go to a semi-finals while Yorkshire had a poor side out.

Yorkshire won the toss and batted for some reason. They were soon 7 for 2 which required Hodgson,above,to score 90 which was his highest one-day score.Yorkshire went on to score 215 for 5.Jack Tattersall played his first A type match.

Glamorgan went on to win the match by mulinational side.

Cooke scored 84 and was from South Africa
Allenby scored 40 was from Australia.
North scored 25 from Australia.
Goodwin from South Africa.

Wagg scored 31 with three sixes to win the match with an over to spare.It was good to watch the match in sunshine with Autumn coming on but I wish Yorkshire would have put a stronger side out.

contrasting approaches

posted by John Winn

With the last round of YB40 matches being played on Monday the county championship will pretty much have things to itself until the end of the first class season in five weeks. Surrey, who thanks to Derbyshire's win over Middlesex yesterday are now bottom of the 'live table', have responded to their parlous position in seemingly the only way they know, by spending big. With Graham Smith and Ricky Ponting already having worn the brown cap this season but with the county still without a championship win there were those, and I was amongst them, who thought that the removal of Chris Adams might bring a change of policy and that home grown players might be given an opportunity. Not so it would appear, for in recruiting Hashim Amla, Surrey have trumped all their previous efforts to buy success.

What a contrast with their opponents in the current match, Durham who have had no overseas player this season and who because of the unavailability of Onions and Stokes brought in twenty year old Usman Arshad, Bradford born but who plays his league cricket for Chester le Street. If you were at Headingley for the three day match in the SEC in 2010 then you have seen him play, although your eye may have been distracted by the sight of Tino Best celebrating the capture of three wickets.

Yesterday umpire Mark Benson had to stand down for personal reasons and  was  replaced by Phil from Philadelphia* local league umpire, Phil Raine .During the afternoon session the cavalry arrived from Doncaster in the form of Paul Baldwin and Phil's day in the sun but with increasing cloud was over. During the morning Durham built on the strong position established on Thursday, a situation for which a stand of 183 between Borthwick and Smith was largely responsible, two others who had played at Headingley three years ago.

Two friends who had been present for the first day's play had spoken of how lacking in enthusiasm Surrey had been in the field. Their fielding was sloppy and apart from Tremlett, the bowling poor. Nothing had changed yesterday, they simply did not seem interested. 421 is way above par for first innings knocks at Chester le Street and the Prince of Wales Own began  their reply by losing three for 20 and then the biggest scalp, Amla bowled by Mark Wood's first ball for 14. The Durham supporter who had hoped to see Amla score a few runs cheered as loudly as the rest of us. The three bowlers who took the first four wickets, Rushworth, Harrison and Wood are all products of the Durham Academy. Possible message there for Surrey coach Alec Stewart who due to commitments at the test match is not present at this match.

Things were to get even better for Durham because before bad light stopped play Arshad was introduced into the attack and took the wickets of de Bruyn and Wilson to leave Surrey on 97 for 6, still 324 behind. If County Durham has had anything like the amount of rain that has fallen overnight in the Lower Ure Valley then prospects of play at The Riverside today must be very poor. Although their demeanour hardly suggests it, Surrey need to win and with Yorkshire gaining such a convincing win over Notts yesterday Durham will feel equally frustrated if they can not turn their advantage into victory before the big game at Scarborough on Wednesday.

The photograph was taken at the first day of the test match at Chester le Street. The crowd yesterday was not quite as large nor were so many wearing yellow caps.

* Tyne and Wear not USA

GOOD DAY FOR YORKSHIRE

By Brian Sanderson,

Myself, Ron Stansfield and Brian Workman had a trip to Trent Bridge to see the second day of the Nottingham v Yorkshire.  Yorkshire wetre batting with Bairstow, back from the Test Squad and Patterson.
The forecast was sunny and so Brian Workman did not bring a coat.

