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.