TWO MATCHES THREE MILES APART

By Brian Sanderson,

After the rain of yesterday,the sun was out but a cold breeze.First match at Headingley was the first 20/20 between Yorkshire Seconds and Lancashire Seconds which had a debateable starting time.Some people thought it was 11 o,clock start other thought it was 10.30 however it started at 10.45. It started early because of the rugby league match this evening.

The big talking point of this match apart from the Yorkshire colours was Bairstow fit enough to be keeping at Durham on Sunday.He was due to play in the first match and keeping.Lancashire batted first and we were entertained by Alex Davies,a under 19  England keeper.Yorkshire tried eight bowlers against him  but none of them were able to contain him. He scored 101 not out out of a total 172 for 4 .Yorkshire best bowler was Moin Ashraf  with figures for his four overs of 1 for 25.

Spectator  there must have been about fifty people when the match started.We were joined by Tony Hutton for a few overs returning from four days at Lords.We were also joined by Jerry ,the Middlesex supporter, talkiing about his accommodation in London.

Yorkshire started poorly and were 11 for 2.Bairstow arrived and shown some powerful hitting to score 77.Only two other batsmen got to double figures.Clark been the best bowler taking 4 for 28.Yorkshire finishing on 145 all out.At one stage the scoreboard shown the Duckworth-Lewis total Yorkshire had to win was 204.How this was worked out I do not know as Lancashire total was 172.Bairstow looked fit and I think he will play at Durham along with Bresnan.The Yorkshire colours were purple tops and black bottoms.
It must have taken ages to design.

After lunch a trip up to Weetwood were Leeds @ Bradford University were playing Durham University.Orginally it was a two day match but because of the rain yesterday it was reduced to a one day match. Durham coach was Graeme Fowler,ex England and Lancashire batsman.who was wearing a large beard and looked different from his playing days.

Durham batted first and when I arrived they were they were 80 for 4 in the thirty over and struggling against the spin bowling. These were McQueen and Foster who between them took 7 wickets for 81 runs.With the cold breeze all six spectators were hudled together in front of the pavilion.These included,Tony Hutton ,John Winn,Brian Senior and Jenny.All were being entertain by John Tipley.

This is a photograph of Leeds coming off the field after bowling Durham out for 138 in 63.2 overs.As you can see the University tops were better colours than Yorkshire.At tea Leeds were 65 for 6 with the Durham spinners on top taking 5 wickets.The only wicket they did not tae was Gubbins who was 21 and was run out by not moving back into his crease when the ball was return to the wicket keeper.Bat throwing time.

After tea it was Laws and Macload who saved the day and put on a partnership of 60.The spinners taking no more wickets.Leeds went on to collect sixteen points when they finished their innings at 154 for8  with Macload scoring fifty.Another wicket keeper which seems the theme of the day.

Coming back home I passed a number of students with Christmas hats on.You worry about the state of England.