Middeton in Teesdale CC, hosts of yesterday's game between Durham Under 15s and their Cumbria counterparts, shares its grounds with those of the local primary school and by the time I had found the vehicle entrance I missed the call of play at 11:00. I had barely settled in my seat before the Durham skipper, Tom Hewison, who opens regularly for Stockton in the North East Premier League, was back in the dressing room.
Middleton are members of the Darlington and District League and the motivation for yesterday's trip was that it is one of the few grounds in that competition that I have not visited. They finished fourth in Division A last year but so far this campaign are winless and propping up the table. The local Teesdale Mercury described how they had lost narrowly to local rivals Barningham last week. The paper gives good coverage of local cricket for as well as a comprehensive survey of the D and D they also report on Barnard Castle's matches in the NYSD and Evenwood in the Durham Cricket League.
The ground has a large very well maintained playing area although these two chaps, unlike Ol' Man River are no longer rollin' along.
The pavilion is of traditional wooden construction and design, although the dressing rooms are legacy of an era when one cricket bag served an XI, not quite up to muster when it is asked to find room for eleven bags of that size.
After the early loss of their skipper Durham recovered well through a stand of 126 between Josh O'Brien and Ross Greenwell. O'Brien made 50 and Greenwell 84. Durham were bowled out for 233 with just two balls of their 50 overs left. Tom Hewison's father, with whom I enjoyed conversation, felt that having seen Cumbria play against Cleveland recently that would be a winning score. Top man with the ball was James McGown who took 3 for 17 off his ten overs.
Cumbria's reply was held together by A Grunshaw of the Ulverston club who made 71 but when he was sixth out Jake Louth mopped up the tail to finish with 5 for 43 and the visitors fell 15 short. Impressive for Durham was spinner Haida Shafiq from Cleveland who took 2 for 27 off his ten overs. A disappointing feature of the bowling of both sides was the number of wides with 37 runs being given up this way and one felt sorry for both wicketkeepers.
An enjoyable afternoon in pleasantly warm conditions watching a game played in good spirit. For pcws fancying a trip, Middleton is about a thirty minute drive from Scotch Corner and could easily be combined with a visit to the Barningham, Barnard Castle, Raby Castle and Evenwood clubs. Despite a diversion on the way home caused by an accident which closed the A66 just west of Scotch Corner, I felt I had made the right call for proceedings at The Riverside lasted just 11 minutes in which 17 deliveries were bowled, nine runs scored and Rushworth took the outstanding Sussex wicket. Speaking to a friend in Sussex last night he told me that the local Brighton paper, The Argus, has even mentioned the 'r' word after a run of 8 games without a win for The Martlets sees them in seventh place in the championship table, just two points above Lancashire.
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