Yorkshire batted well to bring the score up to 407 so gaining 4 batting points.Nottingham were soon in trouble by losing three wickets before lunch.At lunch-time I met Tony Hutton in the cafe were we both had a good lunch.

After lunch Nottingham still were losing wickets when the rain came so we went to the Nottingham library.I could spend numerous hours in the room which Peter Wynne-Thomas  as does.There were some nice pictures of old Yorkshire players which I was able to photograph.

Above is a excellent image of Percy Holmes.

Tea was taken early and the rain stopped so were able to watch Adams make some lusty blows.Nottingham finishing on 150.

Nottingham were asked to follow on and again wicket fell.As we left 4 wickets had fallen for 102.

Well done Patterson who took five wickets in the first innings and scored 40.Trent Bridge is the best county ground  apart from Lords.Good facilities and very friendly people.

Updating the update

Posted by John Winn

The SET semi finals are as follows

Tuesday 27th August Lancashire v Unicorns will be played at Old Trafford not Alderley Edge as previously suggested.

The other semi final will also be on Tuesday between Middlesex and Notts at Radlett CC
.
Both games start at noon

The Minor Counties Championship playoff between Cambridgeshire and Cheshire will be played at Wisbech commencing on 8th September

The finalists in the ECB Under 17 Championship are Durham and Kent and this will be played at Arundel next Thursday/Friday

FIFTH CENTURY IN FIVE DAYS

By Brian Sanderson,

Back to Todmorden to see the first day of the Yorkshire Seconds three  day  match against Lancashire.Andrew from London was up to see the match and there was a delay till 11.30 because of small drizzle on the ground.The photograph shows that the mill that  has been knocked down since last year.


Yorkshire batted first and soon were 4 for 37 and it was left to Robinson and Hodgson to put together a stand of 61.Hodgson scored 53 and Robinson32 to bring Yorkshire total to 152.There was help extras who next top scored at 26.The wickets were sprend between Bailey,Clark and Croft.

The photograph is of Lancashire comimg off the ground after bowling Yorkshire out for a poor total.
The photograph below is Yorshire getting ready to bowl and the Todmorden groundsmen in blue jumpers coming off the ground.

Lancashire openers soon start to attack the bowling  but lost wickets They reached 82 for 4 in 15 overs and then Livingstone from Barrow,see yesterdays blog started taking the attack apart.He scored 101 in 113 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes which just missed the cars.He was caught out on the boundary edge by a brillant catch by Coad.Lancashire went on to score 252 for 7 by the close and we went for a Chinese meal.

I have now seen a century in the last five matches  in the last five days.

Spin the key for Peakites

posted by John Winn

Whilst  Brian was at the match which decided the Northern Group and saw Lancashire through to a semi final which I understand will be at Alderley Edge next Tuesday I made the easy journey up the A19 to Acklam Park, the home of Middlesbrough CC and a 'dead rubber' game in the group between Durham II and Derbyshire II.

I mentioned in yesterday's posting that when I last visited the ground it was to see Yorkshire in action. Strictly speaking that was misleading for I was actually there two years ago but after heavy overnight rain no play was possible on that occasion. The time I referred to when I did see some play was in August 1967 when, with my father, I was part of a large crowd on the second day of a championship match with Warwickshire. A nice touch was that one of Yorkshire's team that day was in attendance yesterday, namely John Hampshire. Assessing umpires I suspect.

To yesterday's business and Derbyshire batted first and getting off to a good start maintained a scoring rate of five an over and finishing with a flourish made 225 off their forty overs. I had had every intention of recording some details of the game but as I had been joined by two close friends, Alan Pinkney and Peter Sixsmith, the first occasion that the three of us had had chance for a yarn for quite some time, my attention was more absorbed by the conversation than by the cricket.

During the lunch interval I had a chat with the Allens* West pcw, Frank Siddle who introduced me to a whistleblower who was able to bring me some news from Jesmond. Frank and I will meet again at The Riverside on Thursday.

