By Brian Sanderson,
Looking at the weather forecast I thought Harrogate would be the drier area to watch cricket to-day.Arriving at the ground the rain was falling and the adverts for the Tour de France next week on the Childrens play area. Yorkshire Academy were playing Harrogate but play was delayed for thirty minutes because of the rain. We watched the cricket from the new pavilion but the railings made it very difficult to see the match also it was cold so we transfered to the car.
Harrogate won the toss and put in very young Academy side no Rashid or Rafiq as last week.After fifteen overs Yorkshire had lost three wickets but the side have useful batters in the lower order. Whilst this match was been played on the second pitch the Harrogate thirds were playing Darley seconds in the Nidderdale League.
The home side was batting first on a small ground. Darley opening bowler in his four balls bowled three wides so they did not start very well.Leaving the ground Yorkshire had not lost any more wickets with Thompson and Ryan Gibson batting well. When I arrived home the Academy had scored 315 for 9 in fifty -five overs and then bowled Harrogate for 42 in 19.1 overs. Harrogate were third in the league up till today with Yorkshire second. It just shows the standard of the league.
Moving on about a mile and half we visited Pannal Ash,s ground which is a new ground for me.The club was established in about 1852 but today Beckwithshaw thirds were playing Galphay and Winksley seconds on the ground.The match was in the nineth division of the Nidderdale Cricket league.The pavilion is very run down and looked as no loving care had taken place for some years.The home side had a thirteen and fouteen year old bowlers playing.
Looking at the photograph it looks very idyllic but on a cold and wet day it did not seem that way.Moving on half a mile we watched Beckwithshaw first team against Kirkstall Educational in the Airedale and Wharfedale League.The home side were batting against a weaken Kirkstall side due to people taking time off for stag do,s.I talked to Dave Hodgson the Kirkstall President and said this morning at one stage the second team had only seven men.Looking at the computor now the home side scored 299 for 3 in fifty overs.
Another comment by Dave was that local cricket is changing very fast and not for the better.Moving on to the fifth ground which is situated off the Leeds to Harrogate road and is called Almsford Oval. The match been played there was Knaresborough Forest Thirds against Bedale Seconds in the 8 th division of the Nidderdale league. It is not the easiest ground to found as it is down a small lane and the local,s had put notices up to stop people parking in the street.Bedale were batting quite slowly on a large field.
There was a school fete going on in the school field behind the bowlers arm. The changing rooms are boarded up to stop vandels.A ground you would only visit once. Moving on quickly to the Weeton and Huby ground were Ron Stansfield had played on the 1960,s when Yorkshire Bank played friendly cricket.
To-day Pannal fourth,s were batting against Dacre Bank seconds.
I had a walk round the ground and spoke to Dacre Bank player who said he played on this ground two years ago when the sun was shining and it looked very good then but with the rain it looked very dark. So impressions of grounds can change with the weather conditions.The match was in the seventh division of the Nidderdale League. Moving on two miles we called in to Pool ground were they were playing Harden seconds.The first thing I noticed was a new scoreboard together with a new changing rooms for the football.
The scoreboard said Harden had been bowled out for sixty so the match was over by just after four o ,clock.
Moving on a mile we called in to Arthington which we usual visit at the end of September for the cricket festival. To-day they were playing Sharow seconds in the sixth division of the Nidderdale league.The away side were batting after a rain delay and the rain still falling.It is usually warmer in September than it was to-day.
It is always good to visit the ground and found Denis Nash the seventy year opening bowler not playing which was a disappointing.However we were able to have a cup of tea supplied by his wife.Next ground we visited was Adel were their seconds were playing Burley seconds.It was so cold that the few spectators were sitting in the pavilion to try and get a bit warmer.Burley had batted and scored 173 and Adel were batting well with still another thirty-three overs to bowl.
The ground is situated next to a Norman church which was buitlt in 1150-1170 and has been little altered since. My dinner was calling but I had chance to call into the Bedquilts ground just off Church Lane Adel. To my surprise Cookeridge third team were playing Baildon seconds in the Dales Council Cricket League division C.Scoring in this match was Barry Foster who wrote the book "Cricket in the Dales " which is a celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the League.He has a spercial attachment to the Dales Council ,playing in the league in the each of the last six decades with nine different clubs .Along the way he has claimed over 1,200 wickets.
A cold day but still met so very interesting people and seen some cricket. See what tomorrow brings.
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