A trip to Benwell Hill

posted by John Winn

 

Yesterday's forecast was that showers would clear into the North Sea by lunch and that the afternoon would spring sunny spells so I took the train to Newcastle where I met Our Hartlepool Correspondent under this splendid clock. Our aim was to see the T20 double header between the second elevens of Durham and Warwickshire at the west Newcastle ground of North Eastern Premier club, Benwell Hill. The rain had not fully cleared when shortly after eleven we caught a number ten bus from outside the station for the fifteen minute journey alighting at the stop for the crematorium which is across the road from the ground. Given the early morning rain it was not surprising that the game could not start promptly at 11:30 but on our arrival the signs were promising with the players warming up and the ground staff active on the square.

 

 

Benwell  are one of three Newcastle clubs in the NE Premier League with South Northumberland and Newcastle occupying the two places ahead of them in the current table. They have a proud history which is reflected in the many photographs in the pavilion, a shame that the oldest are partially obscured by the coffee machine. The club were three times winners of the Tyneside Senior League, three times winners of the Northumberland County League and winners of their current competition in 2002.

Umpires Hartley and Clark pronounced that play could begin at 12:30 with Warwickshire batting but squally showers brought two interruptions which reduced the first game to fifteen overs a side. This handicapped the Bears' cubs who reached 107 for 4 from their allocation. The visitors were captained by Scotsman FRJ Coleman and included Tom Lewis who had been in the first XI against Notts on Friday night but had been bowled by Gurney for 0.

The forecasters' predictions of sunny spells had proved accurate and conditions were good when Durham began their reply. Some terrific hitting by opener Graham Clark saw them to their target, which to our surprise was not affected by Duckworth Lewis, with overs to spare and seven wickets in hand. With a forty five minute break scheduled between the two games OHC and I decided to make our way home. It was my colleague's first experience of T20 and it had proved a happier event than he had anticipated although I pointed out that we had been spared embellishments like flares, music and dancing girls and nobody screamed maximum when Clark hit many of his several sixes.

I have been unable to find the result of the second game but the two sides meet again today in an SEC game at The Riverside and with fewer showers and warmer temperatures forecast for tomorrow I have the journey to Chester le Street pencilled in  for my mid week cricket.

Finally a trip to Newcastle presents the opportunity to purchase a copy of the local daily, The Journal with its excellent Monday coverage of local cricket from Tweed to Tees. I wrote in early April about the travails of The Cleveland League but things appear to have got worse for this is the current table.

                                       Smiths Dock A Played 3 45 points
                                       Smiths Dock B Played 4 34 points
                                       Loftus A           Played 3 30 points
                                       Loftus B           Played 2 11 points
                                       Paragonians      Played 2 10 points

Paragonians are a Hartlepool based club who play their home matches on Sundays at Blackhall and Hartlepool so we have a league of three clubs, five teams and two grounds. Make of that what you will.