The Durham coach, Alastair Maiden, felt that his charges were 'in the game' and openers Clark (J) and Singh made a positive start but the introduction of spin brought Singh's attractive innings to an end. I was actually watching at that point and can confirm he was bowled and that for the next few overs spin at both ends put Durham behind the clock and left them needing something close to ten an over. Wickets fell in the pursuit and the innings perished abruptly with the last three going down in successive balls, the final one to a run out. A good win for Derbyshire and the two sides will return to the excellent facilities at Acklam Park today for a SEC match. Should you be thinking of going then I suggest you leave the picnic hamper at home for there was splendid fare provided for spectators after the players had had lunch yesterday.

Turning to the Minor Counties and late last night news leaked out of Jesmond that Cambridgeshire had beaten Suffolk and thus were confirmed as winners of the MCCA Eastern Division and although Suffolk gained their expected victory over Cumberland it is Cambridgeshire who will host the final against Cheshire, who despite only drawing with Shropshire, top the Western Division with a three point margin over Wales.

To Todmorden this morning by train. The picnic basket is having a day off.

* I have checked and to my surprise there is no apostrophe.

LIVINGSTONE FROM BARROW

By Brian Sanderson,

Another one of my favourite trips is to Todmorden which I went on t0-day with Bob Proctor.The match was a forty-over match between Yorkshire Second s and Lancashire.The forecast was cloudy but dry and it proven so.

Walking into the Red Brick cafe  Peter France and Philip Dibb  were having a early snack.Yorkshire batted first and was in a big problem at 10 for 3.Leaning and Hodgson put on a partnership of 86 before Hodgson was out for 43.He was one of three wickets to the leg-spinner Mc Kierman who has a funny action.Leaning went on to score 47 and caught on the boundary edge off a full toss.Will Rhodes batted well for 42 and Yorkshire made 180 for 7 which would not be good enough.

After the break Lancashire were 15 for 2 with the help of a brillant catch by Jack Tattersall to remove Davies.Ashraf dropped a catch to take another quick wicket before Livingstone started to take the bowling apart.He went on to score 121 not out  in 92 balls with 16 fours and 6 sixes with a number going in the road.
Lancashire went on to win by five wickets and move on to the final.

This is a photograph of  Liam Stephen Livingstone.I may see him to-morrow in the three  day match.

Lessons in local government

 

posted by John Winn

 

The administrative county of Cumberland disappeared in the local government reshuffle of 1974 when it was merged with Westmorland to form Cumbria. There was also some tinkering round the edges and Sedbergh, previously part of the old West Riding joined the new county.

The name Cumberland lives on in a variety of ways, the local building society, a couple of

 

 local newspapers, in a distinctive spiral coiled sausage and of course in its cricket team. Although I have been to Sedbergh  many times yesterday was my first visit to the cricket. My journey took me through some of Yorkshire's finest scenery on a lovely sunny morning but the 'Welcome to Cumbria'  sign was the signal for cloud to appear and some light drizzle threatened to delay the start but it relented and as the nearby church clock struck eleven, the umpires took the field.

Cumberland used the morning session to build on the recovery they had started on Sunday evening with the Atkinson/Bulcock partnership frustrating the histrionic Suffolk pace bowler Hunn who had done the damage at the top of the innings. Two wickets fell in quick succession but Parkinson joined Atkinson and they took the score to 139 before the innings ended as it had begun with three wickets going down for no runs. Atkinson was last man out for 67, well caught in the deep by Rash.

There was just time before lunch for Suffolk to begin building on their 72 run lead but Cumberland skipper Gary Pratt began with the spin of Bulcock and Bishop was caught behind for 0 to leave the lunchtime board showing 1 for 1, last man 0. During the morning I had chatted with Brian Cobb and his wife who were the only faces I recognised in a crowd of a little over 100. By now a chill breeze was blowing and the better prepared produced blankets to warm their knees.

