pcws flock to Todmorden

posted by John Winn

Not quite sure what it is about Todmorden: whether it is that it is right on the border of Yorkshire and Lancashire, the splendid refreshments on offer at The Red Cabin, its picturesque setting in the Calder Valley and accessibility by train from both sides of the Pennines, or the obvious pleasure that Todmorden CC derive from putting on matches but it a favourite among pcws of both persuasions and yesterday they turned up in numbers*. On offer was a  roses match with Lancashire Under 19s hosting  their  Yorkshire counterparts in a two for the price of one game. For as well as being the last match for both teams in the Five Counties Cup two day series also at stake was the Sanderson Cup, awarded to the winners in the annual roses match for this age group.

The blog may have been a little tardy in covering the Five Counties Cup and with only one match after this one remaining to be played this season (between Warwickshire and Durham next week at Griff and Coton CC in Nuneaton) it is a bit late to start now but just in case like me you are  a late comer to the competition here is what you've missed, with apologies for the crease.

Having travelled over from Leeds with Brian Cobb, who I had not seen since the end of last season, I arrived in the ground about 20 minutes after the call of play to find Yorkshire batting and with PSL's Callam Goldthorpe back in the pavilion. I joined a contingent of white rose supporters, most of whom were from Huddersfield and several of whom were called Graham, and after the loss of another wicket saw Barney Gibson and Nathern** Finn mount a recovery to bring us to lunch at 109 for 2.

Lunch, now there's the thing for while some of the company strolled in to the town I joined the hurly burly of the Red Cabin which was at full throttle and having neglected to order my rag pudding in advance opted for the pie (meat and potato) and peas ( mushy) in the company of two of the blog's regular readers Peter France and his Broad Oak friend Stuart. Excellent food and company. Typical Tod in other words.

 

Following the game was made relatively easy with the help of an excellent free programme which gave the names of the players and their clubs, the hours of play, the names of officials and the fixtures shown above, setting an example that the ecb might like to consider following their almost fraudulent effort at Scarborough last week where for a pound you got something that might occupy a child on a long journey but none of this kind of information. Yorkshire stepped on the gas during the afternoon with Gibson going to three figures and Fern being close to that milestone when, at tea, the score was 269 for 5. There had been some impressive pace bowling from Burnley's Cole Hayman and the introduction of left armer Sam Kershaw from Rawtenstall, who wore these must have boots, made us wonder why he had not bowled earlier
.

I left at tea and this time shared the journey back to Leeds with Jennifer Ellison. Try as I might I have not been able to find a close of play score and disappointingly the website listed on the programme appears not to be functioning but a grand day out on a dry day and the warmest for some time.

Jennifer supplied me with the results of the SET semi finals played on Tuesday and they are such that the final will be between Leicestershire and Lancashire and the teams are 'due to meet to discuss possible venues [for the final] later this week'. I will put the outcome of these deliberations on the blog as soon as known.

Finally pcws will be pleased to hear that Tony Hutton came out of hospital on Monday. Your name cropped up several times at Centre Vale yesterday Tony and lots of people send their best wishes.

* in bigger numbers than saw England U19 play South Africa at Trent Bridge last week
**spelling taken from programme.