Local Hero reaches 1000 runs.

posted by John Winn

My neighbour John Gawthrope and I adjusted our normal departure time from the Lower Ure Valley to fit in with the twelve noon start at North Marine Road. Our journey was made in the face of common sense and forecasts earlier in the week which suggested that the weather might seriously interfere with play but despite setting off with rain falling by the time we were made 'Welcome to Ryedale' it had stopped and when we parked up in Trafalgar Square* the sun was doing its best to convince us that our journey had not been in vain.

A close humid morning suggested that whoever won the toss would field and when the covers were removed to reveal a vivid shade of green, more Ray Reardon than Ray Illingworth, Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers gave Yorkshire the first opportunity to bat before a decent crowd which although not by any means 'festive', grew as the news spread that play would start on time. I expressed my concern that this might be a 'fifteen for three first half hour', but in the event Lyth and Lees added 49 at about two and a half per over before Lees fell to Roland-Jones. Enter Kiwi Kane, as The Scarborough News described him, fresh from his extremely successful tour of the Caribbean, and when rain interrupted after 27 overs, early lunch was taken on 67 for 1.

We were joined for lunch by two of John's friends from Norfolk who when the invitation was extended probably didn't expect lobster and a cruet, but they were suitably impressed, and the rain eased in time to save the salad dressing from dilution. Much heavier rain was in store but not before Williamson was out and so heavy was the afternoon downpour, the thunder competed with the guns firing at the nearby Battle of The River Plate, that we seriously considered going home but when warm sunshine replaced the rain, good work by the ground staff saw a resumption at five o'clock.

 

Waiting for play to resume.

 

If the first half of the day could be considered to have been won by Yorkshire Middlesex fought back in the evening taking four more wickets including that of local hero Adam Lyth who shortly after six sliced Finn away to go his hundred and before his dismissal became the first to reach a thousand championship runs in 2014. Anybody looking for an opening bat in good form? Fluent left hander offers services, can be in Southampton next Sunday. Lyth finally fell to the promising Helm who had earlier accounted for Bairstow. Time for Bresnan to face four balls before bad light cut short the day with seven overs left.

 By this time John and I were on our way home, encountering torrential rain in the York area, rain which may spoil York's second attempt to play their National KO last 16 match with Chesterfield this afternoon. Let's hope not, for that is where I am bound and then back to Scarborough tomorrow before championship cricket turns its lights off for about a month. After Tuesday Middlesex have no more first class fixtures until August 31sr, six weeks today. Can that be right? Answers to the ecb.

* The one adjacent to Scarborough Cricket ground, just in case you thought we were over reliant on sat nav.

 

How much? Two Yorkshire members question price of a pint at Scarborough.