The afternoon's play was slow with Huggins proving as immovable as in the first innings but, as has happened so often in the match one wicket brought two, or in this case three, with 36 for 1 becoming 44 for 4 and finally we saw the back of Huggins who had carried his bat in the first innings. At this point Cumberland were only 116 ahead but Cull, Ward and Shepperson all made runs and by stumps the lead was 248, with four wickets still to fall. I sense this may already be considerably more than Cumberland will want to chase and would not expect Suffolk to bat long, if at all, this morning. There appears to be an embargo on scores from Jesmond where the other key fixture in the eastern division is being played but Suffolk need to win and the final day at Sedbergh school has the promise of some good cricket. It is understood i.e. Brian Cobb told me, that if Suffolk do win the division the final will be at Copdock, near Ipswich.

By the time I left at 5:30 the sun had returned to light up this lovely ground which fully deserves all Brian's compliments. Today I am set for Acklam Park, Middlesbrough where, last time I visited Yorkshire were the hosts and Boycott and Padgett got runs and Trueman got wickets.  Today Durham II are the home team in a SET match with Derbyshire. Just in case last time you looked Middlesbrough was in Yorkshire, rest assured it still is but beware, it may only be Durham's financial woes that are delaying the diversion of the River Tees.

Tomorrow it is another of the season's highlights, a trip to Todmorden which since 1974 has been in 'the temporary care of Lancashire' but the game is Yorkshire's home match. Finally a couple of results I spotted in Monday's Northern Echo. In the ECB 50+ Durham defeated Surrey by six wickets to reach the semi finals and in the National Club Cup 1/4 final South North overcame Barnt Green and will now be away to West Indian Cavaliers on September 1st.

COLDEST GROUND IN ENGLAND

By Brian Sanderson,

To-day was a rush around to go to Barnsley for a one-day match between Yorkshire Seconds and Nottingham.There was a road crash on the M1 so I did not arrive until five overs had been bowled.It started at 12.00 and numerous people plus myself thought it started at 11.00.

The first person I saw was Malcolm who a stressful week looking after two youngsters and the joined by Tony Hutton. Yorkshire opened with Phil Jaques ,proving his fitness after his rib injury and Callis who scored a big score on Saturday.They put together a stand of 99 when Callis was out for 44.Jaques went on to score 105 with 13 fours in 97 balls so he should be fit enough for Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

Above is a photograph of him acknowledgeing his hundred..Yorkshire went on to score 252 for 6 but should have scored more runs.

During the break we meet up with Peter France who was in the clubhouse.When Nottingham started to bat they were reduced to 89 for 7 in 22 overs.The thoughts of the spectators turned to early finish but Brett Hutton and George Bacon had other ideas.They put on a stand of 133 mainly taking runs of Pyrah ,Leaning and Robinson.Hutton was first out for 64 and Bacon scored 58.

Nottingham still lost the match and are top of the table.Yorkshire have to beat Lancashire to-morrow  at Todmorden to get through to the final .

Spot the mistake on the board.The comment about the ground was made by Dickie Bird who had been there since 9.30.

WHAT FLAG IS THIS ?

By Brian Sanderson,

I picked up my sister at Ripon and we both went to the most beautiful ground in the North of England  Sedbergh.The match was the Minor County match Cumbria against Suffolk.Suffolk are ten points behind Cambridge in this final championship match so have to win this match.On the way to the ground we went through heavy rain and the thoughts turned to last year when we did not see any cricket due to the rain.

When we arrived the usual parking spot was banned as new drains had been laid on the cricket ground.This proved a blessing as the match would  start on time due to the new drains.Cumbria won the toss and Suffolk batted.Tony Hutton arrived later as he had problem finding a parking spot as the school drive was used as a parking lot for the fell runners who were running to-day.During the morning David Thorpe arrived with  Graham to be faced by a strong breeze  blowing across the pitch but this helped to keep the rain off.By lunch-time Suffolk were 78 for 3.

After lunch we had a strolled into the village which was very quite.Arrived back we watched Tom Huggins ex Cambridge, Essex,Northampton and Suffolk score a hundred but Suffolk were all out for 201.

