Four new grounds fitted in before rain

posted by John Winn

The Pontefract League, until yesterday largely a closed book to me, covers the traditional mining areas of West and South Yorkshire and the first ground I visited yesterday, the pleasant tree lined oval at Allerton Bywater, like many in the league, bears the name of a former colliery. Yesterday's visitors in a Division Two game were South Leeds outfit, Rothwell CC. The two official umpires made sure proceedings started on time at 1:30 although the visitors took the field with ten men, the missing player having been held up by a puncture. After a quick last gasp the openers took the field but found progress slow against accurate bowling from an experienced looking Rothwell side.

Allerton Bywater

The heat of earlier in the week had gone and blue sky and clouds jostled for space but it was not unpleasant watching for the very small crowd, me and a few family supporters being about the height of it. After half an hour and a couple of circuits I left with Allerton still struggling to get the rate up to two an over. The result is not available on the league website and one wonders whether like many games yesterday, it fell victim to the weather.

From Allerton's position on the edge of Castleford it is but a short trip to Fairburn, famous more perhaps for its ings, but the ground is a pleasant one at the end of the village with what looked like a recently constructed pavilion and scoreboard. Another Pontefract League game, Div 5 this time. Visitors Pollington (from near Goole) were batting and giving it what for, 40 without loss soon became a lot more and with sixes flying out of the ground the visitors from the east, who are relative newcomers to this league but are making rapid progress up the divisions, reached 225 for 2. Fairburn were all out for 178.

Fairburn CC

With Pollington nearing 100 for 1, I made another very short trip, this time to the York Vale League and the match in Div 3 between Burton Salmon and Burn II. I had visited the BSCC ground towards the end of the season only to find it bolted and barred because that day's opponents Selby II had conceded. No such problem this time, Burton were batting but find it quite hard going at 66 for 5. They struggled on to reach 77 for 7 when to my surprise the teams left the field. On enquiry I was told that  because of threatening rain the captains had agreed on a thirty over game. Tea was taken alfresco after which, and despite a BSCC sage saying that 77 was more than enough, Burn went on to win by 5 wickets.

Burton Salmon

Yesterday was the opening week in The York Vale League and for my last match of the day I went to a Div 4 game at  Manor Field Tadcaster, to call on Tadcaster Magnet III versus Thorpe Arch and Boston Spa II, a title almost as long as the tea interval which was in session when I arrived and which I began to think would never end. The ground is tucked away behind the Tadcaster Leisure Centre and cricket shares with football, indeed  the goal posts were handily placed for a return to duty in the near future. The weather had turned cold and rain was in the air. I sought shelter in the club house and enjoyed a cup of tea and the Jimmy Anderson show. At last the players overcame their reluctance to leave the warmth and after a tea interval that lasted at least 45 minutes TABS II took the field, a couple of players were recruited to umpire and Tad began their pursuit of 149 to win. The website shows they fell short at 116 all out. I watched a few overs and then left for home and judging by the rain that  fell as I drove the twelve or so miles the players must have stayed on in wet conditions.

the brewery looks over Manor Field

Looking at the results for all four divisions in this league only four matches were abandoned because of rain but more worryingly two were conceded due to a shortage of players and my old friends Selby II were among the culprits. On a brighter note Thixendale, who were suspended from the league last season have returned in Div 4 and had a thumping win yesterday. Good to think such a lovely ground is back in action.