Above is the photgraph of Tom Higgins.When Suffolk were out it became very cold so we return back to Ripon and so leaving Sedbergh for another year. Cumbria finished on 43 for 5.

The flag which was been shown at the ground was Westmoreland flag which has not  being in existance since 1974.The emblem is a gold apple tree.You learn all sorts watching cricket and reading this blog.

RAIN WINS

By Brian Sanderson,

I had wanted to go to the Saddleworth League to-day but the weather forecast put me off so I went to Burley.They had won the Cup-Final on Sunday in a low scoring match. againt Beckwithshaw.The forecast was showers so Burley is a close ground to visit and they were playing Kirkstall Education which is my closest league club.As I arrived sitting on the bench outside the pavilion was Dave Hodgson who is the groundsman at Kirkstall and artist of talent.It is worth going to Kirkstall web-site and click on Dave blog.This will give you an insight of the work he does.Also he is always worth listening to about cricket.

Burley batted first and soon lost three wickets for one run.A batsman called Brown came to the wicket to score the best league hundred I have seen for along time.I was told he joined the club from Olicanians last year.From the start he hit every ball in the middle of the bat and his shot selection was excellent.The photograph above shows him after he had scored his hundred however the next ball he was caught brillantly on the boundry edge.Burley scored 190 but the rain came down at tea-time.

I decided to have a early Saturday night but it was worth the visit to Burley to see the century.A photograph above  is of a new seat at Burley in celebration of a player father life and his association with the Burley club.

Fixtures update

Posted by John Winn

So congested are the fixtures next week that I know some pcws are finding it difficult to decide how best to spend their time and I thought it might be helpful to post a fixture update. I realise that this may serve only to create more indecision for I have incorporated a number of new fixtures into Brian's monthly list.

Sunday 18th August to Tuesday 20th Cumberland v Suffolk at Sedbergh and Northumberland v Cambridgeshire at Jesmond. These two matches will decide who will win the MCCA Eastern Division although it will not be either of the two host counties For those for whom lunch at The Red Lion in Sedbergh is a major part of the attraction please note it is closed on Mondays.

Sunday 18th Durham 50+ v Surrey 50+ ECB Comp I/4 final Norton CC 1:00
                     Durham Under 15s v Worcestershire U15s ECB Comp Div B Semi Final Annfield Plain CC 10:45

Monday 19th Yorks v Notts SET Barnsley
                       Derbyshire Academy v Durham Academy at Denby CC 11:00

Tuesday 20th Derbyshire v Middlesex LVCC Derby
                       Yorks v Lancs SEC Todmorden
                       Durham v Derbyshire SET Middlesbrough
                       Yorkshire 60+ v Essex 60+ ECB National Comp 1/4 final New Rover 1:00
                        Durham U17 v Northants U17 ECB Championship Semi Final Hartlepool (pictured below) 11:00 (2 days)

           

Wednesday 21st Notts v Yorks LVCC Trent Bridge
                            Durham v Derbyshire SEC Middlesbrough
                           Durham Women U17 v Cheshire Women U17 Willington DL15 0QX
                            MCC East Midlands v MCC North East Chesterfield
                            Ribblesdale League v MCC  Ribblesdale Wanderers

Thursday  22nd Durham v Surrey LVCC Riverside
                           Worcestershire v Lancs LVCC Worcester
                          Yorkshire U17 v Warwickshire U17 ECB semi final (one day) Pudsey Congs 10:45
                       
Sunday 25th      Priestley Cup Final Hanging Heaton v Lightcliffe Farsley 1:00

                              National Club T20 Regional Final Chester le Street v Pudsey Congs Ropery Lane

                           The finals of this competition will be played at The Oval on Friday 13th September and will be televised

Monday 26th Crowther Cup Final Birstall v Woodlands  at Ossett 1:00

In the club national knock out Barnt Green play South North on Sunday August 18th. The semi finals will be West Indian Cavaliers (Nottingham) v Barnt Green or South North and Ealing v Swardeston both on September 1st with the final at Chester le Street on Sunday 15th September.

I am grateful to Tony Hutton for some of this information. Please check before you travel.

AFTERNOON AT WEETWOOD

By Brian Sanderson,

This morning was wet and I thought they would struggle to start on time at Weetwood but when I arrived in the afternoon the umpires were coming out for the second innings.The match was a one-day match with the Academy playing Scotland Development X1.Scotland had scored 140.

Sitting near the pavilion was Jenny and Gorden Chadwick. I saw Gorden last at Whitkirk were Airewharfe under 15 lost to Wetherby.Yorkshire were soon struggling at 40 for 3 and the game was in the balance.Then Fern and Booth put on a partnership of 79 with Fern scoring 38.During this time Tony Hutton arrived after is family lunch.Fern was bowled swing at a straight ball however Toby Booth went on to win the match with a score over 60.The scoreboard at Weetwood does not give individual batsman scores.

A good victory for a young Academy side against a experienced Scottish side.A photograph below is of Toby going off the ground after hitting the winning runs.

BLACKPOOL TRIP PHOTOGRAPHS

By Brian Sanderson,

The only view of Blackpool Tower from the ground.

View from Stanley Park of the Blackpool pavilion.

Whittingham old rollers for Mick Bourne.

Bounching Castle at Guys Thatched Hamlet.

Longridge new pavilion.

Chippingpavilion and photograph to confirm we went yesterday.

Play stopped by bouncers

posted by John Winn

 

 

The good ship PCW set sail early for Blackpool yesterday picking up extra crew at Huddersfield so that well before eleven Messrs Hutton, Sanderson, Thorpe and Winn were in prime position on the south bank at Blackpool CC for the start of a SEC match between Lancs II and Glamorgan. A lovely morning had drawn a goodly number of North Western pcws including Lancaster Ian and Stockport Geoff but no Blackpool Ken.

The scorecards having been left at Old Trafford and with the additional handicap of no pa much of the day was spent puzzling out the identities of the two teams. By dint of consulting various oracles particularly Stockport Geoff, the use of smart phones and asking the boundary fielders we were able to identify the Lancashire team who had taken the field and the Glamorgan batsmen as they came to the crease.

Batting star of the day was Australian Stewart Walters who made 97 but who was less than thrilled to be out in the nineties for the second time this week. He did not appear to concur with the umpire's view that he was lbw. The bowler of the day, at least in terms of long service, was leg spinner Mattie McKiernan who operated unchanged from the pavilion end from before lunch until after tea. Tea was brought forward to try and avoid intermittent drizzle which local knowledge claimed was linked to the incoming tide, but between four and five o'clock there were several interruptions as the covers were wheeled back and forth. Play did resume and Glamorgan batted steadily on until bad light ended play for the day with the score at 257 for 8 off 92 overs, not exactly edge of the seat stuff.

Before stumps Tony, Brian and I* had set off on what proved to be by some distance the more interesting part of the day .Our sights were set on grounds in the Boddington's Village League, a competition for ten clubs in the Preston area . Tony and Brian had visited some of the grounds before but it was all new territory for me. First stop was to see Owd Nell's v Guy's Thatched Hamlet (I am not making this up) who share a ground at Bilsborrow, close to the Lancaster Canal. And I am not making this bit up either for to our disappointment there was no sign of cricketers and the playing area was covered in some extremely fancy bouncy castles as part of a festival of 'bubble and bounce'.

After taking some photographs we moved on towards our next target at Longridge but passing through Whittingham Tony 's detailed knowledge of the area led us to a beautiful cricket field in the grounds of a former hospital. Here there was cricket but not what we had come to see. A friendly game was in progress between Preston Probation and Preston Engineers, with leg wear including black shorts and 'cut offs'. From here it is a short ride to Longridge where a progressive club has pitches on both sides of the road and we inspected a very impressive club house opened in 2011. Four Saturday teams enjoy this facility and on the other pitch the under nines were having a run out. The midweek eleven were taking on Whittingham who were batting and lost three wickets in the short time we were there. A friendly welcome here and what a great model for other clubs.

Last call, and all the time our evening had been threatened by rain, was at Chipping, a real village evening league ground from which on a brighter night there would have been good views of the surrounding hills. The arrival of three strangers was met with suspicion, for the ground is subject to a planning application and although there is the prospect of a new ground as part of the deal the feeling among the players we talked to, and they were very keen to talk, was that they would rather stay where they are. Opponents here were Preston Grasshoppers who in a game shortened to ten overs by earlier rain made 99. By the time the 'Men form the Ministry' left Chipping had made a good start towards their target We arrived back in Leeds at 8:45 thankful that the rain had not spoilt the evening even if we were not the first cricket enthusiasts this week to have problems with bouncers.

* David had made arrangements to return to Huddersfield with his friends the two Grahams.

LAST MATCH FOR UNICORNS AT HEADINGLEY

By Brian Sanderson,

I visited Weetwood first in the morning were Yorkshire Academy were playing Scotland Development X1 in a two day match and a one day match on Thursday.When I arrived Tony Hutton and Jenny were already waiting for the start of the match.This gave us time to catch up were everybody had been in the last few days.The Yorkshire Academy side looked very weak as we could only recognise only about four players.
One of there was Stabler who got two wickets before he got a back injury and had to hobble off. Beenwhile David Thorpe arrived who explained the scoring system for the under nine matches which would take to long in this blog.

I left a lunch-time to go to Headingley with the score 111 for 2 with prospect of a big score for Scotland.The photograph below is of the Academy before the start of play.

After lunch I went to the stadium to see the forty over match against the  Unicorns who will finish after this season as this competition is finishing and be replaced by a fifty over competition.Yorkshire again had a weak side out.

Yorkshire batted first an the innings was dominated by Garry Ballance and scored his highest one day score for Yorkshire of 139 which  lasted 113 balls and scored 15 fours and 3 sixes in a total of 266 for 6.He could have been out on a number of occasions .The Unicorn side consisted mainly of Minor County players.

After the break the main innings was by Matthew Linekar who has played for Notts, and Derby but now plays for Lincolnshire.As I had seen him at Cleethorpes  when he played against  Cumberland.To-day he scored 107 in 105 balls and was a excellent innings.However after the top four batsmen no-body stopped with him long enough to win.The shock bowler was Jack Leaning who took five wickets for the first time His bowling  figures were five for twenty-two.Unicorns lost six wickets for twenty-two runs.Yorkshire won the match by 32 runs but it could have been a different story if the Unicorns had found another batsman like Lineker.

TWINS OPENING THE INNINGS FOR YORKSHIRE

By Brian Sanderson,

David Thorpe of Golcar mention that Yorkshire Girls U 15 were playing Shropshire at Harrogate in a forty over match so I decded to see the match and pleased I did.Yorkshire Seconds were playing at South Northumberland and after the poor showing last week I decided not to go.

Yorkshire girls opened the batting with  Yvonne and Teresa Graves who are twins.It is a good quiz qestion if this ever happen before,I think the answer is no.Yvonne was soon out L.B.W but told the umpire she hit it first however Teresa went on to score 98 runs in 98 balls.She was also involved in a large partnership with Madeline Walsh ,a Golcar girl.She lives very close to the ground and has been playing cricket since she was 7.Madeline was not out with 68 in a total of 202.

At tea -time we heard that Teresa would have been given a £300 bat by her father if she had scored a hundred.She was out caught and bowled as seem very tired at the end of the innings.Shropshire started batting well but as soon as Amy Gibson came on to bowl wickets started to fall and  she took the first four wickets.As I was leaving Shropshire were 98 for 6 with eight over to go so it  looked as Yorkshire won another match.They are playing Lancashire on Saturday and have a chance to go through to the semi-finals.

All the very best to the girls on Saturday and